Igrot Kodesh · Letter 5771 — Faith & Bitachon

B"H

Days of Selichos* 5717

Brooklyn, New York

To the sons and daughters of Israel, wherever they may be, may Hashem grant them long life,

Great greetings and blessings,

On the threshold of the new year, in these days of moral accounting for each individual and as a member of the community, the observation of man as a microcosm can considerably illuminate the purpose and objective of the mission entrusted to him in the great world.

In the human organism, there are common functions that involve the participation of many limbs. There is also a specific function entrusted to each limb. Of course, a limb, for its own specific functioning, must naturally exert effort, while it integrates much more easily into the common functions. What would happen if a limb put an end to its specific functioning and devoted all its energy to the common functions shared with other limbs? At first glance, one might think that this limb would benefit, since it would reduce its effort, and that the body would also gain, since this limb would participate more intensely in the common functions without separating itself from the other limbs. Nevertheless, experience proves that such a situation would be catastrophic in both domains. The limb that ceases to fulfill its specific mission loses all reason for being, which is tied to its particularity. Moreover, the interruption of normal functioning weakens this limb to the point of rendering it totally useless — not only in its personal role, but also for the entire body in general. The deficiency of one limb necessarily affects the entire organism, and the consequences can be very grave if it is a vital limb.

What has just been said about the limbs of the body also applies to the status of an individual within his community, of a community within its people, or of a people within all of humanity. And this is indeed the case for what concerns us — for the Jews, for a Jewish community, for the entire Jewish people among the nations of the world. It has long been established that the Jews are "the minority among the nations." A Jew, as an individual, is a minority in his environment. Even among his brethren, one who adopts an authentic Jewish way of life based on the Torah* and the mitzvos*, unfortunately, often does not belong to the majority, which has not oriented itself toward its true purpose. Naturally, it is easier to define the function of a limb within the organism than that of a people among the nations. And this is particularly difficult when it concerns our people, Israel. Indeed, the Jews are distinguished from all others by extreme particularities, by a history spanning several millennia. A brief reflection therefore suffices to determine the common point — the characteristic aspect that has always marked the Jews, throughout the ages and events, which therefore expresses the deep nature and perpetuity of our people.

An objective analysis, without bias, of the long history of Israel leads to the conclusion that the survival of our people is in no way tied to material or physical conditions. Even at its finest period, under the unifying reign of Shlomo, the people and kingdom of Israel were small, politically and economically, in comparison to the great powers of that era — Egypt, Assyria, Babylon. Similarly, it is clear that our existence was not preserved by conditions of power or geographic factors. Indeed, our history as an independent people possessing its own land was very short compared to that of exile — without power and without land. Similarly, language cannot be considered the element of survival of our people. Indeed, very early on, Aramaic became the spoken language. Parts of the Tanach*, the near-entirety of the Talmud Bavli*, the Zohar* in particular, are written in this language. In the era of Rav Saadia Gaon* and the Rambam*, the majority of the Jewish people spoke Arabic. Subsequently, Yiddish and other languages also appeared. Nor can one consider that our people was maintained by certain elements of culture or knowledge. There were radical changes in these from one period to another.

There remains only one common point across all periods, all countries, and all situations of our history: the Torah* and the mitzvos* that the Jews observed in their daily lives, displaying the highest self-sacrifice. Certainly, from time to time, certain individuals or groups strayed from the path of the Torah* and the mitzvos*. Thus, in the era of the first Beis HaMikdash*, there were the idolaters of Baal; then, during the second Beis HaMikdash*, there were the Hellenists, the assimilators of Alexandria, the Karaites. All of them disappeared from the Jewish people, after having caused pain and grief not only to themselves but to the entire people of Israel. Only the golden chain of the Torah* and the mitzvos* was never broken. Thanks to it, our people has traversed the long path that has led it from Mount Sinai to this day. Whoever reasons justly and becomes aware of this truth must adopt the conclusion that the perpetuity of our people, its deep nature, is tied to the Torah* and the mitzvos*, which "are our life and the length of our days."

From all of this follows a logical deduction. The conception according to which "we must be like all the nations" is not only incapable of ensuring the existence of our people, but moreover, it endangers its survival, Heaven forbid. By imitating the non-Jewish world, one does not acquire its friendship. On the contrary, one increases its hatred tenfold. Similarly, Jews or Jewish groups seeking to please the secular by accepting compromises, by reducing the Torah* and the mitzvos*, do not merely weaken their own position to strengthen that of secularism. They endanger the perpetuity of Israel, Heaven forbid. And what they think they gain by doing so is only ephemeral, only an appearance. Such a conception, instead of generating closeness and respect, introduces only suspicion and mistrust — rightly so, moreover. Indeed, a small compromise today will become a large one tomorrow. A compromise today in the mitzvos* observed toward Hashem will provoke, tomorrow, a similar approach in relations between people. The firm acceptance of the precepts "I am Hashem your Elokim" and "Remember the day of Shabbos* to sanctify it" ensures the observance, with the same firmness, of the injunctions "You shall not murder" and "You shall not steal."

In this period of moral accounting, this message will be the object of sincere reflection by our brothers, the children of Israel, wherever they may be, whom Hashem will grant long life — whether as individuals or as a community or constituted body whose means are commensurate with the importance. Thus, all will establish a sincere accounting, being fully aware of the reality and the intangible truth. The perpetuity of our people, for an individual as for a community, depends entirely on the practice of the Torah* and the mitzvos*, on a daily basis.

The secret of our survival as a people is defined by the verse: "This people dwells alone." Each individual, man, woman, or child, serves only the one, unique Hashem, according to our one Torah*, which is eternal and cannot be modified, Heaven forbid. Our distinctiveness is not our weakness, but on the contrary, it is our strength. It is only through the path of the Torah* and the mitzvos* that we can fulfill our essential and profound mission — that of being, according to the injunction of the Creator of the entire world, "a kingdom of priests and a holy nation," and in this way, a beneficial entity for all of humanity.

I send you my warmest wishes that you be inscribed and sealed for a good and sweet year, materially and spiritually together.

Menachem Schneerson,