Igrot Kodesh · Letter 5778 — Tzedakah

B"H

4 Tishrei 5718

Brooklyn

Greetings and blessings,

I am responding to your letter. I am surprised to see that you reiterate the question you had already asked me and for which I had already given you an answer. There is a disagreement between yourself and your wife regarding the reception of guests. She considers it to be very difficult. All such questions must be submitted to a Rav* who rules on the Halachah*. Both of you shall comply with his decision.

The Torah* tells us of the first man who received guests (note: our father Avraham*) and it relates that he was not content merely to do so. He showed them, on that occasion, the greatness of Hashem. You shall therefore do the same for your own guests. You shall not be content merely to receive them. You shall explain to them that Hashem is great, as the inner dimension of the Torah* — which, in our era, has been revealed through Chassidus* — emphasizes. Of course, in order to explain all this to others, one must know it oneself and "moisten oneself to the point of moistening one's fellow." Our holy masters indicated to us the necessity of spreading the wellsprings (note: of Chassidus*) outward. It is clear that the strength for this has been granted, and nothing can withstand determination.

With my blessing that you be definitively inscribed for a good year,