Expanding the circulation of Kehot texts; an explanation of the teaching "Yosef hid three treasure stores," making oneself a medium for the influence of the Yosef of our generation

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An answer to the questions: "Will there be eating and drinking in the era of Mashiach?"; "In the era of the Redemption, will the body be resurrected unblemished or with blemishes?"; "At the time of the Resurrection, in which body will the souls that have had several incarnations arise?"; and "How to observe Shabbos in places where the daylight continues for longer than 24 hours?"

No. 208

This letter is addressed to R. Menachem Zev Greenglass, one of the leading members of the Lubavitch community in Montreal.

B"H, 5 Shvat, 5706, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Greetings and blessings,

In response to your letter:

1. We have been sending printed matter and maamarim to Shanghai[312] through the yeshivah. Now [we are sending] texts concerning those subjects that were not sent by Tomchei Temimim.

2. I also heard that they printed several texts there. It is extraordinarily unusual that throughout this entire time, they never sent one text as an example with the exception of a collection of sichos of my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe Shlita,[313] of which one copy was sent to my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe Shlita, about two years ago.

3. My revered father-in-law, the Rebbe Shlita, took the listeners' notes [of the farbrengen] of Yud Tes Kislev [for review]. He promised to return them in the near future after making additions and changes.

4. With regard to their publication, he directed me to publish them together with the digest of the sichos from Chai Elul.[314] ("It is unfortunate that the listeners did not grasp the [full] importance of the connection between Chai Elul and Yud-Tes Kislev as was revealed to them at present." These are the words of my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe Shlita.) At present, however, he has not given over all the manuscripts, although the overwhelming majority of them have been completed.

5. With regard to the expenses associated with the printing of these sichos: As of yet, we have not received anything from Menachem Mendel HaCohen (Margolios) aside from his pledges. He does, however, promise that certainly he [will fulfill them].

   If you have any points you wish to raise with regard to Kuntreis Toras HaChassidus, why don't you write of them to me?

7. With regard to your suggestion that the members of the chassidic brotherhood and the yeshivah students should record their memories of the preceding era: My revered father-in-law, the Rebbe Shlita, has raised this issue many times. How many of the above have answered his request?! Is there any greater instance [of such indifference] than the fact that for three years I have been speaking to the students from Montreal with regard to a digest of the events of 5700,[315] and yet, with the exception of a few manuscripts that you sent me already (approximately two years ago), I have not merited to see even one line of these memoirs?

8. The Tzemach Tzedek, Kuntreis 48, and the series of maamarim entitled Mayim Rabbim, have not been completed as of yet. When they are published, we will send them to you as you requested.

9. The lack of letters [sent to you] comes as a result of [my] many involvements and complications, particularly with regard to publications. Your complaints against me are without basis. To give you some idea of the above-mentioned work: Recently, I had to edit (aside from Kuntreis 47, and in particular, the addition it contains, the Shmuessen and Talks and Tales), the booklet on Purim and Pesach in French (which resembles the one on Tishrei), the booklet on Purim in English, Vol. I of Our People in English, and [complete] a final editing of Mayim Rabbim.

I am in the midst of editing the following: An addendum to the Tzemach Tzedek (it will contain 125 responsa and more than 100 novel insights on Talmudic passages, in addition to the compilation of indices), the Kuntreis entitled "The Tzemach Tzedek and the Enlightenment," and a collection of the Sichos of the Rebbe Rashab (which will contain more than 300 pages in mimeograph).

I have just started editing a book of maamarim entitled Yelamdeinu Rabbeinu,[316] Kuntreis Etz HaChayim, a kuntreis on the Rebbe Maharash (a collection of sichos and a list of his maamarim), the sichos of my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe Shlita, from 5700 until Rosh HaShanah, 5701 (this is related to Dalfon),[317] Sefer HaMaamarim by my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe Shlita, (from 5700-5702), a book of questions and answers between a teacher and his student concerning the Jewish faith and its customs in English, a Kitzur Shulchan Aruch in English for youth, and other works.

If you will consider that in addition to all the above, there is work with regard to Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch, Machne Israel, and Kehot aside from publications, it is my hope that some of the questions which may have been raised in your mind will vanish on their own accord.

The above reflects what is being done here in the center.[318] What is being done on the peripheries?

As is well known, the Egyptian exile is the source for all the subsequent exiles. Hence parallels to it are found in all the exiles including this final exile. (The ultimate purpose [of the exile] is to bring about "And they emptied Egypt,"[319] "making it as a granary without any grain."[320] In the Exodus from Egypt, this was accomplished only in that land. [Before the final Redemption, this purpose will be accomplished] throughout the Diaspora.)

The difficulty of the exile was eased by the preparations and activities of Yosef HaTzaddik. He and only he is "the provider to the entire land."[321] He "gathered all the silver"[322] and buried it (Pesachim 119a). Obviously, his intent was not that it remain hidden, as if it did not exist. Instead, it was all intended for a single goal, Yosef's [personal] mission.

[That mission is reflected in the interpretation of his name, as stated in the prayer:] [323] "May G-d add for me another son." [Implied is that Yosef's Divine service involves] the endeavor to transform "another," [one who is estranged from his Jewish roots,] to a "son" (the maamar entitled Ben Poras in Or HaTorah).

Yosef's undertakings are reflected in the "three treasure stores" that he hid (Pesachim, loc. cit.). They reflect three different effects:

1. That they lead to blessing. Blessings must be given with love which is identified with silver,[324] as is known with regard to the Priestly Blessing[325] and stated as Halachah in the Shulchan Aruch.[326] [This brings about] material influence: wealth and honor. [This is implied by] the statement (in the Talmud, loc. cit.) that one of the treasure stores was revealed to Korach (Or HaTorah, Parshas Vayigash).

2. That they [affect] those who do not observe the Torah and its mitzvos and make them baalei teshuvah. [This also involves] the refinement of the three impure kelipos, [as reflected by] converts. [This is implied by] the statement [in the Talmud, loc. cit., that one of the treasure stores] was revealed to Antoninus.[327]

3. That they elevate the Divine service of those who observe the Torah and its mitzvos to a higher level. [This is implied by] the statement [in the Talmud, loc. cit., that one of the treasure stores] will be revealed to the righteous [in the Ultimate Future].

It is understood that the first two modes are appropriate in the present era, with regard to the world's immediate spiritual state. The third mode will be appropriate when the World to Come is manifest in our world. In particular, this applies with regard to the concept of Mashiach motivating the righteous to turn to G-d in teshuvah. This is alluded to in the conclusion of the Talmud passage which states that the third treasure store will be revealed in the Ultimate Future.

It is obvious that it is incumbent on all those who are bonded and connected to Yosef HaTzaddik[328] to make a channel - or at the very least to assist and prepare his surroundings to be a medium - ready to receive the directives and the influence of Yosef including the ultimate Redemption, may it come speedily in our days. That will be brought about by the Holy One, blessed be He, who is also referred to as Yosef; see the commentary of Sifsei Cohen to the Torah as cited in Or HaTorah in the maamar entitled VaYitein Es Kolo.

With the blessing "Immediately to teshuvah; immediately to Redemption,"

Rabbi Menachem Schneerson

Executive Director

   

Notes:

312. (Back to text) [Where a group of Lubavitch yeshivah students took refuge during WWII.]

313. (Back to text) [I.e., Likkutei Dibburim, Vols. I and II.]

314. (Back to text) [From the year 5705. Ultimately, these talks were printed in Likkutei Dibburim, Vol. III, p. 946.]

315. (Back to text) [When many of the students of Montreal were studying at Otwock, the central branch of the Lubavitcher Yeshivah in Poland, and through unique hashgachah protis were able to reach Canada.]

316. (Back to text) [These maamarim, first published in the column Yelamdeinu Rabbeinu in HaKeriah VehaKedushah, were afterwards published as Sefer HaMaamarim Yiddish.]

317. (Back to text) [I.e., the Dalfon brothers paid for the publication of this text. See Letters No. 213, 236, and 282.]

318. (Back to text) [The Rebbe is employing a pun. Merkos is the abbreviation used for Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch, the central Lubavitch educational institution which the Rebbe headed. It also means "center."]

319. (Back to text) [Shmos 12:36.]

320. (Back to text) [Berachos 9b; Rashi on the verse.]

321. (Back to text) [Bereishis 42:6.]

322. (Back to text) [Ibid. 47:14.]

323. (Back to text) [Bereishis 30:24.]

324. (Back to text) [Kessef, Hebrew for "silver," also serves as the root for the verb "yearn."]

325. (Back to text) [As indicated by the blessing recited by the priests before the Priestly Blessing: "who... commanded us to bless His nation Israel with love."]

326. (Back to text) [Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 128:11.]

327. (Back to text) [A pious Roman ruler who shared a close connection with Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi. See Avorah Zorah 10a.]

328. (Back to text) [Here the Rebbe is obviously referring to the Previous Rebbe.]

Expanding the circulation of Kehot texts; an explanation of the teaching "Yosef hid three treasure stores," making oneself a medium for the influence of the Yosef of our generation

Table of contents

Search this book:

An answer to the questions: "Will there be eating and drinking in the era of Mashiach?"; "In the era of the Redemption, will the body be resurrected unblemished or with blemishes?"; "At the time of the Resurrection, in which body will the souls that have had several incarnations arise?"; and "How to observe Shabbos in places where the daylight continues for longer than 24 hours?"