Igrot Kodesh · Letter 6666 — Tzedakah

By the grace of Hashem*,

27 Teves* 5719,

Brooklyn,

To the distinguished Chassid* who fears Hashem* and devotes himself faithfully to communal needs, Rav Yaakov (note 1: Rav Y. Katz, of Chicago. See, on his subject, Letters no. 5523 and 6987) HaCohen,

Greetings and blessings,

I am responding to your letter of 26 Teves*, together with what was enclosed therein. In addition to what we will discuss on the telephone, without making a vow, I would like to emphasize here a point concerning what you write to me, in accordance with the well-known saying of the Alter Rebbe* that one must live with the Sidra* of the week (note 2: The Alter Rebbe* says: "One must live with the times"). This one (note 3: Parshas* Vaera*) speaks, in this case, of hard labor and bitter slavery.

In this regard, the Torah Or*, in the commentaries on Parshas* Shemos*, the Or HaTorah* of the Tzemach Tzedek*, and other texts, based on the holy Zohar*, emphasize that all the events described by this Sidra* have a moral equivalent. Thus, as is explained, the hard labor is the question one poses during study, the mortar is the kal vachomer* reasoning, all the labors of the field are the Baraisa* (note 4: The teachings of the Sages* of the Mishnah* that were not included in the text of the Mishnah*), and the bricks are the clarification of the Halachah*.

This conception (note 5: Replacing the material with the spiritual) is far more pleasant and the reward for it is far greater. This is self-evident. It seems to me that in the content of Parshas* Shemos*, all of this is also discussed, at least briefly. I address to you my blessing to convey good news of all this, for a joyful Shabbos*, a joyful Rosh Chodesh*, and to retain the joy throughout the entire week and the entire month.