Igrot Kodesh · Letter 4951 — Faith & Bitachon

B"H

17 Kislev* 5717

Brooklyn

To the distinguished chassid* who fears Hashem,

Rav Chaim (see note 1),

Greetings and blessings,

I am responding to your letter of this Monday, in which you tell me that there are no poor people near you. You therefore ask me how to fulfill the mitzvah* of Tzedakah*.

A) In general, in such a case, one may give Tzedakah* by setting aside the amount and then sending it subsequently to a trustworthy collector of Tzedakah*, who will distribute it — if, in the meantime, one has not found a poor person in the place where one resides.

B) At present, it is impossible to fulfill the mitzvah* of pilgrimage (see note 2). You ask me what can replace it.

Some works indicate how a mitzvah* can be fulfilled in its moral dimension. Indeed, spirituality is not tainted by the exile. This applies to the mitzvos* connected to the Beis HaMikdash*. Thus it is said that the sacrifices, which one cannot physically offer in our days, are replaced by prayer.

Similarly, the mitzvah* of pilgrimage consisted of prostrating oneself, imbuing oneself with holiness, and submitting oneself to Hashem. In the moral dimension, one can still accomplish all of this today by meditating upon the greatness of the Creator, until one submits to Him, as explained in the Likkutei Torah*, Berachah, page 98a.

In general, the origin of the mitzvos* and their moral significance according to Chassidus* are expounded in the Sefer HaMitzvos* of the Tzemach Tzedek*. According to Mussar*, these explanations are found in the Sefer HaChinuch*.

With blessing,

P.S.: I enclose a publication connected to Yud-Tes Kislev* (see note 3), which we will celebrate at the end of this week. Surely you will read it with the appropriate interest. You will derive a lesson from it and make it known to your friends, your good friends.

You ask about your visit. When you are in Brooklyn, it would be good to write to my secretariat in order to set the date and time.