Igrot Kodesh · Letter 2108 — Health

By the grace of Hashem,

15 Iyar 5713,

Brooklyn,

I greet you and bless you,

I am responding to your letter, in which you tell me that you have had a silver ring made, on which sacred Names are engraved, in accordance with what is said in the seforim*. You ask me whether you should wear it, for the properties it might have.

As you know, in your environment and in the place where you are, only women wear rings. One can therefore wonder whether one does not transgress[1] the verse: "A man shall not wear…[2]".

Moreover, the kedushah* of the Names engraved on it imposes particular precautions in the places one passes through as well as in those one enters. One can also question the actual sanctity of these Names. Indeed, errors have crept into the seforim*, particularly into those which have not received an approbation from known personalities[3].

For all these reasons, you should not, in my opinion, wear this ring. At most, since you have already had these Names engraved on it, you will keep it in your bedroom[4].

You say that this practice is a protection against the faults of youth[5]. For that, you shall multiply the words of Torah and of tefillah* that you utter. You shall also engrave in your mind a few perakim* of Tehillim*, a few perakim* of Mishnah and of Tanya*. In this way, as Likkutei Torah* says at the end of Parshas Kedoshim, one possesses these words in one's memory, even when one does not think of them.

Hashem will grant you success in your study of nigleh* and Chassidus*, with yiras Shamayim* that will cause to disappear what was mentioned earlier.

With my brachah* for studying Torah with yiras Shamayim*,

Notes

[1] By wearing this ring.

[2] A garment of a woman.

[3] Approving their printing.

[4] This letter is addressed to a young man, who is not married.

[5] Involuntary nocturnal emission.

2108*

By the grace of Hashem,

30th day of the "hidden treasures[1]" 5713,

Brooklyn, New York,

To the honorable benefactor, man of great elevation,

who fears Hashem, communal askan* full of

zeal, of manifold accomplishments,

who has virtuous and generous conduct,

Mr. Yitzchak Elmaleh[2],

I greet you and bless you,

I have learned, through the Rav, distinguished Chassid* who fears Hashem and devotes himself to communal needs, Rav Shlomo Matusof[3], of the note that some young men addressed to you. To borrow the expression of our Sages, these young men have apparently distanced themselves from Torah and mitzvos*[4]. Obviously, you should pay no attention to them.

In fact, here is what is important. The fact that they became so worked up proves that your action of saving the sons and daughters of Yisrael* from the impious educational network in order to draw them closer to yiras Shamayim*, Torah, and mitzvos*, has borne fruit, baruch Hashem*. One must therefore redouble one's ardor in this matter and fully assume your role. If it is said that one who saves a Jewish soul is regarded as having saved an entire world, how much more so is this the case for one who saves many people.

This will be more easily understood by recalling the saying of the Baal Shem Tov*[5], reported by my father-in-law the Rebbe, according to which the love of Hashem for each Jew is infinitely more intense than that of parents for their only son, born to them when they were already advanced in years. For someone like you, it is surely needless to say more.

May the Almighty grant you long life, good years, in good health, in order to strengthen Yiddishkeit*, the spirit of the tradition of Yisrael*, and the purest yiras Shamayim*.

With my brachah* for success and to receive the Torah with joy and inwardness[6],

Notes

[1] Middle of the month of Iyar, thirty days after yetzias Mitzrayim*.

[2] See concerning him letters no. 1703 and 2087.

[3] Of Casablanca, Morocco. See concerning him letters no. 1909 and 2028.

[4] "Naar," young man, is of the same etymology as "lena'er," to shake off, to distance oneself.

[5] See on this subject letter no. 1964.

[6] During the festival of Shavuos.

ב'קח*

ב"ה, ל' למטמונים, ה'תשי"ג
ברוקלין, נ.י.
כבוד הנדיב הנעלה איש המעלה ירא אלקים

עסקן נמרץ

רב פעלים מוכתר במדות טובות תרומיות

וכו' הא' יצחק

ני"ו אלמאליח

שלום וברכה!

על ידי הרה"ח וו"ח אי"א נו"מ עוסק בצ"צ וכו' וכו' מוהר"ר שלמה שי' מטוסוב נודעתי מהפתקה אשר קבל כ' מהנערים, וכנראה שנערים אלה מתאימים הם לדרשת רז"ל שננערים מתורה ומצוות, ובודאי למותר להעירו שאין לשים לב לזה כלל וכלל, כי אם לנקודה זו, אשר ממה שהרגיז אותם כל כך הרי זו ראי' שפעולותיו בהצלת הילדים, בני ובנות ישראל, מרשת הכפירה ר"ל ולקרבם ליראת שמים ולתורה ומצוה, הביאו פרי ת"ל. ומובן אשר צריך להוסיף אומץ בזה ולעמוד חזק על משמרתו, שאם המקיים נפש אחת מישראל כאילו קיים עולם מלא, על אחת כמה וכמה המקיים נפשות רבות מישראל.

ויומתק הענין עוד יותר על ידי פתגם הבעל שם טוב זצוקללה"ה נבג"מ זי"ע ששמענו מפי כ"ק מו"ח אדמו"ר זצוקללה"ה נבג"מ זי"ע, אשר כל אחד ואחת מישראל גדולה חביבותו לפני הקב"ה שלא בערך יותר מחביבותו של בן יחיד להוריו שנולד להם לימי זקנתם. והאריכות לדכוותי' אך למותר.

והשם יתברך ויתעלה יאריך ימיו ושנותיו, שנים טובות ובריאות בחיזוק היהדות ברוח ישראל סבא ביראת שמים טהורה.

בברכת הצלחה וקבלת הת' בשמחה ובפני'.

ב'קח*
כבוד.. אלמאליח: אגרות נוספות אליו - לעיל ח"ו א'תשג, ובהנסמן בהערות שם.

פתגם הבעל שם טוב : ראה גם לעיל אגרת א'תתקסד, ובהנסמן בהערות שם.