Thanks so much! I still can't get over how that schmuck at the National Press Club from Jews against Zionism was able to spill that big cup of red dye on Rabbi Kahane's head! I'm also curious as to why this wasn't a sign to the rebbe that just maybe he should have more protection surrounding him during his speaking events? Perhaps a good question to ask Chaim and see what he thinks. Feel free to answer if you have any information and answers on this.
Daniel
The answer lies in Torah.
The spies Moshe Rabbeinu [alav ha shalom] sent, saw and they drew certain conclusions. They were the wrong conclusions. You know what they saw? Listen to this. If you ever need a defence of taking Judaism seriously, here it is. You remember that among the many things that Moshe Rabbeinu [alav ha shalom] told the spies to do, he said: Look at the cities.
Uma he'arim asher-hu yoshev bahena habemachanim im bemivtzarim. "Go and look at the cities and see if they are open or fortified." And they came back and they say,
vehe'arim betzurot me'od - "...we saw extremely well-fortified cities." In D'varim Moshe Rabbeinu [alav ha shalom] adds the touch that they were fortified up to the very heavens. So what did they do? They concluded that if the cities are strong, therefore the people are strong. That was the conclusion. Wrong!
You know what Rashi says?
Im bemachanim heim yoshvim - if they live in open cities -
siman hu shechazakim heim - it is a sign that the people are strong because they don't need to barricade themselves behind great defences. They are quite sure that if anyone attacks them they will win. If
bemivtzarim heim yoshvim, siman hu shechalashim heim - this is a sign that they are weak if they live behind walls.
Therefore, the spies saw - but what they saw wasn't there. They thought they saw a strong people, but it was actually a people who were terrified - enough to hide in walled cities!
And, coming to the present day situation, if I may just add, do not think that those who live behind high walls, a self-imposed ghetto, are necessarily the strongest Jews. The strongest Jews who those who are able to live without those high walls - like those in Yesha. Confident in their faith they can engage in defense when necessary, and when ideal dialogue with other people's faith - or other people's culture.
Therefore the Rebbe did not want the bodyguards. Not because he was arrogant (not saying anyone meant this) but because a Jew shows faith - emuna with bitachon - trust in Ha Shem. By not depending on bodygaurds, the Rebbe set an example to Israel the state - do not depend on the mizraim of our time, i.e. the USA. Do not enclose yourselves in ghettos but fight the wars of Ha Shem and Ha Shem as He did for us throughout history when we showed proper emuna through bitachon - He fights for us.
When we trust in leaders, in princes, and their weapons and erect walls around us, it is hillul Ha Shem and Ha Shem therefore shuns away from us because we shun Him. The Rebbe wanted us to live in the open unwalled cities - showing emuna through bitachon in Ha Shem would have been our gaurantee of peace and security.
Woe to us that the Rebbe is no more. In an ironic kinda twist I feel Ha Shem saved him the pain of witnessing what we are witnessing now! As in the past a messenger was sent to us but we only realised he was right when the event came to pass - again we missed the opportunity to avoid tragedy. Ha Shem took the Rebbe from us in a way that makes his memory linger because of the brutal way the sons of Gog and Magog dealt with him. In a way I feel Ha Shem granted the Rebbe what David ha Melech [alav ha shalom] wrote in Hallel,
lo lanu, lo lanu the inference our sages say being to the great and terrible day of HaShem!