3041 —מעורבות אמיתית בפעילויות חב"ד ותפקיד האחריות האישית

B"H, 21 MarCheshvan, 5715.

Brooklyn.

Greetings and blessing!

In reply to your letter of 14 MarCheshvan and the one before it, in which you write of the state of Chabad "activism" in various fields. To quote a saying in the name of its author, the Rav and Chassid, etc., etc., R. Shmuel HaLevi Levitin often says: "Even when one finds good excuses, in actual practice nothing will come of it." So too in our case. As I have written several times, for me it makes little difference who is to blame and who is right, for the directive of our holy Nesi'im is that "we are day laborers," to make light. And it is the nature of a laborer to see and try that the task be done. Even were you right in all the claims you write in your first letter, even then you are not using the possibilities in the Holy Land, may it be built and established; especially as there is much to answer them. The main thing, the essential point: each one of them looks at the matters as things that must be done, and he takes part like a person coming from outside. So if they invite him, or at least carry out his instructions in full, he takes part; and if not, what more is there for him to do, and "I have saved my soul."

The parable is known of the difference between an official or hired worker who works faithfully at some matter, and the concern of the owner in that matter. The former, since they work faithfully, do all they can with their revealed powers, then go to sleep in peace, reckoning that they have done their part. Not so the owner, who cannot sleep in peace, even if he has done all he can. So hidden powers are revealed in him, various devices, etc. In truth I must say that as for the work of..., for the time being I do not see that they are working even as a faithful hired worker, that is, to the best of their ability. I ask your forgiveness for expressing my opinion without paint or powder.

I was pleased at what you write about the dedication of... to the work in... except that I see from your letter that all are well pleased that the above works with dedication, and they "begrudge him nothing" of the whole reward — for himself alone, and no one helps him. I have grown weary of repeating two and three times, over and over, that with each day that passes one misses opportunities to act for the Alter Rebbe, for the Mitteler Rebbe, for the Tzemach Tzedek, and for all our Nesi'im, their successors. And it is a loss that does not return.

Since you mention nothing about your health and that of your wife, surely all is well and peaceful. May G‑d bring peace to rest among Anash, and may this be a vessel not only receiving the blessing of the G‑d of heaven within it, but also drawing down G‑d's blessing to each one, in what he needs materially and spiritually.

With blessing,

Publisher's notes

Printed in Likkutei Sichos, vol. 23, p. 453.

We are day laborers (אנן פעלא דיממא): See also above, vol. 8, letter 2270, and the references in the notes there; below, 3077, 3102, 3267, 3272.