Igrot Kodesh · Letter 205 — Lending a Manuscript and Its Eternal Spiritual Reward

To the great Rav, Chassid* who fears Hashem, of immense erudition, Rav M. D.[1]

I greet you and bless you.

I am returning herewith[2] the manuscript of Rav Ch. Sofer, presenting chassidic* commentaries of the Rebbe* Maharash*, which you wished to photograph. I am also enclosing a copy of books that were printed by this method.

It is surely unnecessary to describe to you the great importance of all this and the satisfaction of the author of these chassidic* discourses who, thanks to your loan, will finally reach thousands of people who will study and consult them.

Now, at each study and each consultation, "the lips of the Righteous murmur in his grave," as the Tosafot* explain, in tractate Yevamot* 96b. Who can compare to King David who so wished that his teaching be repeated? Thus, he considered, he could have a share in both worlds[3] and his lips would murmur[4].

In all things, Hashem acts "measure for measure"[5]. It is therefore certain, just as the Righteous has a share in both worlds, that the reward of those who invest their efforts will likewise be double, both spiritual and material at once, with all physical and moral good.

With my blessing of immediate Teshuvah*, immediate redemption,
Rav Menachem Schneerson*
Director of the Executive Committee

Since we have raised this subject, we will take the opportunity to comment on it. Our Sages* report that certain ones particularly desired that their explanations be repeated in their name — for example, King David, Rabbi Yochanan*, both mentioned by tractate Yevamot*; Rav Sheshet*, cited by tractate Bechorot* 31b; and Rabbi Yitzchak*, by the Zohar*. In the introduction to the Divrei Nechemya*, the author's son explains why their name must be recalled[6]. One could raise an objection to his words, but this is not the place to do so.

One can perhaps explain why the necessity of "dwelling in Your tent forever" motivated all four of them more than anyone else:

A) David tried by every means to atone for his sin and to establish, in the eyes of all Israel, that it had truly been forgiven, as established by tractates Shabbat* 30a and Sanhedrin* 107a. Now, it is stated in tractate Chagigah* 15b that one may study Torah* only from a teacher whom one perceives as an angel. It is for this reason that David wished his teaching to be repeated. Thus, he could have confirmation that his sin had truly been forgiven.

It is for this reason that the Yerushalmi* Berachot* 2:1, after citing tractate Yevamot* according to which David asked that his explanations be cited in his name, concludes: "David said: I rejoice in my heart at the building of the Temple," which seems to have no connection to the context. The Sefer Charedim* therefore removes this phrase, but other books retain it. However, one can understand it in light of what has just been said.

Indeed, David asked for a sign establishing that his sin had been forgiven. Hashem indicated to him that this sign would be the building of the Temple. Thus, David was able to establish in two ways that he had been forgiven:
1. By the fact that the Jews would mention his teaching in his name, as we have seen,
2. By the sign that Hashem Himself gave him.

Having requested the first point, David, according to the Yerushalmi*, therefore rejoiced at the second, having obtained the divine sign that his sin had been forgiven. It is therefore unnecessary to remove this phrase from the Yerushalmi*.

B) Tractate Berachot* teaches that Rabbi Yochanan* lost all his children, and the Seder Hadorot* questions whether he subsequently had another son. So that his teaching would not be forgotten, he therefore had to form disciples capable of perpetuating his legacy, as tractate Bava Batra* establishes, expounding his view on the matter. He therefore strove to have his teaching widely repeated.

C) What has just been said of Rabbi Yochanan* applies equally to Rabbi Yitzchak*. According to the Zohar*, he did indeed have a son, but the son was not fit to inherit from him — and our Sages say that such a situation is equivalent to death, for the father.

The Zohar* says that Rabbi Yitzchak's son "did not merit access to Torah*". Rabbi Yitzchak* therefore strove that his own teaching be repeated, for disciples are considered as sons.

This allows us to understand the request that Rabbi Yitzchak* made in the Zohar*: "That my teaching be repeated and that Torah* be taught to my son." He also made a third request, which is explained elsewhere.

