Insights from a Meeting with Rabbi Schneerson

The tragic event that occurred in the United States on September 11,

which, in fact, the Rebbe foresaw in the intelligence briefing he gave me,

was also the kind of event he anticipated.

In March 1988, I was appointed head of

the General Security Service by the late Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir,

and about two months later, I went on a

professional visit to the United States. Those were the days when the identity of the head

of the Shin Bet was secret. I never imagined

that anyone in the United States knew who I was

or, of course, knew about my new role, so I was very surprised

when those three Hasidim came, congratulated me

and invited me to a meeting with the Lubavitcher Rebbe.

I was shocked.

My feeling before I entered the meeting with the Rebbe was

that, like thousands, if not tens of thousands, of other Hasidim,

I would receive a blessing, a dollar, and after a minute or two,

the next person behind me would come in.

I must say that I was moved and did not expect

to be granted such a long, detailed meeting,

so full of substance. I met a personality

Amazing, exceptional, impressive in terms of ability

the eloquence, analytical ability, and expertise he

displayed in intelligence matters and terrorism issues I dealt with,

and he was able to analyze events expected

in advance. The Rebbe foresaw the rise of Islam,

and he said that what would happen in many very enlightened countries,

Western countries, was that there would be a very, very

great and powerful rise of radical Islam, organizations

of Islamic Jihad and al-Qaeda, and the

attacks, terrorist incidents. Broadly speaking,

the Rebbe foresaw it exactly, point by point,

certainly the event of the Twin Towers.

If it was a surprise to the American intelligence services, it was not to the Rebbe,

and that, of course, as an intelligence man, very,

very much surprised and impressed me.

He had the ability to see things ahead, and that is

an ability any intelligence professional would be blessed with.

When I analyzed it years later,

I was truly amazed, surprised by the ability

of prophecy and foresight of a person

who was not a person involved, so to speak, in the trivialities

this world. His prophetic ability and foresight

prepared me, in fact, for the role

that I fulfilled for eight years.

A person like me, who is generally not observant,

this encounter makes me

understand that, first of all, there are other sides

to the Jewish people that also deserve respect,

and must not be disparaged. The commandment to safeguard the Jewish people,

safeguarding the citizens of the State of Israel and the existence of the Jewish people and

the State of Israel, is a sacred commandment, and in this

matter, I completely identify with the Rebbe. I never

had any feeling whatsoever that we were

at opposite extremes.

The Rebbe told me in our conversation

that the role of head of the General Security Service is a

sacred role in terms of safeguarding the Jewish people. I felt a sense

of mission, and that it was my duty

to deal with the events he foresaw,

which would ultimately safeguard

the Jewish people and preserve the eternity of Israel.

To this very day,

after that meeting, whenever I come to the United States

after the Rebbe has already passed away,

I go up to his grave and stand beside

the pit of notes that everyone tosses in with

His requests. When you come to the grave, you really

feel a sense of holiness

and a sense of remembrance that you rarely feel

in other similar places.

The impression that this meeting left on me,

I carry with me all my life. Whenever we succeeded,

and with God's help, we succeeded greatly, I felt

that I was adding another coin, another personal contribution

of mine

through my command, to the mission that the Rebbe

assigned

to me.