Igrot Kodesh · Letter 4812 — Faith & Bitachon

B"H

5 MarCheshvan* 5717

Brooklyn

Greetings and blessings,

I am responding to your letter of 23 Tishrei*, in which you discuss your educational activity, based upon sacred values, directed toward girls, as well as the bitter situation in this matter, since nothing follows from the education given to the students of your school. As a result, some are absorbed by the prevailing current. Consequently, you ask whether you can continue to provide such education, given that you bear responsibility for the students.

I am surprised that you have any doubt in this matter. Indeed, you yourself say that a great number of these students remain in the camp of those who fear the word of Hashem. Now, a single Jewish soul is an entire world. Moreover, there is no doubt that the few young women who join a foreign camp nonetheless preserve, deep within themselves, the memory of those years of traditional education, which influences not only their thought but also their action, as can be verified concretely.

Of course, one must find the means to keep the young women who complete their schooling in an Orthodox context. Words cannot express how important this is, especially since there is a great chance of saving them, given that they have been, for several years, in a traditional environment.

I am sure that you have already given much thought to this problem and to how to provide a solution. I would like to know what your conclusions are. No doubt some of them are applicable to practical life. In fact, our Sages say that one should not dismiss anything. We have witnessed, in our times, several events that logically had no possibility of occurring. Now, this period of unusual behavior, of events exceeding the scope of what one can foresee, is absolutely not over, as daily life proves. And we have been given the assurance that the Attribute of good is stronger than that of misfortune.

Happy is your portion, as well as that of all persons who devote themselves to education based upon sacred values, finding themselves thus on the front line in our times, to save Jewish souls from unusual currents and turbulent waters. This saving concerns not only the World to Come. It also has an impact in this world.

In the program of the school that you direct, an important place is surely accorded to the Jewish worldview and especially to the study of laws applicable to daily life. As was evident from the trials endured in Russia, the study of Chassidus* and all that it entails effectively protects the one who adopts it and the members of his family, including when, for example, the study of Mussar* did not withstand the test.

Certainly, one must have the conviction that there will be no more such persecutions, which Hashem forbid, including in that country and, all the more so, in others. However, the trials of wealth, of freedom, of lack of submission are sometimes far more difficult to overcome than poverty and persecutions.

With my blessing for success in your sacred mission and for giving good news of all this,

ד'תתיב

ב"ה, ה' מ"ח, תשי"ז
ברוקלין.
הוו"ח אי"א נו"נ כו' מו"ה רפאל שי'

שלום וברכה!

במענה על מכתבו - בלי הוראת זמן הכתיבה -

א) במה שנדבר בענין הכוונה בתפלה, אשר שני סוגים בזה אותה הנדרשת בכל התפלה, וזו שרק בפסוק ראשון שבק"ש וברכה ראשונה, בשמו"ע מוכרחת, ושקו"ט בהנוגע לסוג הא' אם כל משך אמירת התפלה מוכרחת היא.

הוא ע"ד דיני לשמה, בכ"מ, שצריך להיות בתחלת הענין והסתם שלאח"ז נמשך אחרי ההתחלה, וראה ג"כ מ"ש רבנו הזקן בתניא סוף פרק מ"א - נח, ע"ב -. ולהעיר לכלל הענין מ"ש בקו"א שם - קנ"ד ע"ב.

ב) במ"ש בקשר עם הסברת דברי הכסף משנה בלשון הרמב"ם ספ"ו מהל' אבה"ט שטהרת הטבילה היא דוקא בצאתו מן המקוה, - ות"ח על העתיקו דברי הגאון מרגצוב בזה מתוספתא. - וכן מקום אתי להעיר, אשר עצם הסברא האמורה שהטהרה היא דוקא ביציאתו מן המקוה - חידוש גדול הוא וגם תמוה הוא ולולי שהכסף משנה אמרה, יש להעיר ע"ז ומכמה צדדים וכמו שהאריך בזה גם בספר שם משמעון מהדו"ק להר"ש פאלאק (סטמור תרצ"ב) חיו"ד סי"ח.

נעם לי לקרות במכתבו שמתיחסים לחב"ד, שזה מחזק תקותי שיש לו קביעות עתים בלימוד תורת חב"ד, או שעכ"פ יקבע עתים לזה מכאן ולהבא, ובודאי אשר ידידיו ומכיריו מאנ"ש אשר בירושלים עיה"ק ת"ו יסייעוהו בזה אם נצרך לאיזה סיוע.

בברכה.

ד'תתיב
נדפסה בלקו"ש חכ"ב ע' 355.