The Day Of Your Liberation Is Near President Bush In An Address To The Nation March 17 2003
The Crisis Begins
Twelve years ago about a month after Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait as the U.S. began building a coalition of nations against Saddam Hussein one of the foremost religious voices of our generation began quoting an ancient passage of the Midrash foretelling the events of the day.
It was Sabbath afternoon Aug. 18 1990 when the Lubavitcher Rebbe Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson addressed thousands of disciples at his headquarters in Brooklyn(1). The mood in the Jewish world was stern as Saddam pledged war against Israel if he were attacked. The Rebbe quoted words of the Sages dating back some 1 500 years.
The leader of Persia states the Midrash will attack an Arab nation and the Arab king will go to Aram for advice. The leader of Persia will bring destruction to the entire world and all of the nations will be struck by panic and fear … Israel will also be overtaken by panic and fear and they will cry ‘Where shall we go? Where shall we go?’
Moshiach will then tell them: ‘My children fear not. Everything I have done I have done for you. Why are you afraid? Do not fear! The time of your liberation has arrived’ (2).
Who is Persia? Who is Aram?
A few weeks later during the holiday of Sukkos(3) in October 1990 the Rebbe went on to explain that the Midrashic words the leader of Persia may be understood as the leader of Iraq since ancient Persia included the territory of present-day Iraq. Aram which in Hebrew means exalted or powerful refers to the world’s superpower. Thus the Arab king going to Aram for advice may represent an Arab country Kuwait coming to the U.S. for help (4).
Despite the ominous situation the Rebbe declared there was no reason to become confounded or fearful. On the contrary this confrontation was heralding the time of our redemption that moment in history when the authentic spiritual and moral core of humanity will emerge in its full splendor and heaven will become one with earth.
During the next months the Lubavitcher Rebbe reiterated these Midrashic words numerous times as he called on the Jewish people and the world to replace fear with courage and confusion with determination. We ought to prepare ourselves and the world at large the Rebbe said for the great spiritual revolution that will engulf the globe by increasing in the study of Torah the observance of mitzvos and acts of goodness and kindness. Each and every one of us the Rebbe suggested should be teaching himself and the surrounding world about a higher way of living – a life of ethics honesty goodness and peace. A life of Moshiach.
The War Begins
The war began on Wednesday Jan. 16 1991. A tremendous part of the fighting was concentrated in Basra that ancient port city off the Persian Gulf in southern Iraq home to the Republican Guard and according to many the location of the dictator himself.
Three days later on Sabbath Jan. 19 (4 Shevat 5750) the Lubavitcher Rebbe devoted a large part of his public address to the war against Saddam Hussein. The Rebbe viewed Saddam – a person who chopped off the ears and noses of dissidents tortured children in front of their parents gassed thousands to death and craved the death of Israel – as a truly evil person.
The Rebbe saw him as a scion of the great anti-Semites of old professing the legendary brutality and Jew-hatred of Nebuchadnezzar (ancient king of Iraq and Babylonia arch-hero of Saddam) Amalek Haman and Pharaoh.
