The Baal Shem Tov taught that the mitzvah of ahavat Yisrael applies even to our relationship with a Jew at the furthest end of the world whom one has never seen. R. Dov Ber, the Maggid of Mezhirech, taught that this means to love even a totally wicked person like a completely righteous one. All this is especially incumbent upon those led by Divine Providence to places where Torah and mitzvot are weak and negligible. A person like that may possibly argue that he needs to protect himself and seek to escape from such places, saying "I will save my own soul." Thus he must realize that he is dealing with a matter of pikuach nefashot, of saving lives. In cases of pikuach nefashot one is not permitted to make such calculations.

The fact that Divine Providence has led him to that place implies that Providence has charged him with a mission, and also endowed him with the abilities to convert that place to one of Torah and mitzvot. To teach us this truism, the Talmud relates (Eruvin 6a and 100b; Chulin 110a) how Rav came to Babylon and "found there an open field," i.e., places where the people were ignorant and negligent in the observance of the laws of Sabbath, dietary laws, and so forth "and he put a fence around it," i.e., he instituted enactments to prevent them from further transgressions.

The Talmud relates (Ketubot 77b) also of R. Chanina bar Pappa that he wished to experience the spiritual achievements of R. Joshua ben Levi. R. Chanina had observed everything that is written in the Torah, and, indeed, when his soul passed to its eternal rest a pillar of fire formed a partition between him and the world. Nonetheless, he did not attain his wish. For R. Chanina could not answer affirmatively the question, "Have you attached yourself to the sufferers of ra'atan (a contagious disease with repugnant symptoms) and engaged thus in Torah?" Many sages, the Talmud informs us, had distanced themselves from people afflicted with that disease. R. Joshua ben Levi, however, attached himself to these sufferers and studied the Torah. He sought to disseminate Torah everywhere, even among those suffering from ra'atan, and that is why he merited what he did.

That, too, is reflected in the instruction of R. Joshua ben Levi, in Perek Kinyan Hatorah that one must be preoccupied with Torah, i.e., not just learn for oneself but to disseminate Torah even unto the very lowest level of the `sufferers of ra'atan.'

However, this principle is by no means to be understood in terms that one is to neglect oneself and go out of his way to be preoccupied with others only. For one thing, the above-cited prooftext of Isaiah 58 ends with the exhortation "Hide not yourself from your own flesh." This means that one may not ignore, and must work on, one's own `fleshness,' one's own involvement with the mundane. Moreover, one must never force oneself - of oneself - into `narrow straits.' To be sure, there is always a lot to be achieved. At the same time, however, "all roads are presumed to be dangerous," thus why expose yourself intentionally to danger!

If, however, it be that "he went down into Egypt compelled by decree," i.e., that he was told and sent there, or he finds that Divine Providence has led him to that particular place, then all these arguments fall by the side. After all, it is "by Divine decree." He must realize that coming there `by decree' he is under compulsion, going only because of the decree. Hence he must do so joyfully. He is assured that "I will also surely bring you up again" (Genesis 46:4), and in the end he will come out "with great substance" (Genesis 15:14) spiritually as well as materially.

(This follows the fundamental Chassidic doctrine of hashgachah peratit, Divine Providence embracing every particular thing. The Baal Shem Tov interpreted the verse "A man's goings are established by G‑d." (Psalms 37:23) to mean that wherever man happens to be, regardless of any personal reasons that prompted him to go there, it is really Divine Providence that brought him to that particular place in order to serve some spiritual purpose.)