Igrot Kodesh · Letter 6978 — Faith & Bitachon

By the grace of Hashem,

20 Menachem Av* 5719,

Brooklyn,

To the members of the committee of Kfar Chabad*,

in our Holy Land, may it be restored

and rebuilt, may Hashem grant you long life,

I greet you and bless you,

I have duly received your letter, accompanied by the report, in which you speak of the taxes (note 1: Local taxes paid by the inhabitants of the Kfar) and the very difficult financial situation. You propose that the bank grant the indebted members (note 2: Those who have not paid their taxes) relatively long-term loans so that they can settle their debt to the committee of the Kfar. You have no doubt verified beforehand that the conditions of this bank are acceptable and that it is indeed the one in which the electricity funds were deposited (note 3: Of the Kfar. See, on this subject, letters nos. 5688 and 5744). If this is indeed the case, and given the severe financial situation, if furthermore each of the inhabitants of Kfar Chabad* wants to take part in the strengthening and development of the village — which includes, of course, the necessity of paying one's taxes and settling one's debts — this proposal is advisable, up to a total amount of six thousand pounds, using the electricity funds as collateral. But the conditions of this proposal must be scrupulously observed, which means that this is not a loan granted by the bank and received by you (note 4: But rather by the inhabitants of the Kfar, in their personal capacity) and that, furthermore, the electricity funds are only a guarantee (note 5: And will therefore not be committed).

Of course, all this will be well organized and effective. The committee or its representative will therefore enlist all those to whom it will suffice to show the present letter (note 6: So that they lend their participation to the organization of this action, requested by the Rebbe). Officially, these funds will be designated for electricity. A list will be drawn up of those who will take out a loan to settle their debt. The conditions and repayment terms will also be noted. And, to change the subject while remaining in the same context, although I know nothing of these taxes nor of their allocation formula, I will also participate in their collection, without making a vow of it. To this end, you will find enclosed my check for the Shemittah* year 5719, a complete year with an additional month.

May Hashem grant that in exchange for these taxes, which all will pay with joy and enthusiasm, you attain material prosperity and expansiveness of spirit, now and in the future. Each man and woman among the inhabitants of Kfar Chabad* will put into practice, within all of Yisrael, the words of the verse (note 7: Vayechi 49:15): "He bent his shoulder to bear. He became a servant of tribute (note 8: Mass, which also means tax)," as the Midrash* Bereishis Rabbah*, chapter 99, paragraph 10, explains. In accordance with the profound meaning of this tribute, this action will bring about an immense elevation in the Infinite Light of Hashem, as Chassidus* explains in the Reshimos* of the Tzemach Tzedek* on Eichah* 1:1. You will also consult the Zohar*, volume 1, page 242b. I send you my blessing of success in all domains, communal and personal alike, the one depending on the other and assisting it, to give good tidings of a visible and tangible good, to experience success and true expansiveness, material and spiritual. For the luminous day of 18 Elul* (note 9: Date of the birth of the Baal Shem Tov* and the Alter Rebbe*), which is approaching, you will send here a list of all those who have paid their debts and taxes, as well as of those who have only paid partially, specifying the reason.

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By the grace of Hashem,

21 Menachem Av* 5719,

Brooklyn,

I greet you and bless you,

I received your note with satisfaction. You tell me that you are the son of a Chabad* Chassid*. Now, nothing is lost, including in the material dimension, and how much more so is this the case in the spiritual domain, especially in the relationship between a father and a son. The inheritance from parents to children is an incontestable fact that all can observe. All the more so is this the case for Chassidim*. Indeed, the foundation of Chassidus* is the love of every Jew and, obviously, of a Chabad* Chassid* toward his son. With all his heart, he desires to transmit to him the inheritance of generations and the treasure of moral qualities. For all of this has been perfectly preserved, at least potentially. It therefore suffices to make concrete use of this potential. In our world, the world of action, it is indeed the act that is essential — that is, a daily conduct permeated with Chassidic* light, with mitzvos* effectively applied, toward Hashem and toward men, the one depending on the other.

Your duties no doubt lead you to influence events and people. You therefore surely have the opportunity to confer merit upon the greatest number. I hope you will forgive me for having addressed, from the outset, in my very first letter, questions that are personal to you. Indeed, why must I intervene in this matter, especially from another continent? But what can I do? Chassidus* particularly emphasizes the principle of our Torah*, the Torah* of life, according to which all Jews bear a collective responsibility. In fact, Areiv* means both "guarantor" and "pleasant," for Jews are, furthermore, pleasant to one another. With my respects and my blessing to give good tidings,

ו'תתקעח*

ב"ה, כ"א מנחם אב, ה'תשי"ט
ברוקלין.

שלום וברכה!

בנועם קבלתי הפתקא שלו, ובעיקר מה שכותב שהוא בן חסיד חבדי. והרי גם בענינים גשמיים אין דבר הולך לאיבוד, על אחת כמה וכמה בענינים רוחניים, ובפרט בהנוגע מאב לבן, שענין ירושת אבות הוא עובדא שהכל מודים בה ורואים במוחש, ואצל חסידים לא כל שכן, שיסוד החסידות הוא אהבת ישראל לכל אחד ואחד מבני ישראל, ואין צריך לומר אהבת חסיד חבדי לבנו שרוצה בכל לבו להנחילו ירושת דורות וכל אוצר תכונות הנפש הטובות. הרי מובן שהכל נשתמר יפה בכח על כל פנים, אלא שצריך להוציא מן הכח אל הפועל, שבעולמנו עולם המעשה מעשה עיקר, היינו הנהגה בחיי יום יום חדורה אור חסידותי, במצוות מעשיות שבין אדם למקום ובין אדם לחברו, שבאמת הא בהא תליא.

וכיון שמשרתו בטח קשורה במדה חשובה של השפעה על מהלך ענינים וגם על אישים, בודאי שיש לו אפשרויות גם לזכות את הרבים.

תקותי שיסלח לי על שבמכתבי הראשון לכ' הנני נוגע מיד בענינים אשר לכאורה הם רשות היחיד שלו ואיך זה הנני בא להתערב ועוד מעבר לים, אבל מה אעשה ותורת החסידות מדגישה ביחוד דין תורתנו תורת חיים, שכל ישראל ערבים זה בזה, ובהטעמה שעוד בה שלישי' ערבים מלשון ערבות, וערבים - מעורבים וערבים - מתוקים זה לזה.

בכבוד ובברכה לבשורות טובות.