Igrot Kodesh · Letter 9385

By the grace of Hashem,

Chol HaMoed Sukkot* 5728,
Brooklyn, New York,

To Mr. Elyahu Amikam[1],

I greet you and bless you,

My attention was drawn to your article[2], in which you reproduce excerpts from our conversation. As you surely know, it is not my practice to receive journalists. Nevertheless, our approach — as I also heard from my father-in-law, the Rabbi — is that once something has already been done, what matters above all is that it be useful, and that is indeed the case here. I am hopeful that these words will contribute to drawing the people of Israel and its individual members closer to our Father Who is in Heaven. And as I said, I am alluding to concrete actions in daily life, for "action is paramount"[3]. It is surely unnecessary to explain to you the importance of seeking the merit of the greatest number in this matter.

I also seize this favorable opportunity to express to you the pleasant surprise that was your presence at the Chassidic gathering[4], on the occasion of the Hilula* of my mother, the virtuous Rebbetzin*, of blessed memory. I wished, on that occasion, to speak words that come from the heart. I therefore prayed and hoped that the well-known adage would be realized[5]: "words that come from the heart enter the heart and take effect."

Moreover, we are in the particular and distinguished days of this seventh month[6], which includes the Ten Days of Teshuva*, inscribed in bitterness, yet also the time of our joy[7], intrinsically linked to that very joy. Here are found all the states of mind a person can experience, from one extreme to the other. Yet the entire month bears the imprint of its beginning — the day[8] on which the children of Israel proclaim the Sovereignty of the Holy One, blessed be He, over themselves, the people of Israel, and over the entire world, in accordance with the prayer and the supplication[9]: "Reign over the entire world" — until: "Whoever possesses a soul in his nostrils proclaims: Hashem, the Hashem of Israel, reigns and His Sovereignty encompasses all powers."

With my regards and my blessing for a joyful festival,

(Due to the sanctity of the festival,
the Rabbi Shlita* did not sign
the present letter)

Notes

[1] See regarding him, letters no. 8611 and 9569.
[2] See in this regard the preceding letter.
[3] According to tractate Avot*, ch. 1, Mishnah* 17.
[4] Of 6 Tishrei 5728.
[5] See the Sefer HaYashar of Rabbeinu Tam*, gate 13, cited by the Shnei Luchot HaBrit*, p. 69a.
[6] The month of Tishrei*.
[7] The festival of Sukkot*.
[8] Rosh Hashana*.
[9] According to the Rosh Hashana* liturgy.

ב״ה ,מוצש״ק ח״י אלול ,ה׳תשכ״ז
ברוקליו ,נ.י.
ועדת נשים למען חתנים וכלות
במונטריאול ,קנדה,
ה׳ עליהן תחיינה
ברכה ושלום!
תקותי שפעולותיהן נמשכו במשך הזמן שחלף בהתאם לחשיבותן
הגדולה ,והשם יתברך יצליח שזה יהיה במידה הולכת וגדלה כפי הציווי
מעלין בקודש ,וההחלטות לחזק ולהרחיב את התכנית שלהן בעתיד ודאי
גם תגדיל את ההצלחה.
בפרט שאנו נמצאים כעת בימי אלול ,שהם ימי סגולה מיוחדים
כהכנה לשנה החדשה ,הבאה עלינו ועל כל ישראל לטובה ,שחיוביות ימים
אלו מבוארת ע״י אדמו״ר הזקן במשל ה״מלך בשדה״ -כאשר מלך יוצא
לשדה וכל אחד הרוצה יכול לצאת לפגוש את המלך ,והמלך מקבל את כל
אחד בידידות מיוחדת ובשמחה.
זכות העבודה בטח תעמוד לכל המשתתפות ותביא לכל אחת מהן
הוספה בברכות האלקיות בכל הנחוץ.
בברכת כתיבה וחתימה טובה לשנה טובה ומתוקה.