Igrot Kodesh · Letter 3994 — Faith & Bitachon

B"H

Fifth candle of Chanukah* 5716

Brooklyn

To all who gather and participate in the annual celebration of the central Yeshivos* Tomchei Temimim* Lubavitch in the United States, may Hashem* grant you long life,

Greetings and blessings,

On the occasion of your annual celebration, which will take place on 3 Teves* 5716, I extend my greetings and blessing to the directors of the yeshivah* and to all those present, who have come this year to take part in the celebration of the Torah*, organized by the central Yeshivos* Tomchei Temimim* in America.

The celebration will take place the day after Chanukah*, when each person will still retain in memory the influence of this luminous festival, and will then preserve it throughout the year, in order to illuminate daily existence. I will therefore highlight several fundamental teachings that Chanukah* imparts.

Chanukah* reminds us that the Beis HaMikdash*, the holy place where the Divine Presence is revealed, can also, under certain circumstances, be defiled, even if externally it retains its integrity.

In such a case, Chanukah* teaches us that it is possible to purify the Beis HaMikdash* only through the highest self-sacrifice*, by standing with the greatest firmness against the forces of darkness and impurity, without asking who are "the mighty" and "the numerous."

The teaching that follows from this, applicable to our era, is quite clear. Our Sages* say that "since the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash*, the Holy One, blessed be He, possesses only the four cubits of halachah*." The yeshivah* is the holiest place, in which the Divine Presence resides. One must therefore ensure that Torah* study is based on the values of holiness*, on the purest awe of Heaven. And in our era, as indeed at all times, this requires self-sacrifice*.

The Lubavitch yeshivos* are permeated with this spirit of self-sacrifice* and of Torah* study filled with awe of Heaven. This self-sacrifice* manifests not only within the four cubits of the yeshivah*, but also outside of it, in the relationship with others, whether near or far.

Herein lies one of the defining characteristics of the Lubavitch yeshivos*, implanted in them from the very first day of their creation by the Rebbe Rashab* and his son, my father-in-law, the Rebbe*, whose merit protects us.

The students of the Lubavitch yeshivos* are trained to be the Chashmonaim* of our era, struggling with self-sacrifice* and without respite for the values of Torah*, Judaism, and tradition, in the various parts of the world.

From this, one can deduce the immense merit of those who contribute to the support and development of the Lubavitch yeshivos*. In the spirit of Chanukah*, this support must be both material and financial, and ever-increasing.

In this way, the Lubavitch yeshivos* will be enabled to spread ever more broadly "the candle (which) is a mitzvah* and the Torah* (which) is a light," as well as the luminary of the Torah*, in the street, in the homes, and throughout the surroundings.

Through this merit, Hashem* will abundantly grant blessing and success, material and spiritual, to each person and to the members of his family.

With blessing for good,

Menachem Schneerson,