Igrot Kodesh · Letter 2046 — Tzedakah

By the grace of Hashem,

12 Adar 5713,

Brooklyn,

To the distinguished chassid who fears Hashem

and fulfills his task faithfully,

Rav Yaakov HaKohen [1],

Greetings and blessings,

I am sending you a copy of the letter I am addressing to that person [2]. This man is in despair, because he has the impression that the chassidim are pushing him aside. It seems that one is not seeking his good as one should have done.

I do not enter into the issue itself nor seek the reason why this is the case. But in any event, such an attitude runs counter to the will of our leaders, of our holy Rebbeim*, who demanded with all their strength achdus* among chassidim and, all the more so, with those who were not born of chassidim and have become such.

The Midrash Bamidbar Rabbah, chapter 8, paragraph 2, describes how one must devote oneself more to the animal that has strayed from the flock than to the one still in it. It is no doubt unnecessary to say more.

I am sending you a kuntres* that has just appeared.

With my blessing for a freilichen* Purim,

Notes:

[1] Rav Y. Kats, of Chicago. See, regarding him, letters nos. 1609 and 2061.

[2] Whose name is not cited out of respect for confidentiality.