Igrot Kodesh · Letter 4818 — Faith & Bitachon
Volume 14 · Letter 73 · To: final
B"H
6 Cheshvan* 5717
Brooklyn
Greetings and blessings,
I received with pleasure your letter from this Friday, Erev Shabbos*. You tell me that you have been appointed Rav* in your city. It appears that you will be able to carry out your functions without any external influence, which Hashem forbid.
May Hashem grant that you achieve success, that you strengthen and spread ever more widely Jewish values in your city. And you know the interpretation that the Alter Rebbe* gives (see letters 786, 1885, and 3235) of the expression "mara d'asra*" — "master of the place" — used in reference to the Rav*.
In truth, it is so that the Rav* is the master of the place, by the force of his rabbinical ordination and that of the Shulchan Aruch*. Certainly, a man is close to himself and is therefore not credible when he speaks of his own person. But several discourses of our holy masters say that one can find in Chassidus* various means, diverse counsel, to foil the plan of the yetzer hara* and its stratagems designed to mislead a person.
You are furthermore supported by the fact that your wife can participate in this effort, in her own way, on the basis of the fruitful experiences she has accumulated. Thus, in a calm and peaceful manner, but with the appropriate determination, you will be able to lead your community and you should not make concessions (see letters 4463 and 5196). On the contrary, the members of the community do not have confidence in a Rav* who promotes concessions. It is otherwise when he follows the path of truth.
You do not detail the public classes that you give, but these surely include the study of laws that are necessary in daily life. In the end, such is indeed the mission of man — to observe the mitzvos* in daily life.
With my blessing of success in this sacred mission, in good health, morally and physically,
ד'תתיח
ב"ה, ז' מ"ח, תשי"ז
ברוקלין.
הוו"ח אי"א נו"נ כו' מו"ה נפתלי שי' שו"ב
שלום וברכה!
בודאי יודע ממה שאמר כ"ק מו"ח אדמו"ר זצוקללה"ה נבג"מ זי"ע, ונמצא גם באיזה מהמאמרים שלו, שבכל שנה (יותר נכון ראש השנה) צריך איש הישראלי לקבל ע"ע הוספה בעניני תורה ומצות, ובודאי גם הוא עושה בזה, ובהוספה זו גם הוספה בלימוד החסידות היא תורת הדא"ח, והשי"ת יצליחו לבשר טוב בכל האמור...
בברכה.
ד'תתיח
דברי רבנו הזקן: ראה גם לעיל ח"ד אגרת תשפו. ח"ז א'תתפה. ח"י ג'רלה.
פשרות : ראה בזה לעיל חי"ג גרת ד'תסג, ובהנסמן בהערות שם. לקמן ה'קצו.