227 —הדפסת ספרי קה"ת, השגחה, וההבדל בין ירושה וגורל

B"H, 27 Nissan, 5706.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

I received your letters from the 27th of Adar Sheni and Wednesday, Nissan 4 (as well as a package of books including: Maamarei Ranaz, Pokeach Ivrim, Likkutei Diburim, Hayom Yom, Kovetz Kodesh). You correctly stated that organizing the Kehot division in your camp is the wish of my father-in-law the Rebbe shlita, as I have written in previous letters. In your second letter you suggest that a bochur named Leibel Bloomberg should be involved in this. Since we do not know his character here, we rely on your judgment—provided that as long as you are there it will be with your participation and afterwards under the supervision of Rabbi Ashkenazi shlita who is responsible before my father-in-law the Rebbe shlita.

It is surprising you did not answer our question about which books you have on hand (from the list in my first letter), so please begin printing immediately—300 copies of each. Inform me and I will send the title page text. Besides this I am sending some books to Rabbi shlita from what I have ready here. The paper and binding must be of the best quality. It is not possible for us to send paper from here at present.

In the list of Chassidus books I printed at the end of Toras HaChassidus and which I am preparing a new edition from, I wanted to include what you have printed but do not know for certain all that you have published. We await your reply and conclude with blessings for immediate teshuvah and immediate redemption.

Rabbi Menachem Schneerson

To the distinguished Avrech Harav Hagaon Harav Hachasid Hatamim Harachaman shlita Bukiet: You wrote well that there is a difference between lot (goral) and inheritance (yerushah), explained in the discourse Ashreinu (2 Nissan 5709), that portion by lot or inheritance are: service of heart, mind, feeling G-dliness in every matter—which exists by inheritance; service of nefesh-ruach-neshamah (Ran), will (see Ashreinu 5696), delight, point of Jewishness, individual vitality, general vitality—essential life; private service of animal soul within animal soul; general service; service of animal soul itself (see BeChodesh HaShevi'i Resag). But what you wanted to say—that inheritance is more similar to lot than other acquisitions both in revealed and hidden Torah—in my opinion is not so. On the contrary—in revealed Torah—inheriting adds over other acquisitions as it is an acquisition by necessity; whereas lot is less than other acquisitions—to the extent some say it is not an acquisition at all (see notes on Shas Bava Basra 136b; Shulchan Aruch Choshen Mishpat 273 and elsewhere). This also fits with hidden Torah because feeling G-dliness—the point of Jewishness etc.—exists in everyone; even at time of sin it remains with him in trust (see Tanya end ch. 24). Afterwards comes private service through mitzvos which everyone must do. Higher than this is general service etc. (or extra care—which is also among differences between portion and lot—see Iggeres HaKodesh sec. 27).

(Apparently some confusion arose because in hidden Torah such revelation inherited comes through prior work with portion and lot; similarly dividing Eretz Yisrael—the inheritance from their fathers—was only revealed after conquest—a private war: "the king of Jericho one..."—and divided by lot. See Tosafos D.H. Velo Rosh Hashanah 13a; Yerushalmi Challah ch.2; Parshas Derachim derush 9 etc.—this is not place to elaborate.)

Summary

The Rebbe guides on proper oversight for Kehot book printing and stresses using quality materials while clarifying deep differences between spiritual concepts of inheritance and lot—each representing unique aspects in serving G-d both practically and spiritually.