2473 —הדגשת מצוות מעשיות בהוראת תורה

B"H, 19 Adar II, 5714.

Brooklyn.

Haraha"g vavac"h iy"a nu"n oseik b'tzt"z Avraham Karp

Shalom u'Vrachah!

I acknowledge receipt of your letter from the 9th of Adar I and was pleased to read that, with the help of Hashem, you have succeeded and merited to be among those who bring merit to the many—both in the Beis Midrash at the yeshivah and in the synagogue, a place of prayer. May it be the will of Hashem that, as our Sages say: "Not study is the main thing but action," your above-mentioned teachings will effect a change in actual deed among your listeners in their daily lives. And since in our times one cannot rely on listeners to draw all conclusions from the study themselves, it is necessary to emphasize this explicitly—that from every lesson, students should take with them something practical regarding mitzvahs involving action or those dependent on speech and thought.

And since in order to influence others, matters must be even more developed within the influencer so that he can transmit them effectively (as our Sages say: "One only urges those who are already eager"), certainly you too will increase your strength in teaching in this manner—seeking out within your studies the greatness therein, for this is what leads to action. We are assured: "You have labored and you have found."

I was pleased by what you wrote about renewing your fixed study of Chassidus—especially as it is known from the introduction to Sefer HaChinuch regarding the six constant mitzvahs that apply at all times, in every place, and for every person: faith in G‑dliness, unity of Hashem, love and awe of Him, etc.—that the way to reach these so they are felt even in one's physical heart (and not just spoken by mouth alone—which is not true faith) is through studying Chassidus.

Regarding what you wrote about teaching Chumash—that your listeners are not satisfied with simple explanations and it is necessary to spice up the verses appropriately for them—there are indeed many commentators on Chumash and surely you will find those suitable for your type of audience. It would also be worthwhile to obtain from someone among Anash in Montreal the booklets "HaKriah VeHaKedushah," which contain several articles relevant to the weekly parshah and haftaros.

With blessing.

Summary

The Rebbe teaches that Torah lessons must always include clear guidance on practical mitzvahs so listeners know how to apply what they learn. He encourages teachers to seek appropriate commentaries for their audience and deepen their own study of Chassidus for greater impact.