Igrot Kodesh · Letter 6942 — Faith & Bitachon

By the grace of Hashem,

18 Tammuz* 5719,

Brooklyn,

I greet you and bless you,

I am responding to your letter from this Sunday, in which you tell me that various things have been reported to you about Lubavitch. You would like to know whether all this is true and you attach great importance to obtaining this clarification. Now, you well understand that the persons you cite, from whom you hold these words, have themselves never been close to Lubavitch. It appears, however, that in telling you all this, they have acted contrary to the mitzvos* of the Torah* — not merely a simple mitzvah*, but the great principle of the Torah*, "You shall love your fellow as yourself," according to the Yerushalmi*, Tractate Nedarim*, chapter 9, paragraph 4.

This also means that there is no logical reason to think that these men know what the beliefs of Lubavitch are and that they have knowledge of elements that the Chassidim* Lubavitch themselves do not know. I myself have never heard of what you write to me, and I am at Lubavitch much more than they are, if indeed they even know what Lubavitch is. On the other hand, it is very painful to note that they are not aware of various Talmudic texts according to which the Halachah* is ruled, as shown by the Rambam* and the Shulchan Aruch*. It would be good for you to speak to them about this. You will therefore share with them what the Gemara* teaches in Tractate Berachos* 19a, regarding their "good" conduct of spreading what they say about our holy masters, whose merit protects us. Likewise, the Yerushalmi*, Tractate Peah*, chapter 1, paragraph 1, emphasizes that lashon hara* is the most serious of all the sins it enumerates, and the text also refers to the one who guards against it. One also finds lengthy treatments, notably in Tractates Sotah* 42a and Arachin* 15a.

Since, it appears, they do not appreciate Lubavitch, let them at least refer to the Chafetz Chaim* — not to pass his book to someone else or to place it in their library, but rather in the awareness that what he says applies to them as well. May Hashem have mercy on them and save them from the situation in which they find themselves. And may this come about in kindness and in mercy. With my blessing that you give me good tidings of all this,

For the Rebbe Shlita*,

the secretary,