Igrot Kodesh · Letter 4319 — Faith & Bitachon

B"H

11 Iyar* 5716

Brooklyn

To the directors of the Yeshivah* Tomchei Temimim*,

may Hashem* grant you long life,

Greetings and blessings,

I have duly received your letters of 25 Shevat*, 1st, 4th, 10th, 16th, 18th Adar*, 8th, 9th, 27th Nissan*, 5th and 7th Iyar*, with what was enclosed. Likewise, I received, in their time, the photographs of the schools of Kfar Chabad* and the maps. Finally, I received the letter regarding the forms of the vocational school, of 2 Adar*.

You mention, in addition to what I wrote in my telegram (see note 1), a fundraising campaign for the vocational school and the agricultural school. It is indeed good to organize it, on condition that it cannot be interpreted as a challenge directed at the Arabs (see note 2). In fact, there are various ways to publicize it without running this risk.

The fundraising for the new building of the Yeshivah* Tomchei Temimim* of Kfar Chabad* (see note 3) is also judicious. Nevertheless, one must ask whether it is possible to conduct two campaigns simultaneously. It is very unlikely that donors will agree to double their participation. In such a case, it is clear that the vocational school and the agricultural school take priority, for what concerns them is timely (see note 4). This is not the case for the other building, regarding which a communication can always be made subsequently, emphasizing that, despite what has happened, it has been decided to erect a new edifice at Kfar Chabad*.

Obviously, what has been said is merely the general idea, and it is for you to reflect, on the ground, to determine whether launching two campaigns simultaneously will present an advantage — very concretely, in financial terms. And it has already been said: "Salvation is obtained through many counselors" (see note 5).

For the past two years (see note 6), I have seized every opportunity to emphasize to you, directly or indirectly, that it is absolutely imperative to increase the number of students in the most literal sense — numerically. To my pain and sorrow, no account was taken of my words. I wrote that an increase in students would also increase financial receipts. Despite this, you considered the contrary to be true — that fewer students would better contain the deficit, or that in any case there would be fewer expenses, even if receipts were reduced. And perhaps there were yet other reasons.

In any case, concretely, the number of students was reduced. Of course, were it not for all the reasons, all the explanations that were given on this subject — this category is not suitable, that one could have a negative influence — the number of students at the Yeshivah* could now have been double. And even if all these justifications were true, would that Hashem* had caused you to increase the suitable students according to your own criteria.

I am surprised by the conclusion of your letter, which mentions a great abandonment. And you make no connection between this situation and your approach, the conduct you have adopted recently. You blame men who do not have free will, whereas everyone — and especially the directors of the Yeshivah* Tomchei Temimim* — should have, as in all things, first sought a lesson for the service of Hashem* and only afterward an explanation in the terms of this world, subject to Kelipas Nogah* (see note 7). You therefore conceal, to the fullest extent possible, all spiritual aspects and, all the more so, every lesson for the service of Hashem*.

At present, the founders and directors of the Yeshivah* — our holy masters — are capable of covering the expenses for two hundred students, even if there were no natural means to do so two years ago. It is clear that if it were self-evident to you that this could be so for the students of the Yeshivah* Tomchei Temimim* in the Holy Land, you could have assembled the necessary means for four hundred, six hundred, or even a thousand students. And it would indeed have been so, without any exaggeration.

The difference is therefore as follows. Eight hundred additional students could have had access to the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov* and of the Alter Rebbe*. A narrow and severe attitude deprived them of this possibility. Another aspect: the reduction thus becomes possible on the outside as well, for even when one has two hundred students, one can think of reducing the number.

The purpose of these few lines is to remind you, once again, of the approach of my father-in-law, the Rebbe*, which consisted of developing his institutions to the fullest extent possible. You know his holy talk (see note 8) regarding his institutions, in which he says: "I have always been in debt and I have never remained in debt."

I emphasize once again that the present letter should not be interpreted as words of general encouragement without concrete consequences. My intention is quite simple. During the past years, this narrow direction has, unfortunately, deprived hundreds of Jews of the opportunity to study Chassidus*. The concealment and darkness that result from this are considerable. Moreover, some of those who entered the Yeshivah* Tomchei Temimim* have left it. Various texts of Chassidus* explain at length what results from a contraction of the Attribute of Severity in the domain of holiness (see note 9). You must understand what I mean.

May Hashem* grant that, at least upon receiving this letter, each person invest himself fully, according to the function he assumes within the administration of the Yeshivah*, in order to assemble the greatest possible number of suitable students and to adopt less elitist criteria. In this way, there will be good hope that even the students who left Tomchei Temimim*, for reasons they believed justified, will become aware of the strict truth. Then the administration of the Yeshivah* itself will also perceive this truth.

I repeat for the third time that everything that has been said must be interpreted in the most literal sense. The Yeshivah* of Lod* could, at the present time, have counted several hundred students more than it possesses. But what is to be done? Our Sages* say that it is useless to lament the past. Let one therefore make use of the coming days, exploiting them fully, to the fullest extent possible. In this way, one may hope that at the next school year, there will indeed be several hundred additional students — and without exaggeration, more than two hundred added to what their number was in the past. And it is said regarding this: "Please, put Me to the test in this matter."

No doubt you will write to me with all the necessary details regarding everything that has been said in this letter and in the telegram that preceded it.

With my blessing for considerable success in all of this,

M. Schneerson

(Notes in the original:

1. This refers to Letter no. 4303.

2. See, regarding this, Letter no. 4305.

3. See, regarding this, Letter no. 4304.

4. Due to the terrorist attack.

5. It will therefore be necessary to gather the opinion of several people on this matter.

6. See, regarding this, Letters no. 2731, 4037, and 4341.

7. The force of evil that can still receive an elevation in the domain of holiness.

8. See, regarding this, Letter no. 1698.

9. Although, in the domain of holiness, it is exclusively positive, contraction can place it under the sway of the forces of evil.)

ב״ה ,י״ד מנ״א ,תשט״ז

ברוקלין.

ברכה ושלום’

במענה על מכתבה מבי מנ״א ,בו כותבת אודות הקשיים של חיי’.

בעת שהשי״ת עזר לה והיא גידלה ילדים ההולכים בדרך היהדות,

גם אם הם שונים זה מזה ,ויכולה להיות חזקה בתקותה שגם בעתיד

ילכו בדרך חיים זו ,הרי בהתבוננות בשנות העבר הלא רחוק ,היא אחד

המאושרים שפוגשים ,ובפרט כאשר עורכים השוואה עם הקרובים

שחלק מהם נשאר מהעבר שהשני וחלק מהם וכף -כמובן מאליו שאין

הכוונה שלא יכול להיות עוד יותר טוב ,והשי״ת שהוא עצם הטוב ,יתן,

ואכן יתן ,עם הזמן ,כהנה וכהנה ,אך בד בבד עם התקוה לשיפור המצב

הנוכחי בעתיד הקרוב ,אין לשכוח ח״ו אודות החסדים והטוב שהשי״ת

נתן ,שזה מוסיף גם חיזוק באמונה ובטחון ,משפר את הבריאות ועושה

את כל הבית בריא יותר ,יהודי יותר וחסידי יותר. . .

בברכה,

בשם כ״ק אדמו״ר שליט״א

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