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The eleventh of Nissan 5732

"Shalom, honored Rabbi," said Yitzchak Rabin, Ambassador of Israel to Washington.

"Blessings to all," answered the Rebbe to Rabin's greeting.

Rabin told the Rebbe that he is the ambassador of Israel to Washington and that he is bringing the greetings of the State of Israel to the Rebbe in honor of his seventieth birthday. The Rebbe asked Mr. Rabin, "Do you not feel alone as the representative of the land of Israel among 120 countries and peoples that are represented in Washington?"

Rabin answered, "It is a great honor for me to represent the State of Israel in Washington, and even if I do feel lonely at times; first: more than half of the countries, represented in Washington do not recognize Israel, therefore it removes the burden of being in contact with them. With the others Israel has friendly relationships. Israel is important to me and not what others will say regarding Israel."

The Rebbe then asked, "However, the United States takes in consideration what other nations say?"

Rabin: "Not necessarily and if yes, not too much. The Russian ambassador once told me, 'you are a small country, but you are a proud country'. Most countries are jealous of Israel."

"We have to realize the uniqueness of the Jewish nation", the Rebbe said and began to explain the verse "A nation that will live in isolation". "Is it by choice or by force that Israel is the people that dwell alone among other nations?

"It is by both of them; first by the Jewish peoples own choice - that is the source of this phenomenon: To stick to the Torah, to the faith to the tradition of the Jewish people, which kept them under very unique circumstances for two thousand years. Without a country, without a place where they all settle, bearing the phenomenon of the Wandering Jew who had to move from time to time because of the inquisition, expulsion, pogroms and with no doubt the Holocaust.
"The pressures from the outside strengthened the core of the belief, of the faithful tendency to the religion, to our tradition and therefore it is a combination of both. First and foremost the Jewish faith, the religion and the adherence of the Jewish people to die for the sanctifying of G-d's name, as the main force.

"In the case when a Jew tries to be what he is not - he is embarrassed of being Jewish - the forces from the outside force it on the Jew. And this, of course, is what prevented assimilation; the negative forces helped us not to be assimilated.

"The combination of the positive and the negative.

"Regardless of all this, the Jewish people remain faithful to the Jewish religion, the Jewish tradition, and succeeded to survive as no people anywhere in the world proved to be successful in doing. They have never lost their belief, their hope to return to Jerusalem, to the land of Israel.

"Correct, the nations do not understand why Israel is of concern to the American Jew, because we are a "nation who lives in solitude" and therefore we have concern for one another. However we should not be happy with our portion," said Rabin.

"The land of Israel has great influence. The Jewish nation is different from all other nations, and the American Jew also posses this feeling. A person has to know that even though he is an individual, every individual is also part of a certain community - the Jewish community worldwide," the Rebbe said

The Rebbe then began to explain the phrase, "Blessed is the one who is happy with his portion". "What does it mean; if somebody is happy with what he has there is no force to drive him to achieve more and to do better. Is there any contradiction between the saying: "blessed is the one who is happy with his portion" and the nature of the human being to improve in every aspect of his life?
"One has to be happy with what he has in physical wealth. However, for the purpose to be better, to do better and to improve, one should not be happy with what he has; The being happy at every stage with what you have, this should not prevent you to be better - a better human being, a better Jew and to do better in the right and positive directions.
"We always prayed everyday to return to Israel. And at the end the goal will be reached," the Rebbe concluded the audience.