Igrot Kodesh · Letter 9241

By the grace of Hashem,

17 Kislev* 5727,
Brooklyn, New York,

To the participants at the annual Chanukah* dinner of
the parents and teachers association of the Yeshiva*
Tomchei Temimim* Lubavitch of Montreal,

I greet you and bless you,

I learned with satisfaction that your annual Chanukah* dinner will celebrate, this year, the twenty-fifth year of existence of the Lubavitch Yeshiva* in Montreal. On this occasion, let the specific connection of this year to education also be highlighted. For it is indeed the year of Hakhel*,[1] as the Rosh Hashana* letter explains.[2] The Mitzvah* of Hakhel*[1] consists of gathering the people — the men, the women and the children — in the Temple, to hear passages of the Torah* read by the king. This strengthens in them the fear of Hashem, reinforces their daily conduct in conformity with Torah* and Mitzvot*, and awakens in each person, man or woman, a deeper sense of responsibility for education based on sacred values[1] — a responsibility and an objective to be assumed every year, but even more clearly in the year of Hakhel*.[1]

In the present era, the responsibility of education has been transferred in large part to educational institutions, with their teachers and educators. But this does not mean that parents have been relieved of their personal obligation to fulfill the Mitzvah*:[3] "And you shall teach your children"[1] — to implant in them the Torah with fear of Hashem, and the daily observance of Mitzvot*. This must be expressed above all in education, formation and influence upon life, as well as through active collaboration with the school and teachers, in order to help them carry out, to the greatest extent, the mission entrusted to them as delegates of the parents, and to fulfill their own Mitzvah*: "And you shall teach your children[1] — this refers to students."[4]

This dinner will take place during the Chanukah* holiday, a few days after the holiday of the liberation*[1] of the Admor HaZaken*,[5] author of the Tanya* and the Shulchan Aruch*. One can therefore hope that all the participants will give concrete expression to the spirit and content of these luminous days, by strengthening their commitment to this institution — itself directed in the spirit of the one whose liberation we celebrate — which will serve the good of the education of children and students.

May Hashem bring about that this harmonious collaboration and fruitful action grow and develop more and more, in accordance with the Injunction[6] that: "In the domain of holiness, one only ascends."[1] As the lights of Chanukah* show, this will be done[7] in an ever-increasing manner.[1] Indeed, each evening of Chanukah*, one more luminous candle is lit, in order to spread the brightness of[8] "the candle (which) is a Mitzvah* and the Torah (which) is a light."[1] With my blessing for success and for a joyous and luminous Chanukah*,

Notes

[1] The Rabbi underlines the words: "Hakhel," "Hakhel," "education based on sacred values," "Hakhel," "and you shall teach your children," "and you shall teach your children," "holiday of liberation," "in the domain of holiness one only ascends," "ever-increasing" and "the candle is a Mitzvah and the Torah is a light."
[2] This is letter no. 9217.
[3] Va'etchanan 6:7.
[4] According to the interpretation of the Sifri* and the commentary of Rashi* on this verse.
[5] The 19th of Kislev*.
[6] From tractate Berakhot* 28a.
[7] According to tractate Shabbat* 21b.
[8] According to the verse Mishlei* 6:23.