Igrot Kodesh · Letter 1910 — Faith & Bitachon

By the grace of Hashem,

23 Marcheshvan 5713,

Brooklyn,

To the great Rav, distinguished chassid* who fears Hashem

and devotes himself to communal needs,

Rav C. Z.[1],

Greetings and blessings,

A) I duly received your letters of erev Shabbos Noach, of Monday, of erev Shabbos Lech, and of erev Shabbos Vayera, with all that was enclosed.

B) I am pained that the collection of all the donation pledges contracted during the appeal has taken so much delay, although the Rav, distinguished chassid* who fears Hashem and devotes himself to communal needs, Rav Ch. M. A. Hodakov[2], communicated to me the reasons that you indicated to him.

Indeed, you know the saying of my father-in-law, the Rebbe[3], according to which such an activity is that of the angel Michael, protector of Israel, who establishes the count of the bounties of the Jewish people[4]. In fact, the reason, in this case, is true. The opposite of reward is therefore excluded. Moreover, one can consider that each one truly wanted to act[5], but did not have the possibility, in which case one is considered as if one had effectively passed to the act.

By contrast, from the point of view of what was to be accomplished, of the mission which falls to man here below, in this material and coarse world, the lack can effectively be observed. From then on, what should have resulted from it[6] cannot be obtained either.

I write to you, on this subject, although the reasons developed in your letter are justified, for there is nothing in the world that one cannot improve. Nevertheless, the revealed forces are sometimes sufficient to attain it, while, at other times, it is necessary to adjoin to them also hidden forces. Moreover, these can emanate from different levels and one can even, in certain cases, elevate oneself to the most global potential, in order to obtain them.

In a general manner, two points are necessary:

1. One must have the hope of knowing success, if one succeeds in revealing these forces.

2. One must also be conscious of the importance of what must be accomplished, justifying the effort and the trouble that one imposes on oneself.

I hope to have your good news, informing me that you have already begun to act in order to make these reasons disappear. I have good hope that you will be able, from the beginning of your search, to observe their disappearance and the concrete realization of all that must be obtained.

C) I was very satisfied to learn of your visit to Cantown, Ohio, on your way back, when you departed from here. Nevertheless, it is regrettable that you did not pass at least a moment in the two other cities that you cite in your letter, Norristown and Carlisle. Certainly, you give the reasons for it, but to this also applies what was said in the preceding paragraph.

Even if you had not been able to accomplish anything in these places, you must have knowledge of what the Baal Shem Tov explains regarding the man who has erred on his way and thus traverses several villages. This explanation figures in the notes which are printed at the end of the Likkutei Torah, published by Kehot editions.

I would like to know what resulted from what I said to your wife concerning the situation of the association of women and young girls of Chabad in your city. I enclose for you a copy of the letter[7] which I addressed to several groupings of this association, in which positive actions have already been carried out. In fact, it could be the same in every place, including those which will be created subsequently, which also includes yours.

Obviously, what is said[8] regarding the creation of the world, in general, and of the "small world"[9], in particular, can also apply to other campaigns.

With my blessing of success in your communal mission, which will surely be the channel and the receptacle permitting you to increase the blessing and the success in your personal preoccupations,

And in awaiting your good news,

[1] Rav Schneur Zalman Hecht, of Chicago. See, regarding him, letters no. 1826, 1914, 1959 and 2235.
[2] Rav Chaim Mordechai Aizik Hodakov, director of the Rebbe's secretariat. See, regarding him, letter no. 1994.
[3] See, on this subject, letter no. 2235.
[4] It is therefore a question of excusing the Jews more than of explaining this delay.
[5] Discharging his pledge.
[6] The financing of the institutions.
[7] See letter no. 1869.
[8] In this letter.
[9] That man constitutes.

ב״ה ,כ״ז כסלו ,תשי״ג
ברוקלין.
לאנ״ש המתוועדים בסעודת יום הגאולה ,גאולתנו ופדות
נפשנו ,י״ט כסלו ,בבית המדרש נוסח אר״י ,בשד׳ פיין
במונטריאול ,ד׳ עליהם יחיו
שלום וברכה!
בעונג קבלתי את הידיעה אודות התוועדותם ביום הבהיר י״ט כסלו.
על פי מאמר רז״ל ,הרי :אכל בי עשרה שכינתא שריא ,ורבנו הזקן
מבאר את העניין)באגרת הקדש שלו סימן כ״ג( שכאשר מתאספים יחד
עשרה אנשים מישראל ,זה עצמו מביא השראת השכינה .ובפרט כאשר
ההתכנסות היא כדי לחגוג את השחרור של נשיא ישראל רבנו הזקן בעל
התניא והשולחן ערוך ,שמסר נפשו עבור אהבת ישראל ,אהבת התורה
א׳תתקפא
נדפסה בלקוטי שיחות כרך י עמוד ,273והוגהה על פי העתק המזכירות .לתוכנה
ראה אגרות-קודש כרך ד אגרת א׳תתקנז .ובנסמן בהערות שם.
13 תשי״ג -תשי״ז
ואהבת השם ,ומקבלים ]על עצמם[ במהלכה ,החלטות טובות בנוגע
לענינים הנזכרים לעיל ,הרי אז השראת השכינה ביתר שאת וביתר עז,
ובמילא ישנה אז הצלחה מיוחדת בהחלטות הטובות שמקבלים נעל
עצמם[ שבטח ימשיכו כל השנה ,על פי ההחלטות שהתקבלו -בשעת
מעשה ,ועוד בהוספה על כך.
זהו גם הרמז מאופן מצות נרות חנוכה ,שצריך להיות מעלין בקדש
מיום ליום ,ובפרט בחשך של זמן הגלות.
זהו הרי אחד ההבדלים בין נרות חנוכה לבין נרות בית המקדש,
שבבית המקדש מספר הנרות תמיד בשוה ,ובנרות חנוכה -מוסיף
והולך ,שאפשר לבאר זאת בכך שאת נרות חנוכה מדליקים משתשקע
החמה ,לאחר השקיעה ,ואת נרות בית המקדש הדליקו זמן רב לפני
שקיעת החמה.
וזהו עבורנו מוסר השכל ,שכאשר הסביבה אינה מוארת ,אי אפשר
להסתפק באותה מידה של פעולות טובות היום -כאתמול ,ומחר כמו
היום ,אלא חייבים להתאמץ כל יום להוסיף על היום הקודם ומעלין
בקדש ,ובמרץ ובמאמץ המתאים מבצעים זאת ,וזה הולך בהצלחה.
הם ביתם בברכת טוב גשמי ורוחני לכל אחד ואחד מהמתוועדים
וזרעם שיחיו.