A request for assistance for the Rebbe's mother; a request for assistance in collecting chassidic works in Eretz Yisrael

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Directives regarding the publication of texts of Chassidus in Shanghai; an explanation of Rashi's commentary to the phrase "Aharon did so"

No. 231

This letter was addressed to R. Avraham Tzvi Hersh Cohen, R. Moshe Weber, R. B. Y. Mintzberg and R. C. M. Rosenberg, at that time, Lubavitch students in Jerusalem, who sought to publish writings of the Previous Rebbe.

B"H, Erev Shavuos, 5706

Greetings and blessings,

In response to your letter of 15 Iyar: I spoke to my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe Shlita, [concerning the matter] and he gave the following directives in addition to those mentioned in his earlier letter:[416]

1. According to the directive of my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe Shlita, all publication of texts, collections of discourses, or the like from the organizations that are under the direction of my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe Shlita, is centralized under the auspices of the Kehot Publication Society with the exclusion of [select] exceptions.

2. Special permission is required from my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe Shlita, every time one of his letters, sichos, or maamarim are printed.

3. Particular attention must be paid to the material that is printed together with statements of my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe Shlita.

In accordance with the above, if you decide to continue publishing your Torah circular, the following guidelines must be adhered to:

1. Before printing any material, it must be sent to Kehot here. (It would be proper to keep a copy so that there will be no need to send the proofs back.) Only the material that is approved here may be included in the circular.

2. Every circular must carry the Kehot seal that is found on our published material. Under the seal - and within the seal itself - should be added the words: branch of Jerusalem, the holy city.

3. Obviously, you must be fiscally sound, i.e., you must have the means to pay for the publication.

To conclude with [Torah concepts relating to] the holiday of Shavuos: There is a well-known question (see the maamar entitled U'Safartem, sec. 3, in Likkutei Torah, the maamar entitled HaChodesh HaZeh, 5700, et al): Why [do the Ten Commandments begin]:[417] "I am G-d your L-rd who took you out of the land of Egypt" and not "...who created heaven and earth"?

The resolution offered is that going out of one's boundaries and limitations, even those which exist within holiness, [the spiritual counterpart of the Exodus from Egypt,] is a very elevated concept and is made possible by the revelation of [the level] Anochi, [the rung in G-dliness that is called] "I." The parallel to that in our Divine service is conducting oneself on a level above logic and understanding, negating one's individual will entirely (Likkutei Torah, Parshas Bamidbar).

[One might ask:] Since one is found in "an Egypt of holiness," without any connection to the forces of evil, how is it possible for him to know what he must do if not according to his logic and understanding? How will he appraise himself?

This concept is also derived from the Giving of the Torah. Then as well there was a spokesman, Moshe, and G-d told him:[418] "Behold, I am coming... and also, they will believe in you forever," [i.e., the revelation at Sinai established Moshe's authority]. This pattern must also be followed in subsequent [generations]. Everyone, even one who thinks that he is found in "an Egypt of holiness," must be connected and devoted - to the extent that he nullifies his own will - to the leader of his generation, who is "the extension of Moshe"[419] in that generation.

Perhaps one can say that this is the allusion to the fact that the yahrzeit of King David, "the man established on high,"[420] is on Shavuos (Talmud Yerushalmi, Beitzah 2:4) and it is also the yahrzeit of the Baal Shem Tov, the founder of the teachings of Chassidus. For the connection of a teacher to his student is dependent on intellect. This is not the case with regard to the connection between a chassid and [his] Rebbe.[421]

With blessings for the acceptance of the Torah with joy, and [with the blessing,] "Immediately to teshuvah; immediately to Redemption,"

Rabbi Menachem Schneerson

Chairman of the Executive Committee

   

Notes:

416. (Back to text) [See Igros Kodesh of the Rebbe Rayatz, Vol. IX, Letter No. 2882, where the Previous Rebbe writes that he forbids the students to print any of his material on their own. Instead, before printing anything, they must send the material to his son-in-law (the Rebbe) and follow his directives.]

417. (Back to text) [Shmos 20:2.]

418. (Back to text) [Ibid. 19:9.]

419. (Back to text) [Tikkunei Zohar, Tikkun 69 (p. 112a, 114a).]

420. (Back to text) [II Shmuel 23:1. The meaning of the Hebrew phrase can be transformed to mean "who established the yoke" (Bamidbar Rabbah 18:21 et al). For it was David who established the monarchy in its full sense, bringing about a situation where the people accepted the yoke of kingship.]

421. (Back to text) [There the connection is essential. Thus all three leaders associated with Shavuos, Moshe, King David, and the Baal Shem Tov, all established essential bonds with the people.]

A request for assistance for the Rebbe's mother; a request for assistance in collecting chassidic works in Eretz Yisrael

Table of contents

Search this book:

Directives regarding the publication of texts of Chassidus in Shanghai; an explanation of Rashi's commentary to the phrase "Aharon did so"