Igrot Kodesh · Letter 3078 — Prayer

B"H

5 Kislev* 5715,
Brooklyn.

Greetings and blessing,

I reply to your letter of Parshas Toldos*, in which you briefly describe to me what your life has been and you tell me that you are currently taking care of the Linas Tzedek synagogue, of which you are the Shamash*, the caretaker.

You surely know the explanation (see, on this subject, letter no. 2316) of my father-in-law, the Rebbe, which he gave in the name of the Tzemach Tzedek*, regarding a Shamash*. It is said, indeed, that "He called the sun (Shemesh) and the light shone." Likewise, "He called the Shamash* and the light shone" (the two terms are spelled the same way but vocalized differently).

And my father-in-law, the Rebbe, specified that the Shamash* assumes fundamental functions within the synagogue. He provides the means to pray with fervency, to study Torah properly, to recite Tehillim* after the prayer, to develop classes. Thenceforth, the synagogue shines.

And the Holy One, blessed be He, acts "measure for measure" (in the manner in which one acts toward Him). Indeed, when one illuminates the place that He calls "a house of prayer," one obtains clarity in one's own home, as various texts establish.

With my blessing,