Igrot Kodesh · Letter 634 — Faith & Bitachon

By the grace of Hashem,

Erev Rosh Chodesh Tammuz 5710, Brooklyn,

To the steering committee of the twenty-eighth

national conference of Agudas Yisrael, in America,

I greet you and bless you.

I reply to your letter of 20 Sivan 5710.

Any question relating to the existence of the Jewish people, whether secondary or fundamental, calls for particular attention from a body that must rule on what has an impact on Torah and Yiddishkeit*.

In fact, questions of life or death are sometimes raised, which may be material or spiritual, involving a few persons or an entire community. These require a great effort, a concentration of all forces, and much haste, so that salvation may be obtained.

It is in these terms that the question of the education of the children of immigrants settling in the Holy Land may, at the present time, be defined. It is necessary to save them from heresy and moral destruction, Hashem forbid.

My father-in-law, the Rebbe, leader of the Jewish people, who was affiliated with no party, worked with self-sacrifice for tens of years, far beyond what could have been accomplished within the framework of a party. Each time a danger presented itself for Israel, Hashem forbid, he strove to act upon all the circles that could contribute to the salvation. In his time, he began to coordinate forces to save these children.

His efforts have already borne fruit. Nevertheless, these children are still in danger. The problem of their education and formation therefore arises in all its gravity.

Consequently, every gathering of Jews concerned for the good of Israel must be a platform on which will be clearly demanded the solution, in the best delays, of this disturbing problem. Resolutions must be taken to mobilize all the means likely to make disappear the obstacles and projectiles, from wherever they come, denying these children the right to be educated within Torah and Yiddishkeit.

In fact, in our country also, the salvation of youth requires an intense and broad effort, one aspect of which is the struggle against the indifference of the public, which has already become accustomed to the idea that a small percentage of Jewish children receive a good education. At most, one will heave a sigh in the face of this terrible situation, and one will content oneself with that.

The action of my father-in-law, the Rebbe, in this area was also crowned with great success. But for the situation to be satisfactory, the road is still very long. It will take much strength and means for education in the United States to be acceptable.

I have good hope that the national conference will place these two questions in a prominent place on its agenda — the education of the children of immigrants, in our Holy Land, and that of youth, in the United States, who still remain distant from the Tradition. Thus, its voice will be heard and its action will be marked in concrete action, for the deed is essential.

With my respects and my blessing to all the participants. May your meeting be fruitful, may it strengthen the foundations of faith and spread Torah and the fear of Hashem,

Menachem Schneerson

תרלד*

ב"ה, אר"ח תמוז, ה'שי"ת
הרה"ח הוו"ח אי"א נו"מ וכו' מהור"מ שי'

שלום וברכה!

במענה על מכתבו מט"ז סיון:

אל יחוש להאריך במכתביו, כי מענינים אותי כל הפרטים מהמצב שבכלל ומפעולותיו בפרט, ובטח ימשיך גם להבא להודיעני תדיר הכל בפרטות.

ידידנו הרב"ג שי' הודיעני כי שלח לו עוד כסף ובאשר בטח גם יתראו פנים אל פנים יוכלו להתדבר גם בנוגע לעתיד. וחבל אשר השגת הויזא בעד הרב"ג שי' נמשכת כ"כ...

- בהיותי אתמול על ציון כ"ק מו"ח אדמו"ר הכ"מ הזכרתי להצלחה בעבודה במדינת אפריקא הצפונית וחזקה על רועי ישראל שלא יפרדו מצאן מרעיתם ומה עקשמש אף מכאן ולהבא עומד ומשמש להמשיך ברכה והצלחה בכל מעשי ידי השייכים אליהם ובפרט שימלאו שליחותם ככל האפשרי ובהצלחה בגו"ר.

בברכת הצלחה רבה

הרב מנחם שניאורסאהן
תרלד*
מהעתק המזכירות.

מהור"מ: ליפסקר. אגרות נוספות אליו - לעיל תקנט, ובהנסמן בהערות שם. וראה שם לתוכן האגרת שלפנינו.

הויזא בעד הרב"ג: ראה לעיל אגרת תרכ, ובהנסמן בהערות שם.

1) ראה תניא פ"ב.

2) באריכות: תורה אור פ' מקץ ד"ה ת"ר מצות נ"ח. סהמ"צ להצ"צ מצות נ"ח פ"ג. ד"ה למען דעת, תרס"ט.

3) ראה בתו"א שם ספ"ז דבמשיח יש ב' הבחי', דרועים ונסיכים. - ובש"ס (סוכה נב, ב) נחשב בנסיכים, י"ל מפני שזהו העיקר בו.