Igrot Kodesh · Letter 6858 — Faith & Bitachon

By the grace of Hashem,

11 Iyar* 5719,

Brooklyn,

To the distinguished Chassid* who fears Hashem and carries out

a sacred mission, Rav* Aharon Mordechai (note 1: Rav* A. M. Silbershtrom, of Yerushalayim*. See, concerning him, letter no. 4999),

I greet you and bless you,

I received your letter of 4 Iyar* and those that preceded it. Be reassured, as you yourself have reassured me, but in much greater proportion, by the good news of the success of the Ohalei Yosef Yitzchak school in Ir Ganim (note 2: In the outskirts of Yerushalayim*). All its classes are already separated (note 3: There are classes for boys and classes for girls). No doubt you will soon inform me that the same is true for the other schools in the network (note 4: The Ohalei Yosef Yitzchak Lubavitch network in the Holy Land), in general, especially those that you direct. I am alluding to Mancha, to Sadot, to Micha. May Hashem grant that there as well the news be "good for heaven and good for the creatures," the essential point being that they develop quantitatively, through the number of students, and qualitatively, through their level, through the manner in which they absorb the fear of Hashem. Fortunate is the lot of all those who take part in this accomplishment, in one way or another. In the words of the Mishnah*, "One mitzvah* draws another." Thus, with joy and enthusiasm, you will multiply these actions and others still, with immense success.

In this matter, a particular reward and merit belong to the women — to your wife and to those of the other directors, teachers, and administrators of the network's schools, as our Torah*, Torah* of life, rules. Moreover, it emphasizes that the promise made by the Holy One, blessed be He, to women is greater than that made to men. For women are calm and full of conviction. Chassidus*, since the Baal Shem Tov*, affirming that every detail is an effect of Divine Providence*, it goes without saying that this promise and this merit are indeed those discussed (note 5: Which consist of encouraging their husbands and children to study) in Tractate Berachos* 17a (note 6: The Rebbe writes Tov, good, a word whose numerical value is seventeen).

Of course, you have the right and the merit to convey all that has just been said, or even to explain it to the wives of the other administrators of the network. Furthermore, your wife will surely read this letter to them. I send you my blessing to give good and detailed tidings of all this and I thank you for it. I also wish you Mazal Tov* for the birth of the firstborn son of your sister and your brother-in-law, Spiegel. Awaiting your good tidings,

---

By the grace of Hashem,

End of Tammuz* 5719,

Brooklyn, New York,

To the attention of Mr. Eliezer Aryeh HaLevi,

who is called Dr. Finkelstein (note 7: See, concerning him, letter no. 6529),

I greet you and bless you,

By separate mailing, you will receive our latest publications. I hope that they will be useful to the greatest number. On this occasion, I wish to dwell on a point in your letter, since you write to me: "I have absolutely no influence. In our circles, moreover, no one does." Now, you know the saying of my father-in-law, the Rebbe, on this subject (note 8: See, on this matter, letter no. 5355): "Just as one must be aware of one's defects — which is an indispensable condition for repairing them and for having the proper life — it is equally necessary to know one's capacities, one's potentials, and one's qualities." And precisely in these days, there is no need to seek proofs of the influence that you exercise. Indeed, according to my information, you have been able to effect an important turn to the right in the circles where your influence extends. From what has been conveyed to me, certain areas would even have been very unsatisfactory without your intervention. Of course, I do not know the details, but words of truth impose themselves immediately.

It is surely unnecessary to explain to you at length that success in a positive action must engender an increased effort in the same domain. In the expression of our Sages*, "He who has one hundred coins desires two hundred" — that is, one hundred more. Then, "he who has two hundred coins desires four hundred" — that is, two hundred more. And you will forgive me for saying that there are still essential and fundamental domains of our faith in which a radical evolution on the part of your students is eagerly awaited. You say that there is only one way to be influential — a profound study of the Torah*, hoping that the luminary it contains will bring back to the good those who are far from it. Now, while it is true that the mitzvah* of studying Torah* surpasses all others and that the luminary of the Torah* has the power to bring back to the good, no one can, for all that, arrogate to himself the right to stand at a distance. The times do not permit it.

