Igrot Kodesh · Letter 7667 — Teshuvah

By the grace of Hashem,

Eve of the holy Shabbos* 12 Sivan* 5721,

Brooklyn, New York,

I greet you and bless you,

I duly received your letter of the day of Isru Chag* (note 1: This letter was addressed to several persons). We are at the end of the days of completion of Shavuos*, the time of the giving of our Torah*. It is known, indeed, that this period of completion continues until the 12th of this month, inclusive (note 2: The Rebbe* notes at the bottom of the page: "As indicated by the Alter Rebbe* in his Siddur*, before U'va LeTzion*. Other opinions, indeed, extend this period until the 13th, due to the doubt regarding the fixing of the festival, as the Shaarei Teshuvah*, Orach Chaim*, chapter 131, paragraph 19, explains. And, one can justify the position of the Alter Rebbe* in the following manner. The completion, in this matter, concerns the sacrifices, upon which the doubt regarding the day has no bearing"). Now, the completion of Shavuos* possesses a quality that the completion of the Festival of Matzos* or of Sukkos* does not have. Indeed, in the latter cases, the completion is effected during the festival (note 3: The Rebbe* notes at the bottom of the page: "As emphasized by the Shulchan Aruch* of the Alter Rebbe*, chapter 529, paragraph 6, and the references of this Shulchan Aruch*, at the beginning of chapter 242, according to which the sacrifices, which must be completed here, make these days 'a sacred convocation'"). Shavuos*, by contrast, receives a particular strength since it takes days that are by nature entirely profane (note 4: The Rebbe* notes at the bottom of the page: "As stated by the Tosafos*, tractate Chagigah* 9a") and confers upon them the possibility of completing the good and the sacred of this festival (note 5: The Rebbe* notes at the bottom of the page: "Tractate Chagigah* 17a says that the festival of Shavuos* is completed during seven days, which also includes its first day. And, it is the same for the Festival of Matzos* and for Sukkos*, but this point will not be developed here. In this case, one indeed finds the equivalent of Shavuos* until the 12th of the month").

The Alter Rebbe* specifies in his Siddur* (note 6: The Rebbe* notes at the bottom of the page: "As also shown by the Shulchan Aruch*, Yoreh Deah*, chapter 399, paragraph 8") that, even in the Diaspora* and still in the present era, one does not recite Tachanun* during these days of completion. This proves clearly that, despite the destruction of the Temple and although one finds oneself outside of Eretz Yisrael*, all that has just been observed remains no less valid.

From this derives a teaching for the man who desires to serve his Creator. He must know that the means and the possibility to do so are granted to him during these days. He can complete everything that was not accomplished, perfect everything that was lacking, for whatever reason, on the day of the giving of the Torah*. For, all agree that Shavuos* must also be "for you" (note 7: The Rebbe* notes at the bottom of the page: "As explained by tractate Pesachim* 68b, the Shulchan Aruch* of the Alter Rebbe*, chapter 494, paragraph 18, and the Torah* Or, Parshas* Yisro*, from page 68a"). One can therefore reveal all of this here below, in this world, including in what concerns the body, and rejoice it. With my blessing,

ז'תרסז

ב"ה, ערב ש"ק י"ב סיון, ה'תשכ"א
ברוקלין, נ. י.

שלום וברכה!

מאשר הנני קבלת מכתבו מיום אסרו חג.

ובעמדנו בסיום וחותם תשלומין דעצרת זמן מתן תורתנו,

וכידוע אשר עד י"ב בחדש ועד בכלל תשלומין דחג השבועות הוא,

וי"ל דמעלה בתשלומין אלו על תשלומין דחג המצות וחג הסוכות, שבהם משלימין בימים אשר חג הם. נוסף בחג השבועות - דכחו גדול דגם בימים שמצד עצמם חול גמור הם, עושים בהם ומשלימים עניני טוב וקדש דיום העצרת.

וע"פ הוראת רבנו הזקן בסידורו, שגם בחוץ לארץ וגם עתה אין אומרים תחנון בימי תשלומין אלו, הרי זו הוכחה, שגם משחרב בית המקדש ובחו"ל הענין במציאותו הוא,

ומזה הוראה גם בעבודת האדם את קונו - דהאפשריות והיכולת נתונה בכל ימים אלה למלאות מה שלא נעשה ולהשלים מה שהחסירו מאיזה סיבה שתהי' ביום מתן תורה. והכל מודים בעצרת דבעינן לכם - להמשיך כל זה למטה מעשרה טפחים וגם בעניני הגוף ושמחתו.

ז'תרסז
נדפסה בלקו"ש ח"ד ע' 1312. טופס דומה נשלח לכמה.

הכל מודים: פסחים סח, ב. שו"ע אדה"ז סתצ"ד סי"ח. ועיין תו"א יתרו (סח, א ואילך).