Igrot Kodesh · Letter 7257 — Faith & Bitachon

By the grace of Hashem,

11 Nissan* 5720,

Brooklyn, New York,

To our brethren, the children of Israel, in every place where they are found, may Hashem grant them long life,

I greet you warmly and bless you,

On the occasion of the festival of Matzos*, which is approaching, I address my wishes and my blessing to our brethren, the children of Israel, in every place where they are found — a blessing for a kosher and joyous Pesach* festival, the time of our freedom. True freedom must be complete. It concerns a person individually, in his capacity as a microcosm (note 1: The Rebbe notes: "Midrash Tanchuma*, Parshas* Pekudei*, chapter 3. See Likkutei Torah*, Parshas* Bamidbar*, page 5a"), as well as an integral part of the surrounding world. There is therefore a twofold liberation here — one interior, which enables one to free oneself from all the inner obstacles inherent in one's innate character or those acquired through education or habit, and the other exterior, removing the obstacles that the surrounding world raises before a person.

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Our Sages*, of sacred memory, who know how to express an important notion in a short sentence, have indeed stated what has just been said in a few words. In this way, they have shown the path and provided the means of this liberation. They say: "Freedom through the Tablets of the Law" (note 2: The Rebbe notes: "Tikkunei Zohar*, Tikkun* 56. See also the Tikkunim* at the end of Zohar Chadash*, page 97b, the commentators of Tractate Avos*, chapter 6, Mishnah* 3, and Midrash* Vayikra Rabbah*, chapter 18, paragraph 3"). Thus, what is engraved thereon liberates from subjugation to the nations, from poverty, from foolishness, from pain, and from constriction. The Ten Commandments, which appear on the Tablets of the Law, encompassing in allusion all the Mitzvos* (note 3: The Rebbe notes: "See the admonitions of Rabbi Saadya Gaon*. See also, in particular, the Yerushalmi*, Tractate Shekalim*, chapter 6, paragraph 1, and the Zohar*, Volume 2, page 90b"), begin with the injunction: "I am Hashem your Elokim* (note 4: The Rebbe notes: "See the commentary of the Ramban* on the verse Shemos* 20:2"), Who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of servitude." The first precept, the most fundamental, which is engraved in Jewish life, spoken and written by Hashem, addressing each man and each woman, is therefore: "I am your Elokim*," in your own life, within your personal conduct.

The Name "your Elokim*" emphasizes (note 5: The Rebbe notes: "Shulchan Aruch*, Orach Chaim*, chapter 5"), in particular, that Hashem is all-powerful, that He possesses all powers. From this results a twofold liberation — on the one hand, from the land of Egypt, from fear and undesirable acts, from "the deeds of Egypt," from the consequences of the influence exerted by life in Egypt; on the other hand, from the house of servitude, from slavery to Pharaoh, to Egypt, to the surrounding world. This is why the injunction, addressed to each person, is itself twofold, concerning both the interior life and the exterior life: "You shall have no other deities" — no authority other than Hashem, whatever it may be — and "Remember the day of Shabbos* to sanctify it," without submitting to the conduct and demands of the external world.

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The Torah* itself possesses (note 6: The Rebbe notes: "See the beginning of Midrash* Bereishis Rabbah*") these two aspects: the most interior, its soul (note 7: The Rebbe notes: "Zohar*, Volume 3, page 152a"), its profound dimension, and what is connected to concrete action — the study, the practice of Mitzvos*, its revealed teaching. And it is the profound aspect, the soul, that vivifies the external aspect. In these last generations, the profound part of the Torah* has been widely commented upon and disseminated through the teaching of Chassidus*, founded by the Baal Shem Tov*, whose bicentennial of the Hilloula* we celebrate this year.

One of the teachings of Chassidus*, repeatedly emphasized by the Baal Shem Tov*, is the following: "I have placed Hashem before me at all times" (note 8: The Rebbe notes: "According to the Tzavaas HaRivash*"). Every Jew must be conscious of standing before Hashem. As a result, he will perceive identically (note 9: Shivisi*, rendered here as "I have placed," should be related to Shaveh*, identical) everything found in the world and within himself. Moreover, it will be so "at all times" — not only when he recites the Amidah*, the culminating point of prayer, not only at a few moments of the day, for example at its beginning (note 10: The Rebbe notes: "Tractate Sanhedrin* 22a. Shulchan Aruch*, Orach Chaim*, beginning of the words of the Rama*. Shulchan Aruch* of the Alter Rebbe*, second edition, chapter 1, paragraph 5. See also the Torah Or*, at the end of Parshas* Vayeitzei*"), for this would not, strictly speaking, be "I have placed" — a true freedom enabling one to escape the influence, interior or exterior, exerted by the world. Indeed, during the other moments, the person could fall back into servitude, subjugation to his own nature and to the surrounding world. The "before me" must truly be "at all times." It must condition every action, every movement of the person — his food, his drink, the words he exchanges with others. Then, this person will take no account of interior and exterior obstacles and will attain the true and complete freedom — that of both "the land of Egypt" and "the house of servitude."

This "before me" also has the effect that the service of Hashem of a Jew, as was said, penetrates the two domains of life — the profound and the exterior. Furthermore, it enables this to be so in joy and enthusiasm, as the Alter Rebbe*, author of the Tanya* and the Shulchan Aruch*, explains at length (note 11: The Rebbe notes: "Tanya*, chapter 33. See the Rambam*, at the end of the laws of Lulav*"). According to him, one who meditates on the attitude Hashem adopts toward every Jew, on the fact that He grants him His Torah* and His Mitzvos*, that He desires to be at all times near him, near each one, if one may express oneself thus — just as it is said: "I will dwell among you," "within each one" (note 12: The Rebbe notes: "Shnei Luchos HaBris*, at the beginning of Parshas* Terumah*. See the Chassidic* discourse entitled 'I have come into My garden,' of 5708, by my father-in-law, the Rebbe, whose merit protects us, published in Kuntres* no. 55") — will see his heart filled with the most immense happiness and will derive from it the most profound inspiration.

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May Hashem grant that each man and woman attain the true and complete freedom, both moral and physical. This will lead us, very soon and in our days, to the true and complete redemption, through our righteous Moshiach*. With my blessing for a kosher and joyous Pesach* festival,

Menachem Schneerson,