The Rebbe answered that if you have a need to travel, you should not remain at home and stubbornly refuse to go. Wherever you travel, there are things you must correct.122Likutey Moharan II, 62; Tzaddik #559; Likutey Halakhot, Techumin 2.
Even if you are an average person, you will do holy things in each place. You will pray, say a blessing over food, and many similar things. Even the lowliest Jew does holy things wherever he goes.
Each person is destined from on high to be in a particular place at a given time. At that time and place, there is something that he specifically must correct.
When you have occasion to travel, it is for your own good. If you would not make the journey voluntarily, you might be forced to go in chains. The Talmud teaches, “Jacob would have had to come to Egypt in chains, but was saved by his merit” (Shabbat 89b).
This is true of every man. If you find it necessary to travel, it is a favor from on high. Otherwise, you might have had to make the journey in chains.
The Rebbe told this to an ordinary person, because even the average person accomplishes great things wherever he may go – as long as he does not sin in any way.
The secret meaning of this is alluded to in the Pri Etz Chaim, Shaar Keriat Shma (chapter 3), concerning the intentions one must have when recalling the Exodus.
אֶחָד שָׁאַל אוֹתוֹ עַל עִנְיַן נְסִיעָה לְאֵיזֶה מָקוֹם, אִם יִסַּע לְשָׁם.
A man once asked the Rebbe whether he should undertake a particular journey.
הֵשִׁיב לוֹ: כְּשֶׁרוֹאֶה אָדָם נְסִיעָה לְפָנָיו, אֵין לוֹ לְהִתְעַקֵּשׁ לִמְנֹעַ מִזֶּה, לֵישֵׁב בְּבֵיתוֹ דַּוְקָא. כִּי בְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁאָדָם נוֹסֵעַ לְשָׁם הוּא מְתַקֵּן שָׁם אֵיזֶה דָּבָר.
The Rebbe answered that if you have a need to travel, you should not remain at home and stubbornly refuse to go. Wherever you travel, there are things you must correct.122Likutey Moharan II, 62; Tzaddik #559; Likutey Halakhot, Techumin 2.
רַק שֶׁיִּזָּהֵר לִהְיוֹת שָׁמוּר מִן הָעֲבֵרָה ח"ו, אֲבָל כְּשֶׁהוּא רַק שָׁמוּר מִן הָעֲבֵרָה ח"ו, אֲזַי כָּל אָדָם מְתַקֵּן בְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁהוּא נוֹסֵעַ לְשָׁם. אֲפִלּוּ אִישׁ פָּשׁוּט לְגַמְרֵי.
You must only be careful not to sin while you are there. If you do not sin, you can correct things wherever you travel.
כִּי בְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁהָאָדָם בָּא לְשָׁם, הוּא עוֹשֶׂה שָׁם בְּוַדַּאי אֵיזֶה דָּבָר שֶׁבִּקְדֻשָּׁה עַל־כָּל־פָּנִים. כִּי מִתְפַּלֵּל שָׁם וְאוֹכֵל שָׁם וּמְבָרֵךְ עַל אֲכִילָתוֹ לְפָנָיו וּלְאַחֲרָיו וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה. כִּי בְּוַדַּאי אִישׁ יִשְׂרְאֵלִי אֲפִלּוּ הַפָּחוּת שֶׁבַּפְּחוּתִים, עַל־כָּל־פָּנִים הוּא עוֹשֶׂה כַּמָּה דְּבָרִים שֶׁבִּקְדֻשָּׁה בְּכָל מָקוֹם אֲשֶׁר הוּא שָׁם.
Even if you are an average person, you will do holy things in each place. You will pray, say a blessing over food, and many similar things. Even the lowliest Jew does holy things wherever he goes.
וְעַל־כֵּן בְּוַדַּאי הָאָדָם מֻכְרָח מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם לִהְיוֹת שָׁם בְּאוֹתוֹ מָקוֹם דַּוְקָא, כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּתַקֵּן שָׁם מַה שֶּׁהוּא דַּיְקָא צָרִיךְ לְתַקֵּן שָׁם.
Each person is destined from on high to be in a particular place at a given time. At that time and place, there is something that he specifically must correct.
עַל־כֵּן הוּא טוֹבָה לְפָנָיו מַה שֶּׁנִּזְדַּמֵּן לוֹ נְסִיעָה לְשָׁם, כִּי אוּלַי יִהְיֶה מֻכְרָח לָבוֹא לְשָׁם "בְּשַׁלְשְׁלָאוֹת שֶׁל בַּרְזֶל", וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ ז"ל (שַׁבָּת פט:) עַל יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ: רָאוּי הָיָה יַעֲקֹב לֵירֵד לְמִצְרַיִם בְּשַׁלְשְׁלָאוֹת שֶׁל בַּרְזֶל אֶלָּא וְכוּ'.
When you have occasion to travel, it is for your own good. If you would not make the journey voluntarily, you might be forced to go in chains. The Talmud teaches, “Jacob would have had to come to Egypt in chains, but was saved by his merit” (Shabbat 89b).
כְּמוֹ כֵן הוּא בְּכָל אָדָם. שֶׁהוּא טוֹבָה לְפָנָיו מַה שֶּׁמִּזְדַּמֵּן לוֹ נְסִיעָה לְשָׁם. כִּי בְּלֹא זֶה אוּלַי הָיָה מֻכְרָח לֵירֵד לְשָׁם בְּשַׁלְשְׁלָאוֹת וְכוּ' ח"ו, כַּנַּ"ל.
This is true of every man. If you find it necessary to travel, it is a favor from on high. Otherwise, you might have had to make the journey in chains.
וְכָל זֶה דִּבֵּר עִם אִישׁ פָּשׁוּט לְגַמְרֵי. כִּי אֲפִלּוּ אִישׁ פָּשׁוּט לְגַמְרֵי מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל מְתַקֵּן גַּם־כֵּן בְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁהוּא, וּבִלְבַד שֶׁיְּהֵא שָׁמוּר וְכוּ' כַּנַּ"ל.
The Rebbe told this to an ordinary person, because even the average person accomplishes great things wherever he may go – as long as he does not sin in any way.
(וְסוֹד זֶה מְרֻמָּז בִּ"פְרִי עֵץ חַיִּים" בְּשַׁעַר קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע (פֶּרֶק ג) בְּכַוָּנוֹת זְכִירַת יְצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם עַיֵּן שָׁם וְהָבֵן).
The secret meaning of this is alluded to in the Pri Etz Chaim, Shaar Keriat Shma (chapter 3), concerning the intentions one must have when recalling the Exodus.