Igrot Kodesh · Letter 1444 — Faith & Bitachon

By the grace of Hashem,

1 Adar 5712,

Brooklyn, New York,

I bless and greet you,

I duly received your letter, written on Motzaei Shabbos Yisro, as well as the request for a brachah*, which I shall read, without making it a vow, at the tziyun* of my father-in-law, the Rebbe. Without doubt, he will arouse divine rachamim* for you and for the members of your family, that you obtain the satisfaction of the needs of each one of you.

You tell me that you are not pleased because I do not respond to you quickly. This feeling has no place. It is quite clear that I would have wished to respond to each letter as quickly as possible, but what can I do? It does not depend on me alone. My many occupations take much of my time, and very little remains for me to answer the letters that I receive.

Furthermore, these letters are also classified by order of urgency. But in any event, I respond as quickly as possible to requests for a brachah. On the other hand, it may take me time to inform you that I have done so. There is therefore no reason for displeasure, chas veshalom*.

I am concerned by what you write to me, and also by the information that reaches me from other chassidim*, regarding your material situation, which is far from being expansive. I hope that all this is only temporary, that Hashem will grant you soon material abundance, so that you may live in spiritual abundance. Our Sages say, indeed, that "all is in the hands of Heaven except yiras Shamayim*"[1], which is up to each individual.

I hope that your material situation in particular will improve, all the more so since, as you write in your letter, you possess a kli* to reveal it, since you have entered into a partnership in a business.

I read with pleasure the account that you gave me, in your letter, of the chassidic farbrengens* of 19 Kislev, the fifth light of Chanukah, and 10 Shevat. You say that you do not see what these gatherings contribute to avodas Hashem*. It is impossible to measure it immediately, and it may appear only later. In fact, the Alter Rebbe writes in perek 25 of Tanya[2] that a mitzvah, performed in a brief moment, creates between man and Hashem a yichud* which, above, is unchanging. Now, a chassidic farbrengen is a communal event, and as soon as ten Jews are present, the Shechinah* manifestly appears. Moreover, the Mishnah specifies that the same is true when two or three persons gather[3]. What results therefrom is therefore likewise unchanging.

And this is precisely the meaning of eternity. In this way, one can bind oneself, forever, to the Atzmus* of Hashem, especially by showing love to one's fellow. When we are "all as one," we can attain that "He bless us, our Father."[4]

May Hashem grant, as the Alter Rebbe writes, that this character of eternity be revealed in this month of Adar, in which our Sages ask us to increase in simchah*, and remove all restrictions provided that one is joyous. This simchah will be marked materially and spiritually together.

Greeting all your family, and with my brachah that you very soon know material abundance,