Igrot Kodesh · Letter 1518 — Tzedakah

By the grace of Hashem,

27 Nissan 5712,

Brooklyn,

To the Rav, distinguished chassid* who fears Hashem

and devotes himself to communal needs,

HaRav Chaim Zushya[1],

I greet and bless you,

I respond to your letters of Adar and of 14 Nissan.

A) You ask me about the Oholei Yosef Yitzchak network. I wrote, some time ago, to Agudas Chabad in Tel Aviv[2], and, responding to the letter that had been addressed to me after the visit to Rav Kahana, I explained the importance of constituting a non-affiliated stream. I hope that one has already begun to do so.

I have good hope, if one furnishes the necessary effort, that one shall know hatzlachah* in this domain. You have surely yourself had cognizance of this letter. In any event, one must prepare the registrations in the appropriate manner. As you write to me, these must take place in Sivan.

B) You write to me that some of those who help you act only out of submission[3], and that they therefore lack ardor. We have heard, on various occasions, regarding public activities, the following affirmation: "If one wants the other to set himself to work, one must give him the means to grow and to develop."

This means that those who help you must also be able to express their opinion on what is to be done, take initiatives, and not content themselves with putting into practice the orders given by others.

Of course, one must not adopt the other extreme and work in an anarchic manner. It must be possible to find a happy medium between these extremes. You shall therefore consult together on your work. Each one shall at least be able to give his opinion. And, even if the majority position, which shall be retained, does not take into account someone's opinion, the latter shall, nevertheless, have the satisfaction of having heard the explanations of all and of knowing why his idea was not retained.

This should suffice for you to understand my position, for it is difficult to say more, on a subject which depends upon the personality of the men who must work together on the same project. I hope that you shall convey to me good news and shall tell me that this problem has found a solution.

C) You ask me where the headquarters of the Oholei Yosef Yitzchak network must be located. For now, the place that suits best is Tel Aviv. You doubtless know the proverb of the Baal Shem Tov according to which, when "you begin in pain," precisely because of this, "you shall develop considerably afterward"[4].

D) You evoke the fact that young people are taking part in your activity. I do not wish, from here, to cite names, for such an activity requires motivation, on the part of those who already assume this role, including yourself, as well as on the part of those who desire to do so. This will not be the case if an order is given[5].

Nevertheless, if you speak with young people and let me know who they are, I shall be able to give my opinion and say whether they are fit to assume this shlichus*.

E) You tell me that the collection on behalf of Oholei Yosef Yitzchak has not yet begun. You do not give me the reason.

F) I enclose for you some prepaid postal vouchers. You shall be able to use them as a means of payment and cover, even in a tiny manner, the deficit that Oholei Yosef Yitzchak is undergoing.

Notes

(1) HaRav H. Z. Wilimovski. See, regarding him, letter no. 1382.

(2) This is letter no. 1472.

(3) Without conviction.

(4) The verse says: "You shall begin in pain, and you shall develop considerably afterward."

(5) By the Rebbe.

ב״ה ,כ׳ אייר ,תשי״ב
ברוקלין.
שלום וברכה!
בעתו קבלתי מכתבו עם התרומות המצורפות עבור מעות חטים וכולל
חב״ד.
שימח אותי לקרוא במכתבו ,שאכפת לו על שאין לו אפשרות לתת
לצדקה כפי שהי׳ רוצה ,בטח מתבונן במה שאנו אומרים בתפילה -באשרי
-רצון יראיו יעשה ,שהקב״ה ממלא את הרצון של אלו שהם יראיו ,ולכן
א׳תקסח
הבריאו :ראה גם אגרות קודש כרך ו אגרות א׳תקעט .א׳תרכ.
אגרו ת־ קוד ש -מתורגמות)א׳תקעו( 320
הנני מקוה ,שהקב״ה בראותו את רצונו להמשיך במנהגיו הטובים בצדקה
ובמעשים טובים אחרים ,השי״ת יעזור לו שתהי׳ לו היכולת לזה ,והנני
מאחל לו שיעשה זאת מתוך שמחה ובריאות הנכונה.
בברכת קבלת התורה בשמחה ובפנימיות.