Igrot Kodesh · Letter 1313 — Health

By the grace of Hashem,
26 Kislev 5712,
Brooklyn,

To the distinguished chassid* who fears Hashem,
Rav Menachem Mann[1],

Greetings and blessings,

I was glad to receive your letter, in which you write that a chassidishe* gathering took place on Yud-Tes Kislev*, as well as a siyum* on Mishnayos. You sang the niggun* of the Alter Rebbe and you repeated explanations from Chassidus*.

It would be good for such gatherings to take place as often as possible, particularly on Shabbos Mevarchim* and on yamim tovim*. For when chassidim* gather, they repeat explanations of Torah, stories of the tzaddikim*, who are the foundations of the world. Now, these sayings of Chazal* and these stories of the tzaddikim refresh the neshamah*, give it the strength necessary to fulfill the mission entrusted to it — that of refining the body, the nefesh habahamis*, and the portion of the world allotted to it.

The mitzvah* of Chanukah* consists of kindling lights from the moment it begins to grow dark. Moreover, from one night to the next, the brightness of these lights is increased. From this stems a lesson on how to regard the darkness of golus*. Each Yid* receives the strength to illumine it, and from time to time to add brightness to it, for, say Chazal, "one ascends in matters of holiness[2]."

I ask you to convey my greetings to all who took part in the chassidishe gathering of Yud-Tes Kislev. As participation in the next gathering, I send you symbolically five dollars, which you will use to purchase what will be useful for it to be held — such as mashke* and food.

With my blessing for good health, and with greetings to all who participate in this gathering,

Notes
(1) Rav M. M. Swet.
(2) See letter no. 1308.