149 —השפעה בקידום ספרי חב"ד וכוח העמידה התקיפה

B"H, Eve of Pesach, 5704.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

I received your two letters regarding the books from the estate of Neuhoyzen, of blessed memory, and I immediately passed this on to my father-in-law, the Rebbe shlita. Surely you have already received a response about this. Certainly our recent publications have reached you in due time: Kuntres Chai Elul, our book volumes II and IV, Simanim for the Seder night, and Kovetz Lubavitch.

It is unfortunate that you are not making full use of your influence among the various circles in your place of residence to further increase the number of readers and learners of these books and similar ones. Especially regarding the book Chinuch (Education), which has a double benefit: by learning these books, those containing heresy are pushed out from within the school environment. There are several educational institutions here that cannot be considered Chabad chassidim by any means—on the contrary—and yet they instituted study from these books for this very reason.

It is certainly worthwhile to apply the trait of 'vigbah libo' (his heart was uplifted), for even in this country importance is given to things stated with firmness and decisiveness. Based on what I have heard about your influence, I am confident that if you would try expressing your opinion firmly (especially since you can bring proof that even Beis Yaakov and similar institutions study books and booklets from Melach's publications), you would succeed. A Torah scholar must possess a small measure of pride ('one-eighth of an eighth'). It is explained in Chassidus (Purim discourses) that through this one prevents negative forces from drawing sustenance.

While discussing this, I recall what remains unresolved for me and for yourself regarding these discourses—according to one opinion there must be 'one-eighth of praise,' but halacha follows the view (Sotah 4a) 'not at all,' as stated by Rambam (Hilchos Deos 2:3) and ruled by our Rebbe in Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 155 and 156:3.

I will conclude as you did regarding redemption: I heard a saying popular among Polish chassidim—'Shemini shemoneh shmenah' (meaning that a year when Parshas Shemini is read on Pesach—as in this year—will be a "fat" [prosperous] year). Perhaps there is a basis for this according to what is explained in Chassidus about the virtue of the number eight—that the harp in the future will have eight strings as stated in Likkutei Torah, discourse "Lamnatzeach al HaSheminis." Parshas Shemini is similar to what is explained in Chassidus about drawing down Binah into all boundaries (see discourse "LeHavin... Yom Tov Shel Rosh Hashanah" section 65), two levels of Shaar HaNun (see discourse "Me'at Tosafos Biur... VeSofartem"), and generally that within Binah itself there are three primary attributes—not seven secondary ones—their totality being Binah itself as known regarding 'VeTavo'i BaEdei Edim' and Kodesh HaKodashim (see discourse "Eleh Pekudei").

First one must bring proof from Torah that it should be so—as explained regarding verses of Malchiyos etc. (see discourse "LeHavin" mentioned above and continuation Resh Samech Vav). Thus when Parshas Shemini is read on Pesach, it will be a prosperous year—as my father-in-law, the Rebbe shlita related in the name of Reb Meir Nachum z"l—that 'on the eighth day Atzeres' means Shemini also means oil [shemen], whose virtue on Shemini Atzeres is one bull etc., with no strangers with you; this will be with the complete redemption speedily through Moshiach Tzidkeinu.

Summary

The Rebbe teaches that using one's influence assertively can spread Torah values widely—even beyond one's own circle—and that such firmness has spiritual merit. Promoting authentic Jewish texts helps safeguard education from harmful ideas while preparing for redemption.