Igrot Kodesh · Letter 2154 — Faith & Bitachon

By the grace of Hashem,

29 Sivan 5713,

Brooklyn,

To the Rav, distinguished chassid* who fears Hashem and devotes himself to communal needs,

Rav N. N.[1],

Greetings and blessings,

I received with pleasure your letter of the 20th of Sivan, as well as the previous one, of the 28th of Iyar. You tell me that the chassidim* went to the shuls* to disseminate the content of the chassidic maamarim* and the kuntreisim*. It is hard to imagine the importance of such an effort. You will consult, on this subject, Likkutei Torah*, Bamidbar*, p. 15a. May Hashem grant that they act in this way every time it is possible. And, "to the one who adds[2], one adds[3]."

With my brachah* of success in your sacred mission and in your personal concerns,

My letter has been delayed and I have just received yours, of the 3rd of Tammuz.

As for the vacation[4], there is a middle solution[5]. You should accept the talmidim* who, if properly supervised, will not adopt the bad behavior you mention.

I enclose for you a kuntres* published for the 12-13 Tammuz[6] approaching. No doubt you will make use of it to disseminate the wellsprings of Chassidus* outward.

Notes

[1] Rav Nissan Nemanov, of Brunoy. See, regarding him, letter no. 1944.

[2] An effort.

[3] Berachos.

[4] In French in the original.

[5] Between refusing all outside talmidim coming for the summer, and accepting them, taking the risk that some of them may behave badly.

[6] Date of the liberation of the Frierdiker Rebbe from the Soviet prisons.

2154*

By the grace of Hashem,

29 Sivan 5713,

Brooklyn,

Greetings and blessings,

I was particularly surprised by the tone of your letter. You act as if it concerned the affairs of someone else, as if you were doing a favor by occupying yourself with them.

I do not understand how a former talmid* of the Yeshivah Lubavitch, engaged in pedagogical activity for several years, could so completely fail to understand what is at stake. Chabad* education in general, and this in particular, is the domain of the Holy One, blessed be He, whose emissary, in this case, is our master, the tzaddik* upon whom the world rests, my father-in-law, the Rebbe, may his merit protect us.

Accordingly, those who are bound to my father-in-law, the Rebbe, or even those who are merely connected to him[1], receive everything through the medium of their master, as the Tanya* explains. Moreover, this master is, in this case, the leader of the generation, that is, my father-in-law, the Rebbe.

However, there are different ways of receiving his influence, in a deep manner or…[2]. And they are particularly fortunate, those to whom Hashem has granted a merit, who have been chosen by my father-in-law, the Rebbe, that the channel through which this influence is conveyed to them be forged by drawing close the hearts of the sons and daughters of Yisrael* to their Father in Heaven, by transmitting to them the luminary of the Torah*, which is Chassidus*.

These have the merit of receiving the influence, materially and spiritually at the same time, in a deep manner[3], and it is indeed in this way that it is granted to them.

If someone plays a role of mediator and intermediary in this matter, one must also thank him, give him credit for having granted you a lot so good and enviable, as well as to the members of your family, spiritually and materially at once.

I am particularly surprised that it should be necessary to explain all this to someone like you.

With my brachah* of success in your sacred mission and in your personal concerns, as well as those of the members of your family,

Notes

[1] Even if this attachment is not deep.

[2] Only in a superficial manner.

[3] The text indicates allusively that their depth is in keeping with that of the master who grants them the influence.

ב'קנד*

ב"ה, כ"ט סיון, תשי"ג
ברוקלין.

שלום וברכה!

...נפלאתי במאד מאד על הטאן שבמכתבו... שי', שהוא כאילו זהו עניניו הפרטים של הנ"ל, והוא מצדו עושה טובה ומטפל בהם. ונפלאתי על תמים ואשר עוסק בעבודת החנוך זה כמה וכמה שנים, שלכאורה אינו תופס הענין על בוריו, כי עבודת חינוך חב"ד בכלל ו... בפרט, זהו ענינו של הקב"ה ושלוחו בזה הוא נשיאנו צי"ע כ"ק מו"ח אדמו"ר זצוקללה"ה נבג"מ זי"ע, ובמילא אלו המקושרים אל כ"ק מו"ח אדמו"ר ואפילו רק השייכים אליו, הרי ע"פ המובא בתניא כל עניניהם צריכים הם לקבל ע"י נשיאם ובפרט שהנשיא הוא ג"כ נשיא הדור הוא כ"ק מו"ח אדמו"ר. אלא שאפשר להשפעה זו באופנים שונים אם בבחי' פנים או כו'. ואלו אשר זכו וזיכם השי"ת ובחר בהם כ"ק מו"ח אדמו"ר שהשפעתם תהי' דרך צנור שענינו לקרב את לבם של בני ובנות ישראל לאביהם שבשמים ולהמשיך בהם ג"כ מאור שבתורה זוהי תורת החסידות, הרי אשרי חלקם שזכו שהשפעתם הרוחנית והגשמית ילכו בבחי' פנים בפנים ובאופן שגם האופנים מצ"ע השפעות הם להעוסקים האלו. ואם הי' מי שהוא המתווך והסרסור בזה, הרי חייבים גם להודות לו להלל ולשבח על שהעמידם על חלק היפה הטוב לו ולפני ב"ב שיחיו ברוחניות ובגשמיות גם יחד. ותמי' אחר תמי' שאפילו לדכוותי' צריך להסביר את כל זה...

בברכת הצלחה בעבודתו בקדש ובעניניו הפרטים שלו ושל כב"ב שיחיו.