Igrot Kodesh · Letter 812 — Faith & Bitachon

By the grace of Hashem,
28 Mar-Cheshvan 5711,
Brooklyn,

To the Rabbanim, distinguished Chassidim* who fear Hashem,
and last point but most important, attached to my
father-in-law the Rebbe, leader of our generation, who put
into practice the shlichus* he entrusts in the domain of
good chinuch*, may Hashem grant you long life,

Greetings and blessings,

I read with pleasure the letter [1] of our friend, the Rav, distinguished Chassid who fears Hashem, a man of many accomplishments, Rav Yitzchak Aharon [2]. It told me how you educate Jewish children and exercise a good influence in the homes of the parents, whom you illuminate with the light of Torah and mitzvot, as the teaching of our master, which is Chassidut*, explains them.

It may appear to you that you do not succeed, in each of your actions, in convincing your interlocutor that he must act concretely, but this is in no way the case. A sicha* of my father-in-law the Rebbe, delivered in Russia, allows us to establish this. It explains the immense importance of a single action carried out by a Jew, citing as proof the words of our Sages emphasizing the greatness of those who attain teshuvah*.

Our Sages say that the perfect Tzaddikim* cannot equal those who attain teshuvah. Now, asks the Rebbe, a Tzaddik serves Hashem throughout his life, whereas one can attain teshuvah an instant before death, as was the case for Rabbi Eliezer ben Durdaya. How can the latter therefore surpass the former?

The explanation is, in fact, the following. One must deduce from this affirmation the great value of a single action accomplished by a Jew. In fact, a single instant, a single action, allow him to succeed in his mission in the world.

It is the same for the avodas Hashem*. Sometimes, the effect exercised on the students or on the homes of the parents does not appear evident, although one has consented the appropriate effort. Nevertheless, who knows what is happening in the heart of one's fellow? Perhaps he will make the action that will allow him to succeed in the mission entrusted to him here below.

Obviously, all this does not concern the interest you must bring to your work. You must, according to the expression of our Sages, pronounce words that emanate from the heart. In the most literal sense, you must speak warmly, be concerned with your interlocutor. You must show the value of time to your students, by teaching them to use it wisely, and when you visit a home — which will allow you to be heard and to convince.

My goal is not to give you mussar*, and perhaps the situation is sufficiently good that the present letter is unnecessary. But it seems to me to be my duty to communicate to you my feeling on this matter, and I hope that my words will have a positive effect.

You no doubt know — and there is no need to detail it — in what manner my father-in-law the Rebbe gave of himself with mesirus nefesh* to ensure good chinuch for children, to strengthen Yiddishkeit*, including in its most elementary practices. Now, he could have, during this time, studied the secrets of Torah, especially the most profound ones.

He thus delivered a lesson to each of us. Indeed, the yetzer hara* can take the appearance of an upright and perfect Tzaddik, who will say: "Why must you teach others to read the alef-bet or to say Modeh Ani? All the more so since the outcome of your action remains uncertain. In place of all this, you could study Chassidut. Thus, you would be certain of accomplishing something. Are you not a Chassid, attached to the Rebbe? It is therefore certain that this study will have an effect on you."

My father-in-law the Rebbe gave the answer by his own example. He did not spare his time and his strengths, did not ask himself what he could accomplish for himself, did not seek the highest accomplishments. He did his best to promote good chinuch, beginning with the alef-bet and addressing himself to the simplest people. In this way, he literally gave of himself.

Indeed, it is said in his sicha of 20 Kislev 5693 [3], paragraph 17, that: "The Tzemach Tzedek* explained that the self-sacrifice of his grandfather, the Alter Rebbe, is negligible compared to that which consists of renouncing the possibility of binding oneself to the Essence of Hashem in order to render a service to someone, to ensure that a Jew attains teshuvah by his own forces, serves Hashem sincerely." It seems that this is indeed what is expected of us. We have received the power and the strengths for it. It suffices, then, to want it.

I conclude by addressing to you my blessing for success, so that you should be truly attached to my father-in-law the Rebbe. Consequently, each man and each woman among you will carry out the mission he entrusted to him with pleasure and good will. The wellsprings of your teaching will spread outward. Then, "they will awaken and rejoice, those who rest in the earth," and my father-in-law the Rebbe will lead us, with head held high, to our land, very soon and in our days, Amen.

Notes
(1) The previous letter.
(2) Rav I. A. Goldin.
(3) 1932.