39 —פרסום מכתב הריי"צ וענין אור החנוכה

B"H, Fourth Night of Chanukah, 5703.

Baltimore.

Haraha"g Haraha"ch vavac"h iy"a, ish eshkolot v'rav pe'alim etc. Avraham Eliyahu Axelrod

Shalom u'Vrachah!

We have sent you a copy of the letter from my father-in-law, the Rebbe Rayatz, for Chanukah and for the days following it. Needless to say, I wish to draw your attention to the importance of publicizing it among the widest possible circles, wherever your influence reaches: posting it on synagogue walls and similar places.

It is surprising that we have not received any response regarding letter 38 from the 21st of Marcheshvan.

To conclude with a matter related to the above and to Chanukah: The purpose of the Chanukah light is to illuminate outside—even if one lives in an upper story (as in "I have seen men of ascent and they are few")—one must place it in a window adjacent to the public domain to shine light into a place of darkness (see Drushei Chanukah 259), as explained in Torah Or on "Ki Ata Neri," which is also connected to "and Hashem will illuminate my darkness" (and this applies especially in our generation, Ikvesa d'Meshicha).

It can be said that particularly during times of birth pangs of Mashiach and harsh decrees (Sanhedrin 97b), there must be a situation where "the Holy One decrees and a tzaddik nullifies it," which comes about by turning a wicked person into a baal teshuvah—as explained by Targum and Rashi (Yirmiyahu 15:19)—and according to our Sages (Bava Metzia 85a), this is achieved through Torah study with an unlearned person.

With blessings for immediate teshuvah and immediate redemption,

Rabbi Menachem Schneerson

Summary

The Rebbe teaches that just as Chanukah lights are meant to illuminate even places of darkness, so too must we spread Torah teachings widely—especially in challenging times—transforming negativity through outreach, Torah study, and inspiring others toward teshuvah.