Igrot Kodesh · Letter 6983 — Grief & Loss

By the grace of Hashem,

27 Menachem Av* 5719,

Brooklyn,

I greet you and bless you,

I am responding to the letter that was written by your son-in-law, the distinguished Chassid*, fearing Hashem, full of eagerness, which was a follow-up to your previous letters:

A) It is, of course, particularly important to maintain the positive customs you have kept until now — that is, the third meal of Shabbos*, the songs sung on that occasion, the Maariv* prayer at the conclusion of Shabbos*, the Melaveh Malkah* meal, the recitation of Tehillim*, the Shir HaMaalos*, and the daily prayer, for long days and good years. You will do so with true tranquility.

B) It is good for you to remain in Detroit until after the festivals of Tishrei*. I hope that your children who are there will arrange for you to spend all the festivals together, in the appropriate manner.

C) In general, it is advisable to light a perpetual light during the first year of mourning. It is even more important to learn passages of Mishnah* each day for the merit of the soul. Each weekday morning, before the prayer, you will give eighteen cents to Tzedakah*, for this purpose. Of course, you will adopt these two practices without making a vow of it.

D) You ask me what else to do in this matter. It would be good to publish a booklet of Chassidic* discourses, which will be studied in various places. The name of the deceased and that of his father will be mentioned in it. Those who study it will thus feel gratitude toward the one who made this publication possible, and this will bring about the elevation of his soul. To the extent possible, it would be preferable to have two booklets of Chassidic* discourses published — one financed by you and the other by your children.

At a propitious moment, I will mention your name and all those you cite at the holy resting place of my father-in-law, the Rebbe, whose merit protects us, so that each one obtain the satisfaction of his needs, in accordance with what you write to me. May Hashem grant that you announce good tidings of all that has just been said. With my blessing,

For the Rebbe Shlita*,

the secretary,

N.B.: I enclose the receipts from the Lubavitch institutions to which the Tzedakah* that accompanied your letter was transmitted.