Igrot Kodesh · Letter 9205

By the grace of Hashem*,

8th of Elul* 5726,
Brooklyn, New York,

To Mrs. Esther Berman,

I bless you and greet you,

I have learned a joyful piece of news[1], as you have had the merit of preserving the manuscripts of Chassidic* discourses that were delivered in their time by our masters and leaders, and then transcribed and copied by those who heard them. In general, there exist several copies of such manuscripts. Most of them were found in the collection of manuscripts and in the library of the Rebbe's* house. Then, during the years of disorder and war, many of them were lost and scattered. Of course, in order to clarify and establish the wording and the text, to the greatest extent possible[2], and in particular to prepare them for publication, it is necessary to compare the different versions. For whoever possesses one or more of these manuscripts, it is therefore a great merit to send them here. For that is indeed their purpose, their reason for being — the dissemination of the sources of Chassidut*, the teaching of our master, the Baal Shem Tov*.

This merit is considerable — the merit of disseminating the sources, the merit of the many people who study the books of Chassidut* published by us. There are no words to describe it, and for someone like yourself, this is surely unnecessary, for I know your family and I know your origins.

One confers merit through the agency of someone who is meritorious[3] and on meritorious days[4]. In this instance, the distinguished and pleasant Chassid* who fears Hashem*, dedicates himself to communal needs, full of eagerness and with many accomplishments, Rav* Moshe Pinchas HaCohen Katz, is currently in the Holy Land, may it be restored and rebuilt. He is therefore entrusted with receiving them[5]. No doubt you will be willing to entrust him with these manuscripts so that he may bring them here before Rosh Hashanah*, which is approaching, in these auspicious days, to multiply your merit, in view of the new year, which comes for us and for all Israel, for the good and for the blessing. With my blessing to be inscribed and sealed for a good and sweet year, both materially and spiritually,

On behalf of the Rebbe* Shlita*,
the secretary,

Notes

[1] See Heichal Menachem*, vol. 2, p. 168.
[2] See Sifriyat Lubavitch*, p. 141.
[3] According to the tractate Shabbat* 32a.
[4] See the tractate Ta'anit* 29a.
[5] The manuscripts. See, in this regard, letter no. 9251.