Moreover, it concerns, in this case, students who in turn exercise influence on circles of greater or lesser importance. Furthermore, Tractate Avos* rules and teaches clearly that for wisdom to endure — and it is clear that the Mishnah* alludes to the wisdom of Torah* — it must be preceded by the fear of Hashem. If one reflects on the mindset of the youth of our people in the United States, one can observe that they are upright, perhaps even more so than people of mature age. They accept true ideas without compromise. On the contrary, such compromises weaken the influence one exercises. Here too, it is unnecessary to specify that the assertion that the fear of Hashem must precede wisdom is to be interpreted literally. It is in such a case that study leads to the concrete application of the mitzvos*. According to the conclusion of the wisest of all men (note 9: King Shlomo*), after all searches and all investigations, "Fear Elokim*," which will have as its consequence: "and observe His mitzvos*, for such is the purpose of man."

As far as we are concerned, the month of Tammuz* is distinguished by its propitious dates, the 12th and the 13th, days of the liberation of my father-in-law, the Rebbe, from his imprisonment in the Soviet Union. The history of the leaders of Yisrael* must deliver a moral lesson and a teaching. Now, the profound idea of these days of liberation is the following: He who fights sincerely, to the point of giving of his own person, particularly for what concerns the many, even if he is but one man alone, can stand up against a powerful regime and even vanquish it. With my respects and my blessing,

ו'תתנח

ב"ה, י"א אייר, תשי"ט
ברוקלין.
הוו"ח אי"א נו"נ מלאכתו מלאכת שמים

מו"ה אהרן מרדכי שי'

שלום וברכה!

מאשר הנני קבלת מכתבו מד' אייר והקודמיו, ותנוח דעתו כאשר הניח את דעתי, אלא שכ"פ ככה, בבשורה הטובה מהצלחה בעיר גנים דביה"ס אהלי"י, ואשר כבר נפרדו כל הכתות, ובודאי יודיע בהקדם גם משאר בתי ספר הרשת בכלל וביחוד אלו העומדים בהנהלתו בפועל, אם באופן רשמי או בלתי רשמי, כוונתי למנחה ושדות מיכה, ויהי רצון שגם בהם בשו"ט תהיינה טוב לשמים טוב לבריות ובנקודה העיקרית אשר גדלים הם הן בכמות (מספר התלמידים) והן באיכות (רמת הלימודים) וחדורים יראת שמים, ואשרי חלקם של כל אלו שלקחו חלק בזה באיזה אופן שיהי' ובודאי ע"פ דבר המשנה, מצוה גוררת מצוה, ושכר מצוה מצוה, שבשמחה וטוב לבב, יוסיפו בפעולות האמורות ובכגון אלו, בהצלחה רבה.

ושכר מיוחד וזכות מיוחדת לנשים, זוגתו תחי' ועד"ז לנשי שאר מנהלי מורי ועסקני בתי ספר הרשת, כפסק דין תורתנו תורת חיים, ולא עוד אלא שהדגישו שם, שגדולה הבטחה שהבטיחן הקב"ה לנשים יותר מן האנשים, אשר שאננות הן ובוטחות.

ובודאי למותר להעיר [מיוסד על תורת החסידות מתחיל מהבעש"ט, אשר כל פרט הוא בהשגחה פרטית], שהבטחה וזכות האמורה, מסומנה במסכת ברכות דף טו"ב עמוד ראשון.

מובן שברשותו וזכותו למסור האמור, או גם להסביר לשאר נשי עסקני הרשת, נוסף על אשר בודאי זוגתו תחי' תקרא בעצמה מכתבי זה.

בברכה לבשו"ט ומפורטות בכל האמור ובת"ח וברכת מזל טוב להולדת בן הבכור לאחותו וגיסו שיחיו שפיגעל, המצפה לבשו"ט.

ו'תתנח
מו"ה אהרן מרדכי שי': זילברשטרום, ירושלים. אגרות נוספות אליו - לעיל חי"ד ד'תתקצט, ובהנסמן בהערות שם.