Igrot Kodesh · Letter 6505 — Faith & Bitachon

By the grace of Hashem*,

Eve of Rosh Hashanah* 5719,

Brooklyn, New York,

To the members of the groups of Chabad* women and girls,

in every place, may Hashem* grant you long life,

Blessings and greetings,

On the threshold of the new year, which is coming for us and for all of Israel, for good and for blessing, I express the wish that all of you in general, and each one in particular, have a good and sweet year, which includes, of course, success in the activities of your group. This will be both quantitative, by multiplying the number of members, and qualitative, through the deepening of each activity.

Indeed, in the domains of Torah* and Mitzvos*, of good and of holiness, a situation, however good it may be, can always be improved still further.

* * *

The foundation of action is the love of one's fellow, as various texts of Chassidus* explain at length, in particular the talks of our masters and leaders.

I will therefore relate here an excerpt from a talk of my father-in-law, the Rebbe* (note 1: Delivered on 19 Kislev* 5699 (1938) and appearing in the Sefer HaSichos* 5696–5700, at page 317), a story that the Tzemach Tzedek* had related in his time. This day, the eve of Rosh Hashanah*, is, moreover, the anniversary of his birth. May his merit therefore protect us and all of Israel!

* * *

"My great-grandfather, the Tzemach Tzedek*, received from his grandfather, our great master, the Alter Rebbe*, a story of the Baal Shem Tov*, which he had heard in Mezeritch (note 2: From his master, the Maggid of Mezeritch*):

The Baal Shem Tov*, before his revelation and during the first years that followed it, had the habit of traveling through the Jewish towns. In the middle of the marketplace, he would gather around him simple Jews — men, women, and children — in order to tell them stories, which were essentially Midrashim* of our Sages*. He would prolong his narrative and comment on it, or link it to an anecdote of our Sages*, so that those who listened would understand his discourse and absorb it.

Once, on such an occasion, the Baal Shem Tov* emphasized the importance of loving one's fellow, the intensity that this feeling must receive in every Jew, since he is aware of the love that Hashem* bears for all Jews. He illustrated this idea with the following image. There was, in that town, a man named Rav Yaakov who had a perfect knowledge, by heart, of the Talmud* — the Gemara*, the commentary of Rashi*, and the Tosafos*. He therefore studied by repeating these texts from memory, which was not rare at that time in the Jewish towns.

To study from memory, one must concentrate one's attention much more than if one has a text before him. Once, Rav Yaakov was studying — by heart, therefore — a long and difficult commentary of the Tosafos*. Suddenly, a young child arrived and developed before him a brilliant idea. Rav Yaakov was profoundly astonished and he interrupted his study. This, then, is what a child can accomplish. Similarly, Hashem* Himself, continued the Baal Shem Tov*, studies the Torah* during the first three hours of the day, as our Sages* report. Despite this, when a request is formulated before Hashem*, He interrupts His study and devotes Himself to the prayers, to the requests of the Jews.

When Hashem* announced to the angels that He wished to create man, they asked Him what appearance he would have. Upon learning the answer, they exclaimed: 'Who is this man that You should make mention of him? What is his purpose?' Then, when a Jew rises in the morning, runs to pray with the community at the first hour, is then busy and tired throughout the day, but nevertheless abandons his affairs in order to run to the synagogue for the prayer of Minchah*, to listen to the Ein Yaakov* class between Minchah* and Maariv*, to then recite the prayer of Maariv*, and, after all this, to go home and repeat this explanation of the Ein Yaakov* to the members of his family, Hashem* convenes the angels, expresses His pride in having created man, and tells them:

'You, the angels, do not bear upon your shoulders the yoke of the necessity to earn a livelihood. You have no wife, no children, no worries, no taxes and levies, no constraints. Man, on the other hand, must indeed earn his living and I have given him the order to take responsibility for it. According to the Torah*, he must provide for the needs of his wife and his children. He is busy and tired, must pay taxes and levies, he bears the weight of exile. Despite all this, see how he conducts himself!'

If one meditates on the fact that Hashem* takes pride in every good action performed by a Jew, if one absorbs this idea, one will be broadly influenced by it."

* * *

As has already been emphasized on various occasions, the words of our masters and the stories they communicated to us deliver a teaching and a lesson to each one of those who become aware of them. Simultaneously, they instill the strength, the determination, and the blessing enabling one to put them into practice. Everything therefore depends on the one who becomes aware of them and who must therefore perceive them in the appropriate manner.

May Hashem* grant that one act in the manner that has just been described and that one know success in all domains. I address to you my blessing that each one of you be inscribed and sealed for a good year, with all the members of her family, to whom Hashem* will grant long life.