Igrot Kodesh · Letter 3286 — Tzedakah

B"H,

21 Shevat 5715,
Brooklyn,

To the distinguished Chassidim*, who fear Hashem,
belonging to the benevolent association
Shomrei Shabbos*, may Hashem grant you long life,

I greet you and bless you,

I learned with pleasure from the distinguished Chassid* who fears Hashem and devotes himself to communal needs, Rav Yochanan Gordon, your secretary, that a special meeting of your association is taking place on the occasion of your forty-sixth anniversary, today itself — as it is written, "today, to fulfill them" — in this Parshah* in which it is said: "If you lend money to My people." And our Sages specify that this "if" is not conditional but rather introduces an obligation, just as in the other verse: "Today (Moshiach* will come), if you hearken to His voice." Indeed, it is thus that one brings Moshiach* today, according to Tractate Sanhedrin* 98a.

In accordance with the statement of our Sages that "to whoever adds (effort), more (blessings) are added," I hope that Hashem will grant you greater success in your work of benevolence — which is even greater than Tzedakah*. Indeed, an act of benevolence is also possible toward one who lives in abundance and is wealthy. Our Sages themselves note, in Tractate Sukkah* 49b, that benevolence concerns the wealthy as well.

I express the wish and grant you my blessing that your work be conducted in conformity with the end of this same verse: "If you lend money to My people, to the poor person who is with you." The borrower is in need of a certain sum and is therefore defined as poor. But the lender possesses it only as a deposit. Indeed, the desire is to grant him the merit of this immense Mitzvah*, for if this were not the case, he would not have been given the means to fulfill it, as the holy Or HaChaim* explains.

And this feeling inspires another, loftier one — a higher form of Tzedakah* and benevolence — in accordance with the well-known saying of the early Chassidim* (see Igrot Kodesh of the Frierdiker Rebbe, Volume 9, Letter #3042), which my father-in-law, the Rebbe, whose merit protects us, transmitted to us: "This morsel of bread that I possess — it is yours as it is mine." And they said first "yours" and then "mine."

This saying can be easily understood in light of the commentary of the Alter Rebbe*, in Iggeres HaKodesh* and several other texts, affirming that Heavenly blessings — particularly those pertaining, in the literal sense, to the material domain — can be drawn down here below precisely through the Mitzvah* of Tzedakah*.

With my blessing for success in your sacred mission, that each and every one of the participants — physically and financially — together with the members of their families, attain ever greater success.

M. Schneerson,