2079 —אם ישנה בקעה: אין פשרות בשמירת תקני התורה

B"H, 13 Nissan, 5713.

Brooklyn, NY.

Haraha"g vavac"h iy"a nu"n etc. Zev

Shalom u'Vrachah!

I received your letter in due time as well as your gift, your book "Nivei Zahav." Thank you very much for your attention.

From time to time I read about your travels and also receive reports about you from the countries you have visited. May it be G‑d's will that you use all these opportunities to magnify and glorify the Torah of Hashem.

In connection with the above and the content of your letter regarding explaining various sayings of our Sages about a Rav (and with thanks for your words—though it is surprising you did not mention specifically the teaching of our Sages about a Rav that follows below, which is the most characteristic line in a Rav's life and actions and from which there is a clear and fundamental lesson for our times), it is stated by our Sages (Eruvin 6a): "Rav found a valley and erected a fence there." There it is explained that when Rav came from Eretz Yisrael (and it is known what our Sages say in Bereishis Rabbah: why is it called Eretz? Because she desired to do her Creator's will; and Yisrael—as it says: 'Ki sarita im Elokim va'anashim' (for you have struggled with G‑d and men)—even in the darkness of night, even when left alone—and prevailed) to Bavel (which was mixed—light and darkness together, good and evil mixed, confusion of boundaries), even within Bavel itself he went further to a place where there was no Torah (Iggeres Rashag). As Rashi says: "He found a valley where they were lax in mitzvos."

This seems puzzling—how could a Jew be lax with his Father's mitzvos from Heaven, which are his life? One who separates from them is like fish leaving water. As known from the Alter Rebbe's saying: A Jew neither wants nor can be torn away from G‑dliness. Therefore Rashi explains the reason for their laxity—they were ignoramuses.

In such a situation, worldly winds blow and suggest lightening the yoke of Torah and mitzvos or making compromises—at least temporarily—to draw close the hearts of these ignoramuses to Torah by easing their burden; that is, lessening upon their bodies and animal souls the yoke of Heaven. This is dressed up as piety—that it's worthwhile to give up on secondary matters to preserve essentials.

But Rav—the leader of the Diaspora Jews who brought Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi's Torah to Bavel—set down firm principles: If there is a valley—this is not the way; do not make compromises or lighten the load. As the prophet says: 'Those who drag sin with cords of vanity—and as wagon ropes their sin.' And as we heard from my father-in-law, the previous Rebbe: A person walking on the king's road who finds himself after some time lost in a dark forest among wild animals did not get there all at once by leaping off the path into thickets; rather, his initial deviation was as thin as a hair—and hair by hair adds up to great distance.

The lesson from Rav—for his times and all generations, especially ours—a time of blurred boundaries and unprecedented confusion of values—is that where there is a valley one must instead erect an additional fence and safeguard. Only this way are both the valley and its people preserved.

I see in your book that Hashem has granted you an eloquent tongue; I have also heard this from several people who attended your speeches. May it be G‑d's will that you use this talent to follow this well-trodden path handed down by our teachers in exile (Sanhedrin 17b): wherever you find a valley—whether outside Eretz Yisrael or all the more so within "the land which Hashem's eyes are upon," palace of the King of kings—the Holy One Blessed be He—you should erect a fence there.

It is well known what Hashem says: "Open for Me an opening like the eye of a needle and I will open for you like an entrance hall." Notably, in all three places in Shas where "Rav found a valley and erected a fence" appears, the discussion concerns setting up partitions and preventing blurred boundaries—in inanimate objects (between private domain—the domain of Oneness—and public domain; Eruvin 6a), between living trees (by 'You who cleave to Hashem...are alive'), between moist/living versus dry/dead trees (Eruvin 100b), and regarding meat with milk (Chullin 110a)—which involves mixing types among living things (see Tikunei Zohar 414; Recanati & Shelah Parshas Mishpatim).

With respect and wishes for a kosher and joyous Pesach holiday.

Summary

The Rebbe teaches that true leadership means strengthening Torah observance without compromise—even when facing spiritual weakness or societal pressure. Upholding clear boundaries preserves both individuals and communities on their path toward holiness.