Igrot Kodesh · Letter 8499 — Faith & Bitachon

By the grace of Hashem,

22 Menachem* Av* 5722,

Brooklyn,

I greet you and bless you,

I respond to your letter of Sunday of the Parshas Re'eh*, "See, I place before you the blessing." May Hashem therefore bestow His blessing, for yourself and for all the members of your family, in a visible and tangible manner, so that, in joy and enthusiasm, without being confronted with the slightest obstacle, you may devote yourself to the continuation of this same verse: "You shall listen to the Mitzvos* of Hashem your Elokim*," through a daily conduct that conforms to our Torah*, Torah* of life, through the practice of its Mitzvos*, of which it is said (note 1: Yechezkel* 20, 11 and 13, 21): "One shall live by them." Of course, this includes, in an essential manner, the teaching of students, by providing them with an education based on sacred values, with self-sacrifice and in joy.

For, if "a little light dispels much darkness" (note 2: According to chapter 12 of the Tanya*), a term which designates all that prevents a Jew and the members of his family from serving Hashem in joy and enthusiasm, how much more is this the case when it is not a matter of a little light, but indeed of much light, of the Torah* of light, of the luminary of the Torah*, of its profound dimension, of Chassidus*, of a Chassidic* conduct, of a study of Chassidus*, toward oneself and toward others.

And, may the promise be fulfilled according to which: "You will gladden us as You have made us suffer." Henceforth, each one of you and all of you together will know only goodness, beneficence and joy. Moreover, we are approaching the month of Elul*, that of mercy. As the Admur HaZaken* says, in the Chassidic* discourse entitled: "I am to my Beloved," found in the Likkutei Torah*, the Holy One, blessed be He, then receives each man and each woman with benevolence. And, this is revealed in a concrete manner, here below. With my blessing to give good news of all that has just been said,

N. B.: You ask me about a particular conduct that should be adopted. One must therefore keep the daily studies of the Chumash*, the Tehillim* and the Tanya*. Each weekday, before the morning prayer, as well as before Minchah*, you will set aside some coins for Tzedakah*. Another point, which is essential, you will strengthen yourself in your trust in Hashem, Who grants His Providence to each one, for He is the Essence of the good and it is in the nature of the One Who is good to do good, a visible and tangible good.