Igrot Kodesh · Letter 1275 — Health

B'ezras Hashem,

5 Kislev 5712,

Brooklyn, New York,

Greetings and blessings,

I received with satisfaction and joy your letter of Monday of Parshas Chayei Sarah. I had been wondering for some time why I had not heard from you for so long. But I was partially reassured by the letter your son wrote me, which conveyed your regards.

I am pleased that you have found an apartment. I hope that you will be comfortable there, you and your wife, and that you will use your time wisely to strengthen your state of health. Among Jews, the health of the body is directly bound up with that of the soul, as is indicated by a letter[1] that the Maggid of Mezeritch* wrote to his son, Rabbi Avraham 'the Angel'. The latter multiplied fasts and mortifications, to the point of being separated from the materiality of the world. His father often objected to this conduct and sought to convince him not to serve Hashem in this way.

The father therefore writes to the son: "A small opening in the body makes a gaping hole in the soul." And we can verify it concretely. Those who wish to serve Hashem and are not hindered in this by their body — for example, on account of its excessive weakness — attain wholeness more easily.

Moreover, many seforim* explain that the body is not the property of man. It belongs to Hashem. Each person is therefore obligated to preserve it and protect it — except, of course, when doing so would be to the detriment of the soul.

This is why halacha* considers that one who harms himself will have to give an accounting before the Heavenly tribunal, even though the human court cannot condemn him for it. As the Alter Rebbe says[2]: "A man is not master of his body. He may not strike it, humiliate it, or cause it suffering in any way — except as a means of attaining teshuvah*. In such a case, the pain is positive, since it preserves the soul from Gehinnom*."

I hope that you will soon form a circle of acquaintances upon whom you can exert a positive influence, so that these people may recover, in Florida[3], not only the health of the body, but also that of the soul.

I take this opportunity to enclose the first brochure[4] published on the occasion of Yud-Tes Kislev*, as well as the kuntres*[5] that appeared for that date, at the end of which appear several letters of my father-in-law, the Rebbe.

May you and your wife benefit from your stay in Florida in the best way, in every domain — may it be of benefit to you materially and spiritually.

With my blessing,

Notes

[1] See HaTamim, vol. 7, pp. 28–664.

[2] Hilchos Nizkei Guf VaNefesh, ch. 4 (Shulchan Aruch HaRav).

[3] Where one ordinarily goes to heal physically.

[4] Recounting the liberation of the Alter Rebbe.

[5] Of the teachings of the previous Rebbe.