The need to persist in shlichus involving Jewish education although one feels no vitality for it

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Instructions regarding the publication of chassidic texts in Germany

No. 338

This letter was sent to R. Nissan Nemanov, one of the leading members of the chassidic community who had been appointed as the Mashpia in the Lubavitch yeshivah in Brunoy, France

B"H, 28 Adar I, 5708

Greetings and blessings,

In response to your letter of 16 Teves:

1. You have certainly received my letter of 16 Teves[314] together with the kuntreis of Yud-Tes Kislev (-- I am surprised that you did not acknowledge your receipt of this --) and the greetings conveyed by our emissaries.[315] They certainly also gave you copies of the series of maamarim published this year. Please acknowledge this.

2. Give the funds -- [donated in] your previous location -- on behalf of maamad[316] and for letters for the Torah scroll [to greet Mashiach] to the person who will be responsible for printing (if R. David [Bravman] will leave there) or to R. David (if he remains). Inform me [that this has been done] and I will deposit funds here [in the accounts of the appropriate institutions]. Please be so good as to tell R. Benyamin Gorodetzky to deduct the sum that you will give from the sum that I instructed him to send for the printing project in Poking. Receipts for [the donors to] maamad on the basis of your list are being sent to you today.

3. The maamarim of my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe Shlita, (in Lashon HaKodesh) are now in the process of being printed. The maamarim in Yiddish and the Sefer HaSichos have been printed in Poking. I will write that several copies should be sent to you for the yeshivah as you requested on the condition that a portion of the cost be paid by Keren HaMitzvos[317] and that you will pay the [remaining] portion as you wrote in your letter.

4. I do not know the reason and I do not know who is responsible, but it appears that the institution of maamad in your country is not [being carried out] in the manner that it should be or could be were the appropriate [energies] invested. From a distance, it is impossible to know the full details of how to correct the situation. In particular, this is true because I am not familiar with the nature of the people who should be involved and their personal situations. Since you are familiar with them and live there, it is appropriate -- and perhaps even necessary -- for you to become involved in improving the conditions of maamad and developing all of the opportunities. As is well known, my conception has always been that the circle of people involved in maamad should be expanded without restricting it to the temimim and the like.... To a person such as yourself, elaboration concerning this matter is superfluous....

My revered father-in-law, the Rebbe Shlita, charged me with [directing] Beis Rivkah and publications.... My revered father-in-law, the Rebbe Shlita, takes an active role and is involved in all these matters to a far greater extent than people at large estimate....

We have been informed of the imprisonment of.... I will conclude with our Sages' statement (Taanis 29b; quoted by the later halachic authorities as [halachah to be applied] in practice): "When a Jew has a legal issue to resolve with a gentile... he should seek [its resolution] in Adar, for it is a month with a healthy mazal." Similarly, Sotah 12b states that according to one view, Moshe was born in Adar I.[318] And, as is well known, Chassidus interprets [our Sages' statement:[319] Ein mazal leYisrael as meaning]: "Ayin [self-nullification] is the mazal of the Jewish people" (Likkutei Torah, Parshas Haazinu, et al.).

Awaiting your letter that will bring only good tidings,

M. Schneerson

If R. David [Bravman] will be forced to journey [to Eretz Yisrael], who among those [in Poking] or in the surroundings is most suited to become involved in the printing process?

   

Notes:

314. (Back to text) [Letter 321.]

315. (Back to text) [Rabbis Posner and Baumgarten who visited the refugees in Europe that year.]

316. (Back to text) [Monies donated by the chassidim for the Rebbe's expenses.]

317. (Back to text) [A fund established to provide for the spiritual needs of the Holocaust refugees. See Letter 240.]

318. (Back to text) [And Moshe's birth endowed the entire month with a positive quality. See Megillah 13b.]

319. (Back to text) [Shabbos 156a; literally: "The Jewish people are not controlled by a mazal."]

The need to persist in shlichus involving Jewish education although one feels no vitality for it

Table of contents

Search this book:

Instructions regarding the publication of chassidic texts in Germany