י״ז כסלו ה׳תשפ״ו | December 7, 2025
Today: Auction on Rebbe’s Eretz Yisroel Document
A major historical discovery has come to light in recent days, indicating a potential plan of the Rebbe to visit Eretz Yisroel. A previously unknown document reveals that the Rebbe received official approval from the immigration department in Eretz Yisroel to immigrate – almost exactly 100 years ago.
A major historical discovery has come to light in recent days, indicating a potential plan of the Rebbe to visit Eretz Yisroel 100 years ago.
A previously unknown document, now being auctioned off by the Moreshet Auction House, along with many other Chabad items in their 20th Chabad auction, reveals that the Rebbe received approval from the immigration department in Eretz Yisroel to immigrate to Eretz Yisroel.
Dated 21 Tevet 5686 (1926) – almost exactly 100 years ago – the document sheds new light on a hidden chapter of the Rebbe’s early life. The typewritten letter, with handwritten additions, was sent to Reb Yisrael Asher Leiba, a”h, a close relative of the Rebbe, a prominent Chabad chossid in Yerushalayim, and a member of the leadership of Kollel Chabad.
The document, originating from the Mizrachi immigration department, refers to the Rebbe as the nephew of Reb Yisrael Asher – apparently listed this way to ensure the visa would be granted.
It states:
“In accordance with his request, we have entered his name, the son of his sister, Schneerson Mendel of Ekaterinoslav (Russia) [today: Dnipro, in the Dnipropetrovsk region of Ukraine, the Rebbe’s birthplace and residence at the time], into the list of immigrants invited by their relatives in Eretz Yisrael and the Zionist administration.
“A permit for entry has already been sent to the British Consul in Moscow. The son of his sister should present the official permit, along with this accompanying letter, to the consul in order to obtain a visa to immigrate to Eretz Yisrael.”
The Rebbe’s view on moving to or even visiting Eretz Yisroel is well known and was mentioned by the Rebbe on repeated occasions, and until now, there was no known indication of any potential plans by the Rebbe to visit Eretz Yisroel.
Many questions remain unanswered: Did the Rebbe personally request the approval through Reb Yisrael Asher? Did Reb Yisrael Asher act on his own initiative? Was he perhaps prompted by someone else? And if so, for what reason did he or they want the Rebbe to visit? It also remains unclear why the Rebbe ultimately did not utilize this permit.
Interestingly, the letter predates the Rebbe’s marriage by approximately three years, although the Rebbe was already deeply connected with the Frierdiker Rebbe.
It is also worth noting that Reb Yisrael Asher Leiba had successfully obtained entry permits for the Rebbe’s parents – Harav Levi Yitzchak and Rebbetzin Chana – in Tammuz of 5680 (1920); however, for reasons still unknown, that permit, like the Rebbe’s, was never used.
This newly uncovered document offers a fascinating glimpse into a little-known chapter of the Rebbe’s early life, providing historians and Chassidim alike with a fresh perspective on what may have happened in those years.
The document is one of many fascinating artifacts being auctioned off this Sunday, 17 Kislev, including many dollars, coins, kuntresim, Chanukah gelt, stamps received from the Rebbe, and many original and extremely old prints of Lubavitch seforim – including Tanya – among many more items.
To browse the full catalog:
In English, click here
In Hebrew, click here
COMMENTS
There are clear letters from the fridiker rebbe to the rebbe telling him about a 2nd trip to Israel that he wants to take and writes that he wants the rebbe to join him.
In addition, there are testimonies from 2 chasidim that knew about a trip to Israel that the rebbe was planning in the 1950’s…
Both trips didn’t work out.
But to write that this document is the first to show any intended trips to Israel is factually not correct.
It says here that the Rebbe was born in Yekatrinoslav, while in actuality he was born in Nikolayev (now Mykolaiv) and only later moved to Yekatrinoslav.
The article claims that R Yisroel Asher Leiba* was “a close relative of the Rebbe”, which is a bit of a stretch.
To clarify:
RYA Leiba’s second wife’s name was Sara Liba.
All four of her grandparents were descendants of the Alter Rebbe: Two of them (R Yisroel Noach and Devorah Leah) were children of the Tzemach Tzedek; and the other two (R Schneur Zalmanson and Freida) were children of R Yekusiel Zalman and Rivka, a daughter of the Miteler Rebbe.
Thus, in two ways was she a second cousin with R Boruch Schneur, the Rebbe’s grandfather. She was first married to R Yitzchok Isaac Menuchin, and then to RYA Leiba.
Thus, the questions raised in this article — Did the Rebbe personally request the approval through Reb Yisrael Asher? Did Reb Yisrael Asher act on his own initiative? Was he perhaps prompted by someone else? And if so, for what reason did he or they want the Rebbe to visit? — are even more pronounced.
Note:
* The article spells his last name as “Leiba”. In a letter of the Rebbe Rashab (IGK 5 p. 6) which describes RYA’s unfortunate financial situation, his last name is written “ליבא”. In Eretz Yisroel it was typically written “ליבו” (such as on the documents for Reb Leivik’s potential move to EY). Finally, his stepson Moshe Menuhin (Sara Liba’s son from her first marriage) called him “Israel Libo” (The Menuhin Saga, p. 8).
— Menachem Berkowitz