The recitation by the congregation of the additions made to the Shemoneh Esreh during the Days of Awe

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Mourning Customs

No. 411

The name of the person to whom this letter was addressed was not released.

B"H, Erev Yom Kippur, 5709

Greetings and blessings,

I received your blessings for the coming year. Everyone who gives blessings is blessed[30] with blessings from the Holy One, blessed be He that exceed his initial blessings.

For some time, I have wished to motivate you concerning the following matter and I will use this opportunity. In particular, [it is appropriate] because the present days are “a time of will” in the spiritual realms and on the earthly plane.

There are very many people who seek to make an eternal remembrance in a fitting manner for their relatives who have passed away or, lehavdil, for [the merit] of themselves or relatives who are alive, may they be granted long life and good years. My revered father-in-law, the Rebbe Shlita, emphasized the great importance of this matter with regard to your deeds in printing several texts of Chassidus for the merit of such people and ordered that on the title page it be stated that the text was printed by you for the merit of so-and-so. Certainly, you have seen this in several of the texts from the series Toras Shmuel that are also available in Paris. Your example was emulated by several of the members of the chassidic brotherhood.

[As such,] I would like to make the following suggestion for you as approved by my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe Shlita: that you take upon yourself the printing of one of the texts of Chassidus that are now prepared for publication in the merit of your parents z”l . It is certainly not necessary to explain to a person like yourself the great merit and the great satisfaction generated for [your parents’] souls by you who serve as their successor and the one who perpetuates their Divine service with regard to the Torah and mitzvos.

We are now preparing to publish the Tzemach Tzedek’s [maamarim] on Shmos, Vol. I; the maamarim of my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe Shlita, from the years 5704-5705; and the series of maamarim beginning on Rosh HaShanah, 5708.

The printing expenses may be paid out over several months if it is difficult for you to pay the entire sum at once, as long as we are certain that at set times we will receive the appropriate amount of funds.

The expenses are approximately $2000 for the first and second options. (This takes into consideration the fact that part of the expenses will be recovered through the sale of the books.) For the third option, the cost would be $1000.

It is possible that when you see such sums you will wonder why I would suggest that you commit yourself to such amounts. I am, however, certain that if you contemplate the matter and take into consideration that [the donation] is for the purpose of elevating the souls of those mentioned above, and when considering the relationship that is appropriate between you and them, you will accept one of these suggestions with deepfelt will and desire, and notify my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe Shlita, of this.

When, at the beginning of the year, we show G-d that we are taking a prolific stance and we begin a project in the realm of the Torah and its mitzvos, in particular in the realm of pnimiyus haTorah, the entire year follows that pattern in both material and spiritual matters.

Rabbi Menachem Schneerson

Enclosed is the latest kuntreis that was published.

   

Notes:

30. (Back to text) [See Sotah 38b.]

The recitation by the congregation of the additions made to the Shemoneh Esreh during the Days of Awe

Table of contents

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Mourning Customs