Igrot Kodesh · Letter 2057 — Faith & Bitachon

By the grace of Hashem,

24 Adar 5713,

Brooklyn,

Greetings and blessings,

I am responding to your letter, in which you tell me that you are studying sofrus* [1] and that you also attend Yeshivas Toras Emes [2]. You ask me for advice in order to know hatzlachah* in your endeavors.

You know what our holy Torah says: "If you walk in My statutes and observe My mitzvos ... the land will give its produce." Rashi explains: "If you walk in My statutes: by toiling in Torah."

Your mission is therefore very clear. Hashem has granted you the merit of being in a column of light, that of Torah. You must therefore place in it all your efforts, beyond your habit and your nature. For such is the definition of an effort.

Even though you study sofrus, as you specify in your letter, no doubt you still have enough time to direct your efforts toward Torah. Then, undoubtedly, HaKadosh Baruch Hu will keep His promise, as it is said: "I will give your rains in their season."

Nevertheless, there is an absolute necessity, in particular for those who have the merit of being students in a yeshivah founded and directed by our Rebbeim, the tzaddikim* who are the foundations of the world — the Rebbe Rashab and my father-in-law, the Rebbe, whose merit shall protect us — to study their teaching, that is, Chassidus, the words of the living Hashem.

Thus it is possible to attach oneself even more strongly to the Tree of Life, and therefore to receive an increased brachah and hatzlachah, including in the domains of this world as they are here below.

With my brachah to study Torah with yiras Shamayim*, to know hatzlachah in all your activities, and to celebrate Pesach in a kosher and freilichen* manner,

In the name of the Rebbe Shlita,

the secretary,

Notes:

[1] The writing of tefillin, mezuzos and Sifrei Torah.

[2] Of Yerushalayim.

— 2057* —

By the grace of Hashem,

24 Adar 5713,

Brooklyn,

Greetings and blessings,

I have received your letter of Shushan Purim, in which you tell me that you have grown cold, in both senses that this term may have [a]. You therefore did not take part in the chassidishe farbrengen*, which brings the light and warmth of Chassidus to all those who associate themselves with it.

Despite your letter, you well understand that the more intense the cold is on the outside, that is, for the nefesh habahamis*, the more necessary it is to increase the inner warmth, that of the nefesh ha'elokis*. Fleeing a chassidishe farbrengen is not a solution, not even as a 'joke' [b].

I was pained to learn that the children are not in good health, and I hope that upon receipt of this letter they will have recovered. You will give me good news on this subject.

May Hashem grant that the pregnancy of your wife go well and be easy, that she give birth in its time and easily. You will all celebrate the yom tov of Pesach in a kosher and freilichen manner.

It is unnecessary to specify that simchah* also has two meanings [c]. Certain circles, foreign to Chassidus, adopt a rigorist position in this matter, and they exclude the possibility of dancing and clapping during Shabbos and yom tov. They therefore do so in a manner different from the weekday — striking the back of the hand rather than the palm, and drinking milk, which has the property of inducing sleep, as the verse Shoftim 5:25 establishes. It is obvious that all this cools. You should understand what I mean.

May Hashem grant that what was sown and planted in you, when you were at Yeshivas Lubavitch, be fully revealed. The fruits of this formation have already become apparent, but at times the love of leitzanus* can hide them. Now, when you observe that this is so, and you are bitter about it, instead of redoubling your ardor in the struggle against your body and your nefesh habahamis, you make a great gesture of the hand and you declare that you have lost all spirit.

Ultimately, it is a certainty that you will leave the meitzar* and that you will be liberated, truly liberated. You know the saying of my father-in-law, the Rebbe [d], according to which chassidim are wise and do not put off until tomorrow what they can accomplish today [e].

With my brachah for hatzlachah in your sacred mission, and that you derive chassidishe nachas* from yourself and from all the members of your family,

N. B.: I am sending you the kuntres that appeared for the 2nd of Nissan [f], whose content you will surely make available to as many as possible.

Notes (second letter):

[a] Catching a cold and becoming discouraged.

[b] The Rebbe says 'joke' in English in the original.

[c] In the same sense as this term of 'cooling.'

[d] See, on this subject, letter no. 1882.

[e] The same must therefore be true for this liberation.

[f] Date of the hilula of the Rebbe Rashab.

ב״ה ,ז׳ מנ״א ,תשי״ג

ברוקלין.

שלום וברכה!

אף שממנו בעצמו לא קבלתי מכתב ,עם זאת הנני שמח לקבל מזמן

לזמן פ״ש ממנו ע״י ידידים טובים ,והשי״ת יעזור לו שתמיד יוכל לבשר

בשורות טובות מעצמו הן בגשמיות והן ברוחניות.

הנני שומע שישנם ענפי מסחר שונים שאינם מצליחים כעת כפי

שהסוחרים ציפו .וברור שצריך להביט על זה כעל נסיון שהשי״ת רוצה

לנסות יהודים ,ואע״פ שהוא ,ברוך הוא ,יודע שלב יהודי פתוח תמיד

ונמשך לתורה ומצוות ,אבל כדי לרצות את מלאכי בית הדין ,בגלל

שאינם רוצים להאמין שיהודי יעמוד בנסיון ,מראה להם השי״ת ,ראו,

למרות שהיצר הרע יכול להשלות יהודי שצריך להקטין את הצדקה ,כי

העסקים אינם כמקודם ,מכל־מקום יהודים הם פקחים בהחלט והם

מבינים שרוצים רק לנסות אותם וכשיעמדו בנסיון ויבינו את הכוונה

האמיתית בזה ,הרי לא זו בלבד שהעסק יהי׳ טוב כמקודם אלא אדרבה

יהי׳ עוד יותר טוב מאשר קודם ,כי אבא אוהב שבן מבין את הכוונה

האמיתית של מעשי האב ,וככל שהילד מגלה יותר את חכמתו בזה ,כך

גדולות יותר המתנות שהוא מקבל מהאב .סוחרים אומרים שככל

שנעשים יותר מבוגרים ,מבינים יותר את ענין המסחר ,ולכן מכיון שהוא

זמן רב במסחר יבין את כוונת השי״ת במצב הנ״ל וכמו בהשקעה טובה

אם זה מלון או עסק ,הרי לא זו בלבד שאין להקטין את חלקו של

השי״ת בזה ,אלא אדרבה לתת עוד יותר ללא חשבון על החלק שלו ,שאז

השי״ת מקיים את הבטחתו בתורה עשר בשביל שתתעשר לתת לשותף

שלו הכנסה עוד יותר גדולה מאשר קודם.

תקותי שמצב בריאותו יותר טוב מכפי שהי׳ בהיותו בניו יורק ויוכל

גם לבשר בשורות טובות גם אודות אחותו מרת . . .תחי׳.

בברכה.