Guidance to the Rav of Kfar Chabad

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Advice to a chassid to accept a shlichus position in North Africa

No. 694

This letter was sent to R. Shlomo Chayim Kesselmen, who served as one of the Rebbe's representatives in Eretz Yisrael.

B"H, 26 Menachem Av, 5710

Greetings and blessings,

I received your letter of 16 Menachem Av. As you requested, I will read the enclosed pidyonos at the gravesite of my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe, hk"m.

Thank you for the good news concerning the improvement of your wife's health. Think for a moment: Before the operation, you wrote many times, [sending] pidyonos, [asking] that the operation be successful. When G-d fulfilled the blessing of the tzaddik, my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe, hk"m, and the operation was successful, you did not share these tidings. Now you report that you are again aggrieved (concerning her general health). According to my understanding, the proper order should be:

1. first giving thanks to G-d for His great kindness in the past, then

2. a prayer, combined with utter trust, that G-d will continue [granting] His blessings and her situation will continue to improve. Faith and trust are immensely powerful [catalysts] to draw down influence [that brings about] revealed and apparent good….

Regarding what you wrote concerning the order of the study of Chassidus in the three classes [you mentioned]:[763] I have already said several times that, at least during this year,[764] it is incumbent on everyone, and particularly, the students, the temimim, to establish a study session in the teachings of my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe, hk"m. And in [our] institutions, this [study] should be part of the curriculum of every class.

With regard to the unified committee for Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch, Machne [Israel], and Kehot,[765] concerning which you write that the matter has yet to be firmly established: It is known that the purpose of all man's efforts is to make those matters whose existence is as of yet not firmly established; i.e., those matters that are given over to man's choice,[766] elements of the Torah and its mitzvos, as explained in several sources in Chassidus and in the talks [of the Rebbeim]. In particular, regarding the present matter,[767] this is one of the means of bonding to my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe, hk"m. Certainly, to a person like yourself, elaboration [on this] is unnecessary. My suggestion is that a list of the names of those who commit themselves to a monthly tax[768] [for these institutions,] together with their mother's name and the amount they are pledging, be compiled and it will be read at the gravesite of my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe, hk"m.

By the way, in your letter, you cited two pearls: an adage of the Rebbe (Rashab)[769] and an adage of my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe, hk"m.[770] Undoubtedly, there are many other adages from the Chabad Rebbeim ingrained in your memory. I have written several times that my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe, hk"m, greatly desired that the talks and the adages [of the Rebbeim] should be preserved by each person committing them to writing and then having them collected by the editorial board of Otzar HaChassidim which is under Kehot. Certainly, over the course of time, these [efforts] will benefit people at large. It is surprising that you have not taken part in gathering these pearls. Relying on the adage of my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe, hk"m, that "it is never too late," it is my hope that you will now begin doing so with the appropriate vigor and reveal the treasures that are hidden in your memory.

Signing with blessing and with greetings to all the members of our fellowship,

Menachem Schneerson

   

Notes:

763. (Back to text) [I.e., the classes of the Lubavitcher Yeshivah which was under the supervision of R. Shlomo Chayim. See also the addenda to Letter No. 753 where this point is also mentioned.]

764. (Back to text) [I.e., the year of the passing of the Rebbe Rayatz.]

765. (Back to text) [See Letter No. 633 where the Rebbe calls for the establishment of such a committee.]

766. (Back to text) [I.e., matters like eating and leisure activities that are left to man's choice.]

767. (Back to text) [I.e., the establishment of the unified committee mentioned previously.]

768. (Back to text) [I.e., a self-imposed tax, as a fixed and ongoing commitment to the support of these organizations.]

769. (Back to text) [Who told a student who was preoccupied with the Divine service of bitterness and humility: "Enough iskafia (subjugating one's natural tendencies). We must endeavor to use everything for the sake of heaven."]

770. (Back to text) [The Rebbe Rayatz communicated an analogy given by the Rashbatz for the inner dimension of Binah: "It's like a pony a nobleman keeps near its fodder," i.e., there is no need for effort and an abundance of satisfaction is easily accessible.]

Guidance to the Rav of Kfar Chabad

Table of contents

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Advice to a chassid to accept a shlichus position in North Africa