לו

For many days I have had cravings and yearnings and longings for Eretz Yisroel. And from the day I heard from Rabbainu zichrono livracha the Torah teachings speaking of the very holiness of Eretz Yisroel — and from all of them it is understood that all the holiness of a person of Israel depends on Eretz Yisroel — from then until now — behold a fire burns within me — burning like sparks of fire — a divine flame — to merit to come to Eretz Yisroel. And in particular from the time I heard the awesome Torah of the "Nine Tikunim" — when Rabbainu zichrono livracha mentioned at the time he said that Torah mentioned above: whoever wishes to be a true Israelite — that is, to go from level to level — it is impossible to merit this except through Eretz Yisroel. And he said then: when one wins the battle and comes to Eretz Yisroel — then one is called a man of war. For before one comes to Eretz Yisroel — "let not him who girds on his armor boast like him who takes it off." But when one wins — then one is called a man of war. And afterward he said the entire Torah mentioned above — how one merits to come to Eretz Yisroel. Happy is the ear that hears. And afterward — soon after he had said the Torah mentioned above — I asked him zichrono livracha: what is your intention in this — in what you have said — that the essential thing is Eretz Yisroel? And he rebuked me. And he answered and said: my intention is according to its plain meaning — this very Eretz Yisroel with those houses. (And he said it in the Ashkenazic tongue in these words: Ich main takki dos Eretz Yisroel mit di shtibber mit di haizer.) That is: my entire intention is literally — that every person of Israel must come to this physical Eretz Yisroel — which is settled in those houses and courtyards standing there in Tzfas and Tiberias and other places of Eretz Yisroel. For all the commandments need to be performed according to their plain sense precisely. And it is impossible to attain holiness except through this Eretz Yisroel — the one known to us — to which Israel travel.