Igrot Kodesh · Letter 6179 — Chinuch

By the grace of Hashem*,

11 Nissan* 5718,

Brooklyn, New York,

To our brethren, the children of Israel, wherever they may be, may Hashem* grant them long life,

Shalom* u'vracha*,

Each festival possesses a specific content and delivers, consequently, teachings, a lesson, concerning, on the one hand, all those who have received this festival, personally and through their belonging to the people of Israel and, on the other hand, the entire people of Israel as an entity. The character of each festival is reflected and expressed in its name, its mitzvos*, its laws, the customs attached to it. Now, one of the highlights of Pesach* is defined by the name that the members of the Great Assembly assigned to this festival: "Time of our freedom." The Torah*, which is called Torah* of life because it is a guide on the path of life, asks every Jew to remember, to relive the Exodus from Egypt, each day of his life.

In the words of our Sages* (note 1: Tanya*, chapter 47), "in every generation, each day, a Jew must consider that he left Egypt that very day." This commandment and this request apply to every epoch, as much when we had long possessed the monarchy of the House of David, when the Temple* was built, as in the dark periods of persecution, Hashem* forbid. They apply equally to each Jew, each day. Even if one relived the Exodus from Egypt yesterday, one must do so again today (note 2: The Chassidic* discourse entitled: "As in the days," of 5708, explains: "It is said: 'as in the days of your going out from Egypt,' in the plural. From the Exodus from Egypt until the future redemption, very speedily and in our days, Amen, we live the days of your going out from Egypt." One will also consult the Likkutei Torah*, in the second discourse entitled: "These are the stages"), then begin again tomorrow (note 3: See an explanation, on this subject, in the Likkutei Sichos*, volume 2, page 544).

Indeed, the content of the Exodus from Egypt is the liberation from the fetters, from the limits that are found on the path and that prevent one from being what one must and from doing what is appropriate. This is the reason why yesterday's Exodus from Egypt is not sufficient, in view of the situation and the level of the present day, just as today's Exodus from Egypt will not be sufficient for tomorrow.

* * *

A reflection, based on the constituent elements of the world around us, will allow us to clarify and refine what has just been said. When one gathers, positively, everything necessary for growth — earth, water, air — a plant then finds itself "liberated" from all its "worries" and its fetters. Even if it cannot leave the place where it is, even if it is "compelled" to remain there during all the years of its existence, it nonetheless possesses freedom, such as it is conceivable for a plant. As such, it is truly free. An animal, on the other hand, even if it obtains the satisfaction of all its needs, its food and its drink, will consider itself a prisoner if it cannot leave the place where it is. It will say that its situation is terrible, for the essential will be missing.

A person possesses an intellect. Even if he has total freedom of movement, he will be literally imprisoned if deprived of his intellectual life. In such a case, he will have lost the essential aspect of his existence. And, the same is true also in the world of thought. One who can attain the highest levels and who is limited to the intellectual universe of a small child will consider that his true self is in a bitter prison. By devoting one's years, one's intellect, one's capacities to eating, to drinking, to obtaining the means to eat and drink, without having the possibility of knowing elevation, one places oneself in a prison that is, in various respects, much more bitter and that has much more damaging consequences.

* * *

Every Jew possesses a divine soul, "a veritable spark of Divinity." Even if this soul enters an animal soul and a body, it remains bound to Hashem*, to the Ein Sof*. It therefore aspires to genuine freedom, to leaving Egypt, constantly and without end. Because of this, it cannot remain in place. Each day, thanks to the elevation it has received through the Torah* and the mitzvos*, it draws closer to the Ein Sof* and, from that point on, it deeply senses that the level it had attained yesterday is, today, already Egypt, that it is therefore necessary to liberate oneself (note 4: The importance of achieving this can be deduced from the punishment inflicted on one who evades it. Our Sages* say, regarding Nakdimon Ben Guryon in Tractate Kesubos* 66b and regarding Rabbi Chanina Ben Teradyon in Tractate Avodah Zarah* 17b: "He did not do as much as he should have") and to elevate oneself (note 5: See the end of Tractate Berachos*, the Zohar*, volume 2, page 134b, the Chassidic* discourse entitled "If you walk in My Statutes" of 5700, chapter 5, which says: "the advancement, which is the quality of the children of Israel relative to the angels, is truly infinite").

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May Hashem* grant that the time of our freedom, which approaches, bring to each and every one the liberation from all obstacles and all pitfalls, physical, material, and moral. And, may one elevate oneself, in joy and enthusiasm, ever higher, until one knows, in the fullest manner, this time of our freedom, with the true and complete redemption, through our righteous Mashiach*, very speedily and in our days. With my blessing for a kosher* and joyful festival of Pesach*,

Menachem Schneerson,