179 —הפצת ספרים, עדכונים על הדפסה, ושיעורים רוחניים בעת אבל

B"H, 23 Teves, 5705.

Brooklyn.

To the honorable Haraha"ch vavac"h iy"a nechbad venaaleh etc. Maharach"e Shaul Howlin

Shalom u'Vrachah!

I received your letter from the 13th of Menachem Av. In response to your questions in this letter and previous ones that have not yet been answered:

a) The health of my revered father-in-law the Rebbe shlita is steadily improving. Nevertheless, we continue here to say some chapters of Tehillim every day after prayer (in addition to the fixed daily portion as divided for the days of the month). May Hashem send him a complete recovery very soon, and many stood in prayer for him.

b) Of all that we have printed here, we are sending you immediately one hundred copies without waiting for your order, except for those in English (or Yiddish), of which we send only a few. If there are buyers for these in larger numbers, please inform us and we will send as you request.

c) We only have a few copies of Tanya here; therefore we could not fulfill your request. Hayom Yom and the booklet Etz HaChaim have not yet been printed; they are currently at the printer: tzt"z (responsa, Mishnayos with additions I found in some notebooks and have not yet been published), Hemshech Vekacha Mayim Rabim VeHaCharim etc. by the Rebbe Maharash n"a, Siddur for Talmud Torah and school (all prayers in order, large letters etc.). However, due to current circumstances I do not know when it will be completed; I hope within two or three months.

d) In line with the above: perhaps you have any responsa or novellae from tzt"z that have not yet been published—please inform me briefly of their content so I can see if they are among the aforementioned additions or not. Also, I repeat my earlier request: to copy at our expense if you or your acquaintances possess notes etc. on Tanya and send them here (of course if they have not already been sent by someone from your group), or stories—traditions—regarding Tanya.

e) We did not print volume three of our book; in truth it is not so necessary since here we proceed in study directly from part two to part four.

f) The greatest discount from the price of "our book" is one third (and also shipping costs are at our expense—which amounts to a considerable sum). Several institutions here seek a donor who buys books and gives them as gifts to institutions. "Our book" continues to spread; we have already printed another edition of volume one as well as from Birkas HaMazon (with English translation).

g) Lack of means is a major obstacle in our work generally and especially regarding printing. Therefore please use all funds belonging to us (Machane Yisrael, Merkaz L'Inyanei Chinuch, Kehot) that are in your possession to buy tefillin with parshiyos and send them here for the Tefillin and Tzitzis department under Melach. Of course the tefillin must be kosher without any doubt; but since they are needed for people who only begin putting on tefillin thanks to outreach efforts—and there is no reason to be stringent at all—they should be small size. There should certainly be no difficulties with shipping since you receive books from us regularly over several years. The sooner this can be done the better.

h) Regarding the books you requested for the yeshiva—from Shulzinger publishers—we are sending you now one copy of each (except Shas), and when we receive payment as above we will send more as you notify us then.

i) Surely you received the "Lubavitch" journals on time; certainly you will participate in its various departments—and please encourage those connected with it likewise.

j) I have not replied for some time to your letters nor others because of the tragedy that befell me with my father's passing hk"m. And it may be explained what I heard from my father hk"m (with additional sources) regarding the Mishnah (Mikvaos end ch. 7): A needle placed on top of a cave is carried back and forth in water; once a wave passes over it—it is pure. For there are many names for the soul—and among its main purposes in descending is to connect the lowest with the highest (which is why man's body was created differently etc., as explained in Chassidic discourses beginning "Zeh", Torah Ohr and elsewhere). This is like a needle which sews together so that revelation below matches above (see Likkutei Torah s'deh vayikach Korach). How does it reach such a level—higher than before descending into this world? Through immersion in many waters—which especially refers to worldly distractions during exile (explained at length in "Mayim Rabim", Torah Ohr Parshas Noach; Likkutei Torah Lag BaOmer there etc.). Even though this descent—to a deep pit/cave—is great suffering, it is necessary for ascent—the virtue of "the cave." The manner of immersion is moving back and forth—ratzo v'shov—not remaining static either in mitzvah observance or worldly matters; this proves he is not enslaved by his physical nature (see Torah Ohr commentary on Mayim Rabim Parshas Toldos ch. 4; also Rambam Hilchos Deos chs. 1-2 with commentaries). Once a wave has passed over him—as it says "All Your breakers and waves passed over me," see also Yevamos 121a—he is pure; see further on the great value of purity in Likkutei Torah d.h. Daled Li b'Ozri p. 65: "And even regarding souls this applies..."

This may particularly apply to those who went into exile—wave after wave—suffering doubly; based on our sages' teaching (Bereishis Rabbah end ch. 44) that Avraham refined kingdoms etc., their reward is doubled comfort (explained Likkutei Torah d.h. Sos Asis p. 163; d.h. Nachamu p. 269 Atar Reish Taarab etc.).

Summary

The Rebbe addresses practical matters about distributing books and supporting communal needs while sharing profound insight into how challenges—even mourning—elevate one's soul through connection above via perseverance amid life's waves.