231 —הנחיות להוצאת עלונים תורניים, והתקשרות להנהגה

B"H, Eve of Shavuos, 5706.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

In response to your letter from the 15th of Iyar, I spoke with my father-in-law, the Rebbe shlita, and these are his instructions in addition to what he wrote in his previous letter:

a) According to the directive of my father-in-law, the Rebbe shlita, all publishing of books, collections of essays, etc., on behalf of institutions under his leadership is centralized in Kehot Publication Society, except in rare cases.

b) A special license is required each time you wish to print any of his letters, talks or essays—especially from my father-in-law, the Rebbe shlita.

c) Special attention must be paid to material printed together with the words of my father-in-law, the Rebbe shlita.

Accordingly, if you decide to continue publishing the Torah journal, it must be according to the following order:

a) All material must be sent here to Kehot before printing (it is advisable to keep a copy with you so there will be no need to send back the issues from here), and only material approved from here should be included in the journal.

b) Every issue must bear the Kehot seal as it appears on our publications, with added words below and within the seal: Jerusalem branch—the Holy City may it be rebuilt and established speedily in our days.

c) Naturally, its budget must be secure; that is, you have funds for its printing.

To conclude with a lesson related to Shavuos: It is well known (see Likkutei Torah and Sefartem Lachem for Shavuos section 3; HaChodesh HaZeh section 9; etc.) regarding what is written: "Anochi Hashem Elokecha Asher Hotzeiticha Me'eretz Mitzrayim" (I am G-d your G-d who took you out from Egypt), and not "who created heaven and earth." The explanation is that leaving limitations—even holy ones—is a higher matter accomplished through revelation of "Anochi Mi She'anochi" (I am who I am). In service this means conduct beyond reason and understanding—nullifying one's will completely (see Likkutei Torah at the beginning of Bamidbar).

Since one finds himself in 'Egypt' of holiness and has no connection at all to unholiness—how can he know what action he should take if not by reason? How can he test himself? We learn this too from Matan Torah. Just as then there was an interpreter—Moshe—and G-d said to Moshe: "Behold I come...and they will believe in you forever," so too afterwards every individual must be connected and devoted with self-nullification—even if he thinks he is in 'Egypt' of holiness—to the head of his generation who is truly the extension of Moshe in that generation.

Perhaps this hints at why King David's yahrzeit—he who established sovereignty—is on Shavuos (Yerushalmi Beitzah ch.2 halacha 4). So too it is the yahrzeit of the Baal Shem Tov, founder of Chassidus. The connection between teacher and student depends on intellect; not so between chassid and Rebbe.

With blessings for receiving the Torah with joy; immediate teshuvah brings immediate redemption.

Summary

The Rebbe teaches that publishing Torah materials requires central oversight and approval. Spiritually, true progress comes through self-nullification and deep connection to one's generation's leader—a lesson drawn from Shavuos and our relationship with Moshe Rabbeinu and later leaders.