The Greek's motive in making the oil for the Menorah impure

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Explanation with regard to Yaakov sending Yehudah to establish a yeshivah in Egypt

No. 258

This letter was addressed to R. Yaakov Katz, one of the initial supporters of Lubavitch activities in America.

B"H, Thursday, 26 Kislev, 5707

Greetings and blessings,

In response to your letter, we have sent you the Sefer HaMaamarim [Yiddish][123] and under separate cover, the sichah from Yud Kislev and [the booklet,] the Story of Chanukah. Surely, this all reached you at the appropriate time.

Knowing your desire to study the sichos of Sukkos which were delivered while you were here, I am including my copy. As you see, they have not been edited.[124] Not knowing when that editing will take place, I do not desire to delay the matter until then. Certainly, you will return this to me at the earliest possible opportunity.

I want to stay within the lines of the prohibition:[125] "Do not act as a creditor toward him," especially since you write that you are [financially] strained at the present time. Nevertheless, I hope -- and I am certain -- that, taking into consideration the pressures facing Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch (particularly, since the printer delivered the Sefer HaMaamarim more than two months ago), you will do all that you can at the first opportunity and as soon as possible.

To conclude with a concept [relating to] Chanukah: With regard to Chanukah, the Midrash (Yalkut Shimoni, I Melachim, sec. 184) relates that the Sanctuary ([built by the Jews] in the desert) was completed on the 25th of Kislev. Nevertheless, G-d commanded that the construction of the Sanctuary be delayed until the month of Nissan. He repaid the day about 1200 years later with the celebrations of Chanukah. Despite all the above,[126] the Jews are praised for [the eagerness which they showed by] completing their donations to the Sanctuary in two days: the eleventh and twelfth of Tishrei.

On the surface, [one might ask]: Of what value was [their haste] since there was no hurry at all to set up the Sanctuary? We can learn from this two things:

1. the extent to which the eagerness [to fulfill a mitzvah] is cherished;

2. that every exertion on the part of a Jew for the sake of a mitzvah bears fruit even though it is not immediately apparent.

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

   

Notes:

123. (Back to text) [Whose publication Rabbi Katz sponsored; see Letter 248.]

124. (Back to text) [I.e., by the Previous Rebbe.]

125. (Back to text) [Shmos 22:24.]

126. (Back to text) [I.e., the delay.]

The Greek's motive in making the oil for the Menorah impure

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Explanation with regard to Yaakov sending Yehudah to establish a yeshivah in Egypt