Igrot Kodesh · Letter 3726 — Faith & Bitachon

B"H

19 Menachem Av 5715

Brooklyn

Greetings and blessings,

I am responding to your letter of 15 Menachem Av, in which you express your desire to correspond with me about everything concerning our observant brethren in general, and the Chabad* institutions, the Chassidim*, and the Yeshivah* students in particular. You request my agreement for this.

It is clear that such agreement is superfluous. Our Torah*, the Torah of life, specifies that whoever can be of service in all that concerns Torah* and Mitzvos* has the obligation and sacred merit to do so, for all Jews bear a collective responsibility.

One can be of service in various ways. One of them is the principle that "salvation is obtained through numerous counselors" — which is a great rule in the conduct of men (who should seek the counsel of others to know how to act).

I am surprised that you say nothing about your studies of the revealed dimension of Torah* and of Chassidus*, as well as your activity in the domain of Chabad*, which is the purpose of man, as it is said: "Fear Hashem and keep His Mitzvos*." It is for this that our holy masters gave of themselves. They wished to implant this attitude among the Chassidim* and those connected to them, so that through their intermediary it would become that of all Israel.

Moreover, you write me that you were a student of Yeshivah* Tomchei Temimim*. Now, according to the saying of the Alter Rebbe* (see Letter #1929), a scholar is not one who studied previously (but one who does so at the present time). The same applies to the title of Chassid*, which does not designate one who was so previously. Indeed, what is consecrated has its place and its time (one cannot take the past as a pretext to define the present).

You surely know that my father-in-law, the Rebbe*, instituted three studies concerning every individual, which consist of the Chumash*, Tehillim*, and Tanya* and are well known. You will maintain them, at the very least, from now on.

With my blessing,

---

B"H

21 Menachem Av 5715

Brooklyn

Greetings and blessings,

You conclude your letter by stating that the situation in Italy is worse than what I can imagine. This proves, once again, that it is important to begin, as soon as possible, disseminating Jewish values there.

You surely know what I myself heard from my father-in-law, the Rebbe*, whose merit protects us. Before the Second World War, the Orthodox community of Frankfurt was considered a reference by all the Jews of that country (Germany). Now, everything began with only three families (who, at first, were the only ones to put the Torah* and Mitzvos* into practice).

May Hashem guide you and lead you on the path that is good for you, materially and spiritually alike.

With my blessing for giving good news of all that has been said,

ג'תשכו*

ב"ה, כ"א מנ"א, תשט"ו
ברוקלין.

שלום וברכה!

מה שמסיים במכתבו שהמצב באיטליא הוא גרוע יותר מאשר מצייר אותו אני בעצמי, הנה זוהי עוד ראי' נוספת להנחיצות להתחיל בהקדם עבודת הפצת היהדות בשם, ובטח שמע מה ששמעתי אני מכ"ק מו"ח אדמו"ר זצוקללה"ה נבג"מ זי"ע אשר הקהלה החרדית בפראנקפורט (לפני מלחמה עולמית השני') שהיתה לשם ולתפארת לכל בני ישראל אשר במדינה ההיא, היתה התחלתה משלשה משפחות.

והשי"ת ינחהו ויוליכו בדרך הטובה לפניו בגשמיות וברוחניות גם יחד.

בברכה לבשורות טובות בכל האמור לעיל.

ג'תשכו*
בפראנקפורט.... משלשה משפחות : ראה אג"ק אדמו"ר מוהריי"צ נ"ע ח"ג אגרת תתלב.