Rav Nahman emphasized living in the land of Israel as [I noted in the Le,M vol I chap. 55 when I went into the local Na Nach place to study that book of Rav Nahman today] and in fact it was the encouragement that I saw in a different chapter in the Le.M that convinced me to come to Israel for the first time some years ago. I also saw this emphasis in the letter of the Gra  that he wrote to his wife on his journey to Israel.

The original motivation was from the general approach of Musar that I had been reading. But when I actually began to take steps, I found my way blocked. Then i noted that Rav Nahman had said that the land of Israel is acquired by hardships,,, and the major hardships and obstacles are the slanderers of the land ,