Igrot Kodesh · Letter 946 — Tzedakah

By the grace of Hashem,
11 Adar Sheni 5711,
Brooklyn,

Greetings and blessings,

I was pleased to receive good news of you through our friend, the distinguished chassid* who has yiras Shamayim*, who fulfills his task faithfully, dedicates himself to communal needs and perceives all good things, Rav Yaakov HaKohen Katz[1]. I also received the check corresponding to the beginning of your commitment to publish a sefer* belonging to the work of my father-in-law, the Rebbe.

You surely remember our discussion when you were here. From now on, your son surely puts on tefillin* every day, as we agreed. He will continue to do so, and this will bring him and you blessing and success in all areas.

We are approaching Purim, time of joy for the Jews. I will therefore conclude with an explanation that my father-in-law, the Rebbe, gave in his sicha* of Purim 5701[2], when the persecutions that characterized that period began.

On Purim, Haman the wicked wished to attack the Jews, solely because they were Jews. But they did not pay heed and strengthened themselves proudly in their Jewish practice. Thereupon the decree was annulled. Even more, the situation was overturned and the anguish became joy.

Now it is the same in every era. We Jews must be proud of our Yiddishkeit*, must firmly maintain its practices, despite the difficulties that flow from this. It is in this way that we will be liberated from all the Hamans, physical Hamans and moral Hamans. Then, "for the Jews there will be light, joy, gladness and honor."

With my blessing for the joy of Purim and with greetings to your son,

Notes
[1] See the previous letter.
[2] 1941.