During the Sanzer Rebbe’s historic visit to the United States to meet with his chassidim, he paid a visit to the home of the Bobover Rebbe in Boro Park. Their discussion touched on the difficult situation in Eretz Yisroel, the decrees affecting yeshiva students, and whether earlier rebbes of the Sanzer dynasty had traveled to America.

Below is a transcription of portions of the conversation between the two rebbes.

At the outset of the visit, the Bobover Rebbe said to the Sanzer Rebbe:
“Did you come to see the spiritual coldness of America…?”

The Sanzer Rebbe responded:
“I said that one can learn from this now, that in America one needs special caution — ‘not to slip’… although in Eretz Yisroel that same caution is also necessary…”

The Bobover Rebbe said:
“It is known that the Gorlitzer Rebbe zy”a said in his time that there would yet be a Jewish settlement in America.”

The Sanzer Rebbe replied:
“He indeed had a desire to come to America, and he traveled for that purpose to his brother, the Shinova Rebbe zy”a to ask him to join him on the journey.”

The Bobover Rebbe said:
“Yes, I heard from my father zt”l that the holy Gorlitzer Rebbe wanted to come here, and for that reason traveled especially to the Shinova Rebbe to ask him to go along with him. But the Shinova Rebbe refused and said that he was already too old and did not have the strength.”

The Sanzer Rebbe reflected:
“When I was a young child and we came to live in Netanya, it was very uncommon to see even a single child with peyos. People looked at us as something strange and unusual. Today, however, there are many thousands of baalei teshuvah in Netanya, primarily from the Sephardic community, with many kollelim and yeshivos.”

The Bobover Rebbe responded:
“In every place there is a mixture of good and bad, but there is an entire world of good, baruch Hashem. Everyone agrees that Moshiach must come… the situation there in Eretz Yisroel with the bochurim is not simple… what will yet boil over there…”

The Sanzer Rebbe said:
“It is clear that in the end, didan natzach — the bochurim will remain learning in yeshivos. But the current situation is very difficult, both because of the financial pressures they create and the persecutions, and so on.”

The Bobover Rebbe added:
“Truly, until now the calculation ‘did not add up,’ that they gave what they did…”

The Sanzer Rebbe explained:
“When their decrees first began, I said that there are those who do not understand why suddenly they began persecuting Torah learners. But in truth, this is their real nature. The fact that until now they did not interfere was the novelty. The reason was that in the early years after the war, in order to establish the Torah world and build Torah institutions, their choice was taken away and they were compelled to give and assist. But now, when, baruch Hashem, a generation of Torah has been established and Torah institutions have the strength to exist, their free choice was returned. Now their true face has been revealed — that they truly have no desire whatsoever to give space to Torah learners. On the one hand, we see abundant Divine assistance, and on the other hand, there is also hester panim.”

The Bobover Rebbe said:
“Even in America we suffer greatly, as there are those who stand against us with actual hatred…”

The Sanzer Rebbe replied:
“Seemingly, there is no reason why they should not hate Jews…”

The Bobover Rebbe said:
“It is a known halachic principle that Eisav hates Yaakov…”

The Sanzer Rebbe responded:
“And because he lives in America he is different? They are gentiles like all other gentiles…”

The Bobover Rebbe concluded this part of the discussion by saying:
“Unfortunately, here too we suffer from those ‘your destroyers and those who lay you waste come forth from among you,’ who act against Torah institutions. And the situation in England regarding this is even worse — they are actively seeking to destroy and to uproot.”

At the conclusion of the visit, the Bobover Rebbe honored the Sanzer Rebbe with a lechayim, and they exchanged warm blessings. The Bobover Rebbe inquired about the Sanzer Rebbe’s health and said to him: “You shall renew yourself like the eagle of your youth… The Rebbe of Ropshitz zy”a said regarding the verse ‘and with good wine the soul rejoices’ — with good physical strength, the soul rejoices as well.”

The Bobover Rebbe then arose and personally escorted the Sanzer Rebbe to the exit, bringing the visit to a close.