Igrot Kodesh · Letter 6805 — Faith & Bitachon
Volume 18 · Letter 303
By the grace of Hashem,
11 Nissan* 5709,
Brooklyn, New York,
To our brothers, the children of Yisrael*,
wherever they may be,
I greet you and bless you,
As the festival of our liberation approaches — that of the Matzos*, the time of our freedom — I send my blessing to the Jews, in every place, that this festival bring to the daily life of each man and each woman a true and complete liberation from all worries and all obstacles, material and spiritual, an elevation toward the deep content (note 1: The Rebbe notes at the bottom of the page: "Midrash* Shemos Rabbah*, chapter 3, paragraph 4, and chapter 24, paragraph 2") of the Exodus from Mitzrayim*, which was the introduction to the Giving of the Torah* and fulfilled the Divine injunction: "When you bring the people out of Mitzrayim*, you shall serve Hashem on this mountain" — that of Sinai.
* * *
Of course, the Torah* and the mitzvos*, as they were given by Hashem, are eternal and immutable. The same is true for the teachings that one can and must deduce from the Torah* and the mitzvos*. These apply at all times and in all places. How much more so is this the case for a mitzvah* and a principle of such global scope as the festival of Pesach*, the Exodus from Mitzrayim*, which must be mentioned every day (note 2: The Rebbe notes at the bottom of the page: "See the Shulchan Aruch* of the Alter Rebbe*, Orach Chaim*, chapter 67").
One of the teachings of the festival of Pesach* is the following. A Jew has the strength to transform himself from one extreme to the other. He can achieve this concretely, in a short time, in an instant. The Tanach* and the words of our Sages* give a precise description of the bitter exile of Mitzrayim* and of the deep despair of the children of Yisrael* at that time.
They were enslaved in a land from which no slave had ever managed to escape (note 3: The Rebbe notes at the bottom of the page: "Mechilta* on the verse Yisro* 18:11"), under the powerful domination of Pharaoh, who bathed in the blood of the children of Yisrael* (note 4: The Rebbe notes at the bottom of the page: "Midrash* Shemos Rabbah*, end of chapter 1. See Targum Yerushalmi* on the verse Shemos* 2:23"). They lived in immense poverty (note 5: The Rebbe notes at the bottom of the page: "See the commentary of the Ramban* on the verse Devarim* 16:3"), were broken by decrees and bitter servitude, by a slavery that shattered body and soul (note 6: The Rebbe notes at the bottom of the page: "See Torah Or*, at the beginning of Parshas* Shemos*, commenting on the verse: 'They embittered their lives,' and the Or HaTorah*, at the same reference").
Yet suddenly, Pharaoh's power was annihilated and the entire people was liberated. This liberation was achieved "with a high hand," with pride, and "with great wealth," immense riches (note 7: The Rebbe notes at the bottom of the page: "See tractate Bechoros* 5b").
The same is true for the liberation in its moral dimension, which was also a passage from one extreme to the other. The children of Yisrael* were mired in the forty-nine gates of impurity, to the point of being idolatrous (note 8: The Rebbe notes at the bottom of the page: "Zohar Chadash*, Parshas* Yisro*, page 31a. See the lengthy explanation of the Tzeror HaMor, cited by the Shnei Luchos HaBris*, tractate Pesachim*, paragraph 'Mah Nishtanah.' Mechilta* on the verse Shemos* 14:29"). Then Hashem, in all His Essence, revealed Himself to them (note 9: The Rebbe notes at the bottom of the page: "This refers to the Attribute of Kingship, Malchus* of Ein Sof* and the Essence of Ein Sof*, preceding the Tzimtzum*, as the Rebbe Rashab* explains"). A few weeks later, all stood before Mount Sinai, at the most elevated level (note 10: The Rebbe notes at the bottom of the page: "See the Rambam*, Laws of the Foundations of the Torah*, chapter 8, and the Chassidic* discourse entitled: 'Testimony,' by the Mitteler Rebbe*, printed in his Sefer HaChakira*") of sanctity and prophecy. Hashem addressed Himself directly to each of them, without intermediary — not even Moshe* our teacher — and said: "I am Hashem your Elokim*."
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The lessons and teachings that one can draw from all this are the following.
Whatever the situation of a Jew, collectively or individually, whatever evaluation the intellect of men may give of it, he is nonetheless obligated to remember, every day, the Exodus from Mitzrayim*. He must therefore desire true liberation and deliverance, act to obtain it — a deliverance "with a high hand" and "with great wealth" — from all servitudes, from all obstacles on the path of his own "Mitzrayim*," until he becomes "a kingdom of priests and a holy nation" and receives the Torah* "as (note 11: The Rebbe notes at the bottom of the page: "Michah* 7:15. See the Chassidic* discourse entitled: 'As in the days of your going out of Mitzrayim*,' of 5708, by my father-in-law, the Rebbe") in the days of your going out of Mitzrayim*."
No one has the right to stop or delay on the path. And one cannot be content with initial achievements. One must go forward, rise ever higher, until one perceives and feels that: "I am Hashem your Elokim*."
* * *
These teachings are particularly important and timely in this period, when one observes an awakening — not only on the part of individuals, but also of groups, of various circles — to free oneself from moral servitude, to move toward true freedom, to completely rid oneself of the anxiety of: "What will the non-Jew say?"
This may refer to a non-Jew in the literal sense, to a "non-Jewish" word spoken by a misguided Jew, or to the non-Jew one carries within oneself — that is, the evil inclination. It is to all of them at once that the call of Pesach* is addressed: "Do not stop, go forward, seek elevation, with a high hand. Then it is certain that you will leave the exile, with the young (note 12: The Rebbe notes at the bottom of the page: "Shemos* 10:9") and the old, the sons and the daughters, with great wealth."
I send you my blessing for a kosher and joyous festival of Pesach*, and may the promise be fulfilled very soon and in our days that: "As in the days of your going out of Mitzrayim*, I will show you wonders," through our righteous Moshiach*,
Menachem Schneerson,