2990 —השער המיוחד של כל אדם בעבודת ה' – עבודת המורים ברשת

B"H, 1 MarCheshvan, 5715.

Brooklyn.

Greetings and blessing!

I acknowledge receipt of your letter from the night after Rosh HaShanah, which arrived somewhat late. It is surprising that since then there have been no further letters from you. Surely the distinguished Rav, etc., R. Dovid Chanzin has already conveyed my repeated, emphatic request to all the male and female teachers in the Reshet: all the more so than in the Agudas Yisrael schools, whose teachers gave up twenty percent of their salaries throughout the past year, the teachers of the institutions of my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe, should add of their time at least 20[%], each according to his abilities, as is needed in the school where he serves...

As to what you write about guidance, etc., here lies the trouble with many Jews, even among Anash: nearly all of them want to be guided, but for the most part specifically in the way they choose and in the matters they choose. I fear that this is so in your case too.

My meaning will be understood by first stating what is alluded to in Iggeres HaKodesh and explained in several places in Chassidus: each Jew has a mitzvah and matter that serves as a gate, through which all his Torah and mitzvos ascend, and through which all the flow of influence from Above is drawn down to him.

This gate need not be a mitzvah among the foundations of the faith, etc., and not even one of the stringent ones, in the division of mitzvos into stringent and light, as is understood from the example in the saying of our Sages, "אבוך במה הוי זהיר טפי" ("In what was your father most careful?") — "in tzitzis" (Shabbos 118b). At the gate of this mitzvah a person must be especially careful and meticulous. As regards you and your colleagues, the teachers and the administrators of the Reshet, in these times your gate is your work and involvement in the Reshet. Accordingly, when you are ever more meticulous in this you will draw down success in your spiritual affairs, and so in your material affairs too. In addition, there is what I wrote in my general letter, where I did not touch on the above point but only on the reciprocity between those who work in order to receive a reward and the pay they receive; whereas in this letter, addressed to you in particular, this point is still more important and relevant, in order to arouse not only your revealed powers but your hidden powers as well, to devote their activity to the affairs of the Reshet. I hope you will find the right words to explain it to your wife and to all your colleagues, the teachers and the members of the administration.

Words that come from the heart enter the heart. From this is also understood the answer to your question whether to withdraw from communal work: according to the above, it is out of the question.

As regards moving your home to Kfar Chabad, for the time being this does not seem right to me, for we must try to see that those settling there are people who will engage in agriculture. And as regards you and your wife, there is greater benefit from your work in education.

With blessing for success in all the above and for good news in all the above,

Publisher's notes

Printed in Likkutei Sichos, vol. 23, p. 525, and completed from a photograph of the letter.

The saying of our Sages (מרז"ל): Shabbos 118b.

At the gate of this mitzvah (ובשער המצוה הזו): See also below, letters 3011, 3188, 3208, 3273.

My general letter (במכתבי כללי): See above, vol. 9, letter 2945.