Igrot Kodesh · Letter 6874 — Health

By the grace of Hashem,

Sunday of Parshas* Bamidbar* 5719,

Brooklyn, New York,

To all the participants of the association of Chabad* women and

girls, in general, to their representatives and

to the participants of the annual convention, in particular,

may Hashem grant you long life,

I bless you and greet you,

On the occasion of the annual convention of the association of Chabad* women and girls, and through it, I send my blessing to each one of you, in general, and express my warmest wishes for this convention.

I send you my blessing and my wishes of success for the work of the Chabad* women and girls, in all their activities and in all their domains. These activities will be carried out in good health and with good morale, with Chassidic* enthusiasm and pleasure.

And may it be so, in particular, for the content of the convention, which must establish and influence the work program that you will adopt until the next convention, after having established the final assessment of all that was accomplished during the past year.

* * *

We begin the reading of the Book of Bamidbar* during the service at the synagogue (note 1: The Rebbe notes at the bottom of the page: "Magen Avraham, chapter 282, paragraph 6. Shulchan Aruch* of the Alter Rebbe*, chapter 282, paragraph 5") and in your study of the week. You therefore live deeply with it, in your home and in every place.

From the very beginning of this book, the injunction to count the children of Yisrael* is stated. The following Sidros* also report in what manner they were counted, at different times, subsequently. And the Torah* reserves a special place for these censuses, to the point of calling (note 2: The Rebbe notes at the bottom of the page: "Sotah 7:7") the entire Book of Bamidbar* the "Chumash* of Numbers."

* * *

What can one deduce from this for the mission that falls upon us — that is, for the dissemination of Jewish values, permeated with Chassidic* clarity and warmth? One of the essential explanations that can be given on this subject is the following: When one establishes such a census, a person, however important he may be, does not count for more than one. At the other extreme, the most humble and the smallest is not less than one.

What often constitutes an obstacle for one who wishes to devote himself to the needs of his fellow, with devotion and enthusiasm, is the following question: "In what way am I concerned? And if my fellow experiences a fall, what can I do for him?" One should therefore meditate upon what has just been said and tell oneself that one is, oneself, no more than one person — that one can acquire the strength and the power of numbers only by connecting with others.

And one should tell oneself that the other person is a person in the same way that one is oneself. It is therefore entirely possible that he could attain, in all respects, the level that one possesses oneself, if one provides him the necessary help to achieve it. One will then realize that the obstacle previously described was only apparent, that one can thus aspire to great accomplishments, for oneself and for one's fellow. Then, one will set to work with increased ardor and energy.

* * *

May Hashem bless your accomplishments, so that you know success in all domains. May He grant His blessing and success to each one of you, as well as to the members of your family, in all that concerns you.

Very soon, we will have the merit, together with the entire Jewish people, of witnessing the fulfillment of the prophecy (note 3: The Rebbe notes at the bottom of the page: "Yirmiyahu* 33:13. Midrash* Bamidbar* Rabbah, chapter 2, paragraph 11. Targum*, at this reference. See also Midrash* Tanchuma, at Parshas* Ki Sisa. And the Targum* does not differentiate between the expressions 'World to Come' and 'future world'") according to which: "In this place (Eretz Yisrael*) that is currently destroyed, the lambs (the Jews) will again pass before the one (Moshiach*) who will count them, says Hashem." With my blessing of success and that you give good tidings,

M. Schneerson,