Igrot Kodesh · Letter 1770 — Faith & Bitachon

By the grace of Hashem,

12 Menachem Av 5712,

Brooklyn,

To the distinguished chassid who fears Hashem,

Rav Ben Tzion[1],

Greetings and blessings,

I was pleased to learn of the hospitality you extended to the young men, Rav Yisroel Gordon and Rav Moshe Levertov[2]. You came to their aid in their mission, as they write to me.

In a general way, all Yidden have faith in what the verse says: "Hashem prepares the steps of man." If one tells oneself that Hashem is the Essence of good and that He desires to bestow His benefits, one understands, when He leads a Yid to an isolated city, into a foreign environment to which he is not accustomed, that he must furnish there an increased effort, spiritually, materially, or in both these areas at once.

In such a case, a Yid must have the absolute conviction that Hashem has not sent him there to inconvenience him. On the contrary, he must assume a mission in this place. But the body and the nefesh habahamis* must also accept its terms. The mission therefore receives also a material formulation, for example the necessity of earning one's livelihood.

Very often, it is not easy to discover what is the object of this mission. But one comes to it, in general, provided one grants it the necessary reflection, on condition that the yetzer hara* not have its say in the matter. How much more is this so in what concerns you.

I have understood that there are, in your city, very few orthodox Jews who fear Hashem in general and chassidim in particular. The terms of the mission entrusted to you are therefore very clear. You must revive, in your city and in your surroundings, Jewish values in general and the spirit of Chassidus* in particular. Now, the essential aspects of Chassidus* are ahavas Hashem*, ahavas haTorah*, and ahavas Yisroel*.

You must not tell yourself that such a mission could have been more advantageously entrusted to someone wealthy, possessing self-assurance and whose words are heeded, but not to someone who has difficulty earning his livelihood. Such an argument could have been formulated only if you had to act by your own forces. In the present case, this mission is entrusted to you by HaKadosh Baruch Hu, Who is All Powerful. From then on, many obstacles, immense difficulties, disappear. Human logic permits one to establish that it is indeed so.

When Yidden perceive that one addresses them without personal interest, without political maneuver, they listen with attention to what is said to them. An established principle states that words emanating from the heart enter the heart. When one assumes a mission on behalf of another person, one receives a salary, a recompense from him. How much more is this the case when one is delegated by Hashem Himself. When He perceives that one accepts His mission willingly and joyfully, He grants considerable help, so that one can carry it out.

Another point should also be specified. You arrived in this place essentially in order to discharge this mission. If you assume it fully, Hashem will find the means, in a positive way, to lead you to an environment that suits you, where you will earn your livelihood amply.

Hashem will come to your aid, in order to carry out the mission entrusted to you, easily and as soon as possible. Thus you will obtain, as soon as possible, the satisfaction of all your needs.

With my blessing,

[1] Rav B. T. Brook.
[2] Talmidim of Yeshivas Lubavitch in New York, delegated by Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch, to visit communities during the summer months.