The Rebbe knew very well of the ulterior motives accompanying so many American foreign-policy decisions. Yet he felt America and its values of freedom and individual liberty were a blessing for mankind and that its war against a monstrous tyrant was a moral act one that would save and liberate countless innocent lives.
I recall vividly how during his address on that Sabbath the Rebbe encouraged the American armed forces to finish the job they had successfully begun. Seventy or 80 percent of the work has been accomplished already the Rebbe stated. The job should be concluded 100 percent.
Moses’ Fear
In a fascinating discussion about fear and courage the Rebbe discussed the opening verse of that week’s Torah portion (the portion of Bo) where G-d said to Moses: ‘Come to Pharaoh(5).’ The Zohar one of the foundational texts of Kabbalah writes on this passage (6):
Now it is time to reveal secrets that are bound above and below. Why does it say ‘Come to Pharaoh’? It should have said ‘Go to Pharaoh!’ But G-d brought Moses into a chamber within a chamber to the supernal and mighty serpent from which many levels of evil evolve… Moses feared the great serpent. Moses was ready to confront the manifestations of this serpent but not to its core. Moses was afraid to come close to its essence because he saw that it was grounded in supernal roots.
In other words Moses was ready to confront Pharaoh in his many forms and manifestations but when the moment came and Moses was called to face that ruler’s core-evil in his innermost chamber even the great Moses was overtaken by fear. Thus G-d needed to reassure Moses and say to him Come to Pharaoh. You are not going alone I am coming with you.
G-d In Basra
As the address continued the Rebbe went on to discuss the tremendous significance of the fact that the center of the fighting took place in southern Iraq in the city of Basra. He quoted a verse form the Prophet Isaiah foretelling the events of the ultimate redemption (7):
Who is this coming from Edom with sullied garments from Basra? is the question an anonymous onlooker asks G-d when he sees G-d returning as a warrior from the battlefield of Basra.
I soiled my garments [in My war against evil in Basra] G-d responds for a day of vengeance is in My heart and the year of My redemption has come.
According to many Talmudic sources the city discussed by Isaiah in this prophecy is located in Babylonia or present-day Iraq (8). This means G-d was saying that He Himself will be confronting the evil in Basra just as G-d promised Moses that He Himself would join Him in confronting the evil of Pharaoh 9). The Rebbe apparently comparing Saddam to Pharaoh was speaking of the courage required to confront the tyrant of Iraq face-to-face and subdue him.
The Rebbe concluded by assuring the Jews living in Israel that they would be safe and secure. There will be no war in Israel the Rebbe stated. Israel is the safest place in the world. Indeed despite Iraq launching 39 Scud missiles at Israel not one death could be contributed directly to those attacks.
A Strange Instruction
During that time I had the privilege of working as one of the oral scribes of the Rebbe reviewing and transcribing his public talks for publication. That night I received a telephone call from one of the Rebbe’s secretaries Rabbi Laibel Groner who instructed me in the name of the Rebbe not to publish the segment of the talk that dealt with the U.S. war against Iraq. The Rebbe had at the time told his secretary these words will be applicable at a future time (10).