D) The Shaar HaGilgulim* and the Sefer HaGilgulim* give the explanation of the phrase that Rav Sheshet* would recite: "My soul rejoices in You, it calls upon You, it learns from You." Indeed, Rav Sheshet* knew that his soul had lived a first life in the body of Bava ben Buta*, who had very little left to accomplish — what Rav Sheshet* completed during this second life.

In such a case, the reward for the Torah* and Mitzvot* performed in the second life belongs only to the soul and not to the body. Indeed, at the resurrection of the dead, his soul would return to the first body, which had enabled the greater part of his accomplishments. Consequently, the body of Rav Sheshet* was sad. He therefore observed that "my soul rejoices," but not my body.

But, in my humble opinion, one can perhaps argue that all this was true only for his other accomplishments, in the domain of Torah* and Mitzvot*. However, when the teaching of Rav Sheshet* is repeated, his lips move in the grave, in this physical world. It is then quite clear that the lips of the physical body of Rav Sheshet* are in motion and not those of Bava ben Buta*. It is for this reason that he strove to have his teaching repeated.

Nevertheless, he said "my soul rejoices in You," for by these words he alluded to his own study of Torah*, as tractate Pesachim* explains. By contrast, the repetition of his teaching refers, of course, to what he transmitted to his students, who were to repeat it afterward.

Remark: Rabbi Yitzchak* asked Rabbi Yehudah* to repeat his teaching, for a reason explained elsewhere.

Certainly, Rabbi Yitzchak* contests in the Zohar* the interpretation according to which the verse "He causes the lips of those who sleep to move" alludes to speech. But one may think that he learned of this afterward and then accepted it. One may also hold that he accepts this explanation in principle and contests only the derivation of it from this verse. All would therefore agree that one can, in this way, "dwell in Your tent forever"[7].

In the Yerushalmi* Shekalim*, it is precisely Rabbi Yitzchak* who comments on the verse "He causes the lips of those who sleep to move." But one may think that this is not the same Rabbi Yitzchak*. The Talmud* indeed records several Sages bearing this name.

With my blessing of immediate Teshuvah*, immediate redemption,
Rav Menachem Schneerson*
Director of the Executive Committee

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ב״ה ,כ״ד סיון ,תשי״ג
ברוקלין.
ברכה ושלום!
ע״י הרה״ח הוו״ח אי״א נו״נ עוסק בצ״צ מוה״ר שמואל דוד שי׳
הלוי רייצ׳יק שד״ר ,קבלתי פ״ש ממנה .הרה״ח רייצ׳יק שי׳ כותב לי גם
שבנה . . .נמצא בשירות צבאי.
בטח מיותר להדגיש לה ,לעורר את בנה שי׳ ולבאר לו אודות קיום
התורה ומצוות בכלל עד כמה שזה נחוץ לכל יהודי ,ובפרט למי שנמצא
בשירות צבאי .ובמיוחד ללא ספק ,נחוץ לשמור ולהניח תפילין כל יום
חול ,לכל הפחות לכמה דקות במשך כל היום עד שקיעת החמה ,שזוהי
סגולה עבור מי שנמצא בשירות צבאי ,לחזור בריא ושלם הביתה ,כפי
ששמענו זאת פעמים רבות מחמי כ״ק אדמו״ר זצוקללה״ה נבג״מ זי״ע,
ותודה לא-ל ,כל אלו שהיו בצבא במלחמה הקודמת וקיימו את ההוראה
של חמי כ״ק אדמו״ר אודות הנחת תפילין חזרו בריאים ושלימים
הביתה ,כפי שבכלל -כאשר מקיימים תורה ומצוות ,עושים זאת לא
כטובה להשם יתברך ,אלא דוקא לעצמו למשפחה ולכל הסביבה.
ותקותי שתמצא את המילים המתאימות כיצד לבאר זאת לבנה שי׳ וגם
להשפיע עליו ,לטובתו האישית ,והשי״ת יעזור שתצליח בקלות ותוכל
לבשר לי בשורה טובה בזה.
בברכה,
בשם כ״ק אדמו״ר שליט״א
המזכיר
נ״ב
מצו״ב מסר שחמי כ״ק אדמו״ר כתב --בזמנו -במיוחד עבור אלו
הנמצאים בצבא.