Asaf was a young Israeli boy studying for his Bar Mitzvah in the winter of 1984. Curious about Judaism, he constantly peppered his Bar Mitzvah tutor with questions about Judaism and Jewish history, and was satisfied with the patient and straightforward answers. One day Asaf asked why the Lubavitcher Rebbe does not live in Israel. “You told me the Rebbe loves the Land of Israel and is so involved with everything that happens here. Plus, the Rebbe surely recites the Amida prayer three times every day in which we beg G-d to return us to Israel. Why does the Rebbe not move to Israel?” The rabbi advised Asaf to write a letter to the Rebbe requesting a blessing for his upcoming Bar Mitzvah and to include his question in the letter. Soon afterward, Asaf received a letter of blessing from the Rebbe which included, to everyone’s amazement, a lengthy postscript addressing his question. Following is a loose translation from the original Hebrew. “[In response to your question] regarding where a person lives. The determining factor [in choosing a place to live] is not where it will be more personally pleasant or beneficial, but rather where one can do more good deeds and where one’s assistance is needed most. For example, a doctor must choose to live in a place where his [healing] services are most needed, and not where he or she hopes to have an easier life. In truth, every person must “heal” his surroundings, to introduce more light and holiness there. Regarding Jews, the primary mission of every single Jew is to bring more Judaism to their surroundings.” In this week’s parsha we learn that several days after crossing the Red Sea, the Israelites arrived in Marah and thirsted for drinking water. G-d miraculously sweetened the bitter waters, communicated to them their first batch of Torah laws and concluded: “If you hearken to the voice of the L-rd, your G-d, and you do what is proper in His eyes, and you listen closely to His commandments and observe all His statutes, all the sicknesses that I have visited upon Egypt I will not visit upon you, for I, the L-rd, heal you.” Torah and Mitzvot are the antidotes to all societal ills and the key to healing a broken world and we are the “physicians” empowered to joyfully “heal” our surroundings with these potent medicines. But to succeed we must be willing to sacrifice comfort and convenience to be in the right place and at the right time, ultimately preparing our world for the healthiest time of all, the era of Moshiach, when peace and tranquility will prevail for all.