After a day or two, the ship found itself without drinking water. All the water had been used up except for one barrel of putrid, bad-smelling water that was crawling with worms. This water was carefully rationed to the passengers, one measure to each person. The danger of thirst grew more serious than all previous perils.

All the passengers, men, women and children, began to pray from the depths of their hearts (see “His Wisdom” #39). Suddenly a great wind began to blow, sweeping the ship along. Within two days, they sighted land. They had arrived at Jaffa, the port of entry to Jerusalem.

The Rebbe wanted to leave the ship immediately and accompany the sage to Jerusalem. But God willed otherwise (cf. I Kings 12:15), and the Turks would not let him enter the country. They saw his strange clothing and long peyot. This, together with his inability to speak their language, convinced them that he was a French spy. Neither persuasion nor pleading availed, and the Rebbe was constrained to remain on shipboard.

It was two days before Rosh HaShanah, and the captain intended to remain in Jaffa for at least several more days.

Soon a heavy surf arose, rocking the ship so much that it almost capsized. The captain was helpless and soon realized that he could not remain there. He was very surprised at this, and inquired. The old Sephardic sages told him they had a tradition from father to son that this was the place where Jonah had been cast into the sea. They were forced to lift anchor, for the ship could not remain there for the night.

They left Jaffa and arrived in Haifa on the eve of Zakhor Brit,³¹ which are recited on that day. the day before Rosh HaShanah. The ship rested at the foot of Mount Carmel, near the Cave of Elijah.

footnotes: ³¹ “Remember the Covenant” (of Abraham). It is so called because of the Selichot

In the early morning, all the people on the ship said Selichot with great joy. Then they prayed the morning service. After their prayers, everyone disembarked in Haifa.

It was then that the Rebbe first set foot on the Holy Land.³² He had come to the place for which he yearned. He had thirsted for this moment with the greatest longing. For this he had risked his life thousands of times, literally casting his soul aside (Judges 9:17).

footnotes: ³² Rebbe Nachman arrived on Monday, the day before Rosh HaShanah 5559 (September 10, 1798).

He set foot on the Holy Land! He was actually standing there! The tremendous joy that he experienced at that instant is beyond all imagination. If all the seas were ink (Shabbat 11a), it would not describe it in the least.

In that instant, the Rebbe attained everything. He later said, “The moment I walked four steps in the Holy Land,³³ 111a. I achieved my goal.”

footnotes: ³³ Regarding the concept of four steps, see Ketubot

That afternoon, the Rebbe went to the mikvah. Then he went to the synagogue and remained there until after the evening prayers.

When he returned to his lodgings, the Rebbe was overflowing with joy. Every minute, he looked at his attendant and exclaimed, “You are so fortunate that you were worthy to be here with me!”

Then the Rebbe told his attendant to read all the missives they had brought along. All the Rebbe’s followers had given him slips containing their names so that he would pray for them in the Holy Land. The entire household shared the Rebbe’s joy throughout the Rosh HaShanah meal. This joyous mood continued until they finally went to bed.

On the morning of Rosh HaShanah, they went to the synagogue again. When they returned to their lodgings, the Rebbe’s mood changed to one of immeasurable concern and brokenheartedness (see “His Wisdom” #41, #42, #45). He would not speak to a soul for the rest of the holiday (cf. “His Wisdom” #21).