Igrot Kodesh · Letter 3157 — Tzedakah

B"H

2 Teves* 5715,
Brooklyn.

To the distinguished Chassid* who fears Hashem and
devotes himself faithfully to communal needs,
Rav Chaim (Rav H. Shteiman; see, on this subject, letters no. 1497 and 3222),

Greetings and blessing,

I received with pleasure your letter of the fourth day of Chanukah* and you will find enclosed the receipts (for a contribution to Tzedakah*), established in accordance with what you indicate in your letter.

I am surprised that you do not describe to me in detail the Chassidic* farbrengen* of 19 Kislev*. You tell me only that the sum sent with your letter was then collected. No doubt you recall the terms of our discussion. Hashem asks, throughout the entire year, that He be served with joy, as the Baal Shem Tov* emphasizes. How much more is this the case on a festival day, such as 19 Kislev* or Chanukah*. And Hashem grants the strength and capabilities necessary to put into practice what He asks. Everything therefore depends only on the will.

You tell me that those present were few in number. Know, first of all, that the Jewish people as a whole was constituted from a single man, as it is said: "Avraham was one" — and the verse nevertheless observes that "his descendants inherited the land." Moreover, Jews and Judaism do not take into account the quantitative dimension. It therefore matters only to bind oneself to Hashem, Who can do everything. Thus, each Jew has the power, by himself alone, to build an entire environment, an entire city, an entire country.

It suffices, for this, to be aware that one acts as an emissary of the Holy One, blessed be He, Who desires that a Sanctuary be built for Him down here. Now, Hashem specifically entrusted this mission to the Jews, as the Tanya* explains at length, particularly in chapter 37.

I hope that this lack is only in what you write me, but not in concrete action, and that this Chassidic* farbrengen* did indeed take place. You will do the same in the future, at the appropriate times — that is, for example, during the Shabbos* that blesses the month (the one preceding Rosh Chodesh*) or on Rosh Chodesh* itself.

As I have already told you, when Hashem sees that one is joyful, He grants an increased and broader blessing. Then one can observe with one's own eyes of flesh that there is indeed reason to rejoice.

May Hashem grant you success, so that you announce good news in all these areas and, of course, influence those around you in this direction.

With my blessing,