Igrot Kodesh · Letter 1877 — Tzedakah

By the grace of Hashem,

1st day of Rosh Chodesh Marcheshvan 5713,

Brooklyn, New York,

To the association of the women and young women of Chabad,

to whom Hashem will grant long life,

Greetings and blessings,

I learned with pleasure that you have laid the foundations of the action which will be that of the women and young women of Chabad, in the neighborhood of the city where you find yourselves. May Hashem grant that this be a good beginning, for all the year which comes.

You have doubtless taken good resolutions to strengthen your action, in the future, and you must have established a program for the next meetings. Obviously, this must not be fixed in a definitive manner. One must be able to modulate it and adapt it, in function of the expectations of those who are members of your grouping. For all places are not identical, from this point of view.

The broad strokes of what your action must be have been defined in my letter, addressed to the women and young women of Chabad in our Holy Land[1], of which you will find a copy enclosed.

I will only add a few words to it.

Our holy Torah is eternal. It delivers teachings and lessons in all domains, for all periods, whatever country one finds oneself in.

The Torah begins with Parshas Bereishis[2], which relates the creation of the world. It is clear that it is not a book of history. "Torah" is of the same etymology as "horaah," teaching. It is a guide for daily existence and specifies in what manner one can adopt a good conduct, materially and spiritually.

Recounting in what manner the world was created, the Torah introduces profound allusions and indicates, in particular, how beings are brought to existence in the world.

Every accomplishment, every realization which is brought to good in the world, whether it be material or spiritual, must be in conformity with the verse: "In the beginning Hashem created the heaven and the earth." Thus, the "beginning," the entry into matter of every thing, consists in knowing and remembering that "Hashem created the heaven and the earth," materiality and spirituality. Hashem is the Creator, but He desires the intervention of certain persons, who must consider that they are His emissaries, charged with putting His Will into practice.

At the beginning of creation, "the earth was nothingness, desolation, and darkness." Each action, each realization, linked to the domain of holiness, seems, at first, empty of all content, desolate and dark. It seems that it is difficult to build in the sense which is desired.

The holy Torah therefore tells us that, from the beginning of creation: "Hashem said let there be light, and there was light." There where the penumbra was, Hashem suddenly makes the light spring forth. Then, the creation continued, in an ordered manner, first the vegetables, then the animals, higher than the preceding, and, finally, Adam, the first man, elect from among the creation and apex of it.

It is the same for every action, every realization belonging to the domain of holiness, as Midrash Vayikra Rabbah, chapter 25, paragraph 3, specifies. One must bring all one's determination to lead them to good. From then on, a single instant suffices to reveal the light there where previously the darkness reigned.

It is thus that one can accomplish what must be accomplished, just as one can become better, more elevated. Our Sages say that "one must know elevation in all that concerns holiness." For all that is linked to Torah and mitzvos*, it is necessary to pursue one's advancement, from one stage to the other.

With my blessing for the material and spiritual good of all the members of your grouping, for themselves as for the members of their family,

[1] It is letter no. 1740. See also letter no. 1869.
[2] See, on this subject, letters no. 1873, 1892, 1893 and 1948.