3152 —הרגשת חוסר הבנה, ביקורת בונה, ומעורבות אישית

B"H, 1st of Tevet, 5715. Brooklyn.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

In response to your letter from the 15th of Kislev, and you have surely received my second letter in the meantime. You write that you see my first letter as if it contains much criticism. I have already written several times that I do not see any benefit in criticism and the like; rather, my heart aches to see how the extraordinary success granted from Above is not being utilized. On the contrary, this also applies in our case—even if we assume your claims are one hundred percent correct—I have already written that Toviah sinned and Zigud was punished; he has complaints against Ploni Almoni and because of this the schools suffer... I do not wish to dwell again on every detail and sub-detail. For your honor, the general point above should suffice: to look at the matter as something personal and relevant to you and your family with kindness and compassion. Consequently, you will find even more reasons and improvements. As is known from the saying of my revered father-in-law regarding learning the topic of the Hebrew maidservant in Shas and the deep reasoning of Tannