Igrot Kodesh · Letter 709 — Shlichus & Outreach

By the grace of Hashem,
8 Elul 5710,

To the Rabbi, Chassid* who fears Hashem,
Rav S. Z. [1],

Greetings and blessings,

I reply to your letter of 24 Menachem Av, informing me that my father-in-law, the Rebbe, had given his agreement that your eldest son, Chaim, occupy himself, part-time, with the kindergarten, and you ask me whether he should continue to do so.

Indeed, you regret that he must interrupt his studies for this, that he is in this set apart from all his friends, students of Yeshivah Lubavitch. You tell me that you yourself and your son regret this situation, for your son has abilities.

You therefore ask me whether your son should pursue his activity, as he has done until now, or whether he can go to the United States to study at the Yeshivah.

In my opinion, at least during the year [2], until 10 Shevat 5711, it would be good for your son to continue to occupy himself with the kindergarten, while having a fixed time for study, as my father-in-law, the Rebbe, asked of him. He will fix, in addition, a study of the teachings of my father-in-law, the Rebbe.

You will explain to your son, and also to yourself, that there is no place to regret that he devotes part of his time to material work and has only the few hours that remain for the study of the Torah.

Our Sages say, as chapter 22 of Iggeres HaKodesh cites, that a man cannot know whence he will draw his sustenance and when David's kingship [3] will return. The Alter Rebbe deduces from this that these two facts are comparable. And the Shnei Luchos HaBris explains that the Torah speaks, in the literal sense, of celestial existence, and figuratively, of material existence.

Consequently, when our Sages say that a man does not know whence he will draw his sustenance, they also — and even essentially — allude to spiritual reward and spiritual sustenance. The comparison is made, in this domain too, with the date of the coming of Moshiach*, that "the heart does not reveal to the mouth." The explanation of this expression is the following.

It is here a question of the supernal Heart and the supernal Mouth. In other words, the supernal Mouth itself does not have knowledge of the date of the redemption. Now, according to the Alter Rebbe, it is the same for spiritual reward and spiritual sustenance.

Let one therefore meditate. Why must one build one's own reasoning, ask oneself what is morally preferable for oneself? Yet we may consider ourselves fortunate by the simple fact of knowing that spirituality exists, for it is clear that we do not perceive its nature. In this case, a clear instruction has been given by the head of the generation, who is the heart of all Israel, higher than the mouth.

Moreover, Chassidus* explains that the Rebbe, head of the generation, is the intermediary between the Essence of Hashem and the people of Israel. He has said where one could find one's spiritual sustenance. This place is therefore assuredly the best for the soul and for the well-being of the body. The soul is itself in good health when it puts into practice the design and the will of Hashem.

What has just been said is, in a general way, the answer to the questions Chassidim* ask themselves in Australia. They never cease complaining of their lot, which they consider bitter, because they are far from a certain place and certain people. There is here only an intervention of their yetzer hara*, destined to disturb their service of Hashem, to prevent them from carrying out the mission entrusted to them by my father-in-law, the Rebbe — who possesses a collective soul. Chassidus explains what is a klal that transcends the prattim, including as they are integral parts of this klal.

You know the saying of the Rebbe Rashab [4] according to which the students of the Yeshivah are "candles, that illuminate." One can deduce from this several teachings. Here are two of them:

1. A candle, when it lights another, loses nothing of its brightness.

2. A candle that illuminates simply discharges the mission entrusted to it, which is the highest elevation a finite creature can claim, fulfilling thus the will of its Creator. It can, in this way, bind itself to Him. Indeed, various Chassidic texts show that Mitzvah* is of the same etymology as Tzavsa, connection.

I understand perfectly that one can feel alone in Australia, especially when one remembers the place where one lived all together, constituting a large community. The sun then shone like at midday, and the light of a candle was therefore insignificant. Nonetheless, one must conclude that this was only a preparation to integrate the strengths permitting one to illuminate the darkness, and to make of your present country a luminous place, bathed in Torah and its luminary — that is, in Chassidus, whose wellsprings must spread to the ends of the earth.

Thus, we have the certainty that David's kingship will be restored, as the sicha of Simchas Torah 5690 [5] explains at length. This is the most considerable reward, spiritual and material, that there is. We have seen, indeed, that according to the Alter Rebbe, this reward is truly comparable to the return of David's kingship.

I conclude by extending to you my blessing to be inscribed and sealed, together with the members of your family and your entire community, for a good year. You will kindly communicate the content of this letter to all the Chassidim who complain of the mission entrusted to them by my father-in-law, the Rebbe. I thank you in advance.

Menachem Schneerson

Notes:
[1] Rav Shneur Zalman Serebryanski, of Australia. See Letter 623.
[2] Of mourning.
[3] The coming of Moshiach.
[4] See Letter 445.
[5] 1929, of the previous Rebbe.

ב״ה ,ער״ח סיון ,השי״ת

ברוקליו ,נ.י.

הרה״ח הוו״ח אי״א נו״נ וכו׳ מוהר״א שי׳ שד״ר

שלום וברכה!

מכתבו מכ״ה אייר זה עתה נתקבל .ומאד מאד נהנתי מה שכותב,

בהזכירו את כ״ק מו״ח אדמו״ר הכ״מ ,שיהי׳ בריא .והוא מובן עפמש״כ

באגה״ק סכ״ז שחיי הצדיק הם רוחניים אמונה ואהוי״ר .וידוע שהצדיק

הולך מחיל אל חיל תמיד.

ומה שכותב אודותיי ,הנה מה מועילה הכתיבה ,כשבכל זאת -איןלי את זה .על עצמי -אין ]לי[ צורך לחפש רמזים ופירושים .מספיקה

בשבילי התבוננות קלה בנדו״ז במעמדי ומצבי ,כדי לדעת במה אוחזים.

]לכן [,מה יכול לשנות אחר עם ראיות ושכל? אלא ,מה יהי׳? -הרי מה אני

יודע מה חושב הרבי ,זוהי אחריותו ,ובודאי ידאג לזה .כיצד -אינני יודע.

ישנם עוד דברים שאינני יודע.

ואחתום בברכת החג לו לכב״ב שי׳

הציון( -וכ״ט והצלחה בעבודתו

)השמות שכותב יזכירום על

תרטו

מהעתקה .ונראה שנכתבה כהוספה לאגרת תריד שבאגרות-קודש כרך ג.

מוהר״א :פריז .אגרות נוספות אליו -אגרות קודש כרך ג תרעה .תרפה .תרחצ.

שיהי׳ בריא :ראה אגרות קודש כרך ג אגרת תריד בסופה.

שכותב אודותיי :קבלת הנשיאות .ראה אגרות קודש כרך ג אגרת תקעו .ובנסמן

בהערות שם.