Igrot Kodesh · Letter 720 — Tzedakah

By the grace of Hashem,
11 Elul 5710,

To the Chassid* who fears Hashem and faithfully fulfills his mission, the Rav Y. HaKohen [1],

Greetings and blessings,

I reply to your letter of Rosh Chodesh Elul, with what was attached to it. I send you, with the present, a receipt for the check relating to the printing of the booklet edited on the occasion of Rosh Hashanah. One Mitzvah* draws another, and your contribution to Tzedakah* will therefore go on broadening, according to your present possibilities and even beyond them.

Indeed, Hashem has two ways of acting. He can grant means and see what part of them is set aside for Tzedakah. But He can also see that a man gives beyond his means. From then on, He does not remain in debt and grants thereafter according to what has been given for Tzedakah, the tenth or, beyond, the fifth.

Thus, practice demonstrates that beyond man's possibilities, for each dollar he gives, he receives the equivalent and much more. Various books make it possible to establish this.

I read in your letter that you did not wish to delay the opportunity of giving a little Tzedakah, particularly during the month of Elul. Considering the amount written on your check, I was therefore very surprised. Why then do you have pity on Hashem? Why have you not arranged it so that Hashem may grant you earnings largely superior to what you yourself counted on, when you wrote that check?

I hope that you will not hold these remarks against me, and that you will remember that the Rebbe always wished you to be rich. One of the means to attain this is to set aside the tithe [2], to give Tzedakah as the Rebbe willed it. And if one accepts things as they are, Hashem will do likewise, as Iggeret HaKodesh explains, in chapter 13, which says that even one who sets aside the fifth for Tzedakah introduces in this way measure and limitation into his service of Hashem.

Indeed, one who is good and serves Hashem with broadness will not be able to impose a limit on his generosity, in Tzedakah as in the study of the Torah. And this concerns specifically a Kohen* [3], a man of kindness. The Alter Rebbe concludes [4] by affirming that Hashem grants such a man His immense kindness, which transcends all limits.

I would be happy to have good news of what is happening in your city, in general, and of what becomes of your brothers. I hope you will announce to me that your affairs prosper. I am also interested to know what is happening with your judgment and the real estate proposal that has been made to you.

With my blessing for you to be inscribed and sealed for a good year and awaiting your good news,

Menachem Schneerson

Notes:
[1] Rav Yaakov Katz, of Chicago. See Letter 421 about him.
[2] Asser Te'asser, "set aside, you shall set aside." Our Sages give the following interpretation of this repetition: "Asser Bishvil Shetisasher: set aside the tithe in order to become rich."
[3] The recipient of this letter is a Kohen.
[4] This passage of Iggeret HaKodesh.