Blessings for students who had escaped the Holocaust

Table of contents

Search this book:

Questions and points of clarification with regard to the text HaRav (a biography of the Alter Rebbe)

No. 213

This letter was sent to R. Menachem Zev Greenglass, one of the leaders of the Lubavitcher community in Montreal.

B"H, the day preceding Shabbos Kodesh, Parshas Tetzaveh, 5706

Greetings and blessings,

1. Thank you for sending me the HaKol Koreh which you received from Shomrei HaChomah in Jerusalem. If you have the power to do so, they should be warned most powerfully not to use the name of my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe Shlita, (e.g., to reprint any of his letters) without receiving permission from him first. It is understood that this warning should not be given in my name, but rather in the name of a group of Chabad chassidim. If you do anything about this matter, please notify me about it.

2. Thank you for sending me the letter from Shanghai about the printing [of chassidic texts being carried out] there. R. Avraham Pariz also received such a letter. I wrote to them, [communicating] the suggestions of my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe Shlita, for a large-scale program of publication. If they agree to our suggestions, we can hope for a great revelation of the light which is good.[346] [A copy of my] letter is enclosed.[347]

3. Your books were already taken by the student Vitzecki. This has certainly been brought to your attention.

4. I hope that in the coming week we will publish [the series of maamarim entitled] Mayim Rabbim, [the Kuntreis entitled] "The Tzemach Tzedek and the Haskalah," and perhaps the collection of the Rebbe Rashab's sichos (in mimeograph).

   I see that your debt has already increased again. What type of pattern is this: to send more books while the debt becomes greater at the time when a lack of means holds back [other] publications and educational activities?! Throughout these five years, has it not been possible to find one or two donors in your country who will give two or three thousand [dollars]? This would be sufficient to cover what we send you for two to three years. What a shame to waste so much time discussing the debt and its collection!

5. I hope that, with G-d's help, I will be able to send the Sichos Kayitz 5700 (beginning from 9 Adar)[348] in the coming week. Mr. Dalfon [pledged to pay for this printing]. Because of the additions, I assume that the cost of printing will be approximately $400. (It will be 128-140 pages bound like Kuntreis Toras HaChassidus.) Presently, he has sent $175. Will he send the entire sum and when? Please be good enough to notify me as soon as possible so that the printing will not be delayed.

6. What are the comments you have with regard to Kuntreis Toras HaChassidus?[349]

Based on the adage (Kuntreis Bikkur Chicago): "One must live with the times," [there are explanations] given by the commentaries (see Ramban, Seforno) with regard to the reason why the inner altar is described by itself in this week's Torah reading, Parshas Tetzaveh, and not together with the other vessels of the altar [in Parshas Terumah].

It is possible to explain the rationale according to Chassidus: The inner altar refers to the inner dimensions of our hearts (the first maamar entitled Ushavtem in Likkutei Torah, sec. 1) which surpasses even our intellectual potentials (the maamar entitled VeHayah BaYom HaHu, sec. 3, in Likkutei Torah, et al). Although it is found in the trunk of the body - which corresponds to the Sanctuary in the Mishkan and the Beis HaMikdash - and not in the head - [which corresponds to] the Holy of Holies in the Mishkan and the Beis HaMikdash, the Divine service associated with this level involves the level of yechidah in the soul and is not related to other aspects of the Beis HaMikdash.

In particular, the above applies according to the statements in the maamar entitled Mizbeach Adamah, from the notes on Shmos, apparently from the Tzemach Tzedek[350] and the maamar entitled Zeh Yitnu, 5658, [which explain] that the altar of earth[351] refers to the external dimension of the heart. The altar of stone[352] refers to a ray of the heart's inner dimension, and the Inner (Golden) Altar, to the essence of the inner dimension of the heart and not merely a ray from this inner point. These concepts are explained in the second maamar entitled Ki Seitzei in Likkutei Torah, secs. 2-3.

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

Rabbi Menachem Schneerson

Executive Director

   

Notes:

346. (Back to text) [I.e., the teachings of Chassidus.]

347. (Back to text) [See also Letters No. 227, 239, and 245 which deal with this subject.]

348. (Back to text) [The day the Previous Rebbe arrived in America.]

349. (Back to text) [See also Letter No. 208.]

350. (Back to text) [See Or HaTorah, Yisro, p. 1050.]

351. (Back to text) [The external altar in the Sanctuary.]

352. (Back to text) [The external altar in the Beis HaMikdash.]

Blessings for students who had escaped the Holocaust

Table of contents

Search this book:

Questions and points of clarification with regard to the text HaRav (a biography of the Alter Rebbe)