Blessings for a chassid; yearning for Mashiach

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The importance of making Chassidus available to all Jews: men, women, and children

No. 357

This letter was addressed to R. Chanoch Hendel Havlin, one of the members of the Lubavitch community in Jerusalem.

B"H, 13 Nissan, 5708

Greetings and blessings,

1. I acknowledge receipt of your letter from 18 Adar II. In the interim, you have certainly received my letter from 24 Adar II together with the enclosed kuntreis for 2 Nissan and the letter for R. Shlomoh Yosef [Zevin].

2. We received $50 from Wineberg.

3. Enclosed is the kuntreis for Pesach which was just published. Without a doubt, you will allow others to gain merit by making it available to them.

4. Information reached me that one of our friends was able to motivate the Committee for Yeshivos in Chicago to allocate $500 for Yeshivas Toras Emes in addition to their previous [allocation].[352]

5. You have certainly learned that immediately upon his arrival, R. Sorotzkin received $100,000 from the Joint here for yeshivos in Eretz Yisrael. This is in addition to what was collected previously from institutions and other sources.

6. I extend blessings for the bar mitzvah of your son, Eliyahu David, on 16 Nissan, the day of the reaping of the Omer offering.

Based on the well-known concept that the Omer is brought from barley, [i.e., a crop that is] primarily animal fodder,[353] it can be explained that [the Divine service indicated by the verse]:[354] "When the sickle is first [applied] to the standing grain," refers to [the humbling of] the stature of the animal soul.

The Tzadukim -- i.e., those who follow their own logic -- say that it is not within man's potential -- and hence, it is impossible to begin this service until "the day following Shabbos,"[355] i.e., when previously a person's world is in an elevated state and there is no place for waste, [as our Sages say]:[356] "[The verse] does not mention 'the waste of your Shabbasos.'" When, by contrast, one is occupied with matters concerning the preparation of food, [i.e., on the festivals,] there is reason to worry concerning waste.[357] [This is also] indicated by the ruling of the Shulchan Aruch, sec. 529, that [on festivals, the court] should supervise [the people] so they do not sin.[358] In particular, [the distinction between Shabbos and the festivals is apparent] according to the opinion that [on the festivals,] it is permitted to transfer articles from the private domain to the public domain -- separate mountains[359] -- even when this is not necessary [for the preparation of food].[360]

This, however, is not the path of the Jewish people who accept the yoke of G-d's kingdom. Instead, whether [the second day of Pesach] follows Shabbos or not -- i.e., whether one's body is so refined that it can ascend to heaven as it is[361] or it is ruddy and has no life on its own[362] -- he carries out his Divine service. In this way, he raises up an offering of Torah and an offering of teshuvah,[363] i.e., even the Torah which is "Your wisdom and understanding"[364] is [permeated by] the fear of Heaven and [the acceptance of] the yoke of G-d's Kingship.

I am forced to cut short [my remarks] because of the sanctity of the day.

May you reap great satisfaction and pleasure from this son and the other members of your household in all particulars amidst prosperity.

Concluding with blessings for a happy and kosher Pesach holiday,

Rabbi Menachem Schneerson

   

Notes:

352. (Back to text) [See Igros Kodesh of the Rebbe Rayatz, Vol. X, p. 314ff.; see also Letter 336 above.]

353. (Back to text) [See Sotah 14a; Pesachim 3b.]

354. (Back to text) [Devarim 16:9.]

355. (Back to text) [Vayikra 23:11,15 states that the Omer offering should be brought and we begin counting the Omer on "the day following the Shabbos." Menachos 65b, 66a explains that the intent is not the day after Shabbos, but rather the day after the first Pesach festival. The Tzadukim, however, followed the literal meaning of the term and interpreted it as referring to Sunday, the day following Shabbos.]

356. (Back to text) [Zohar II, 88b, referring to Malachi 2:3; see Torah Or, Chayei Sarah, pp. 15c-d.]

357. (Back to text) [As stated in the verse cited in the previous note.]

358. (Back to text) [See Shulchan Aruch HaRav 529:13 where the Alter Rebbe states that the court should appoint officers to supervise places where people gather lest their celebrations lead to immoral behavior.]

359. (Back to text) [Zohar I, 158a; see Tanya, the conclusion of ch. 33, which use this term as an analogy for kelipah.]

360. (Back to text) [See Beitzah 12a.]

361. (Back to text) [As the prophet Eliyahu did.]

362. (Back to text) [The reference appears to be to King David who was ruddy (see I Shmuel 16:12) -- a symbol of connection to worldly desire -- and who would have emerged stillborn had not our Patriarchs and Adam granted him years of their lives (Zohar I, 168a).]

363. (Back to text) [Cf. Midrash Tanchuma, Parshas Korach, sec. 12.]

364. (Back to text) [Devarim 4:6.]

Blessings for a chassid; yearning for Mashiach

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The importance of making Chassidus available to all Jews: men, women, and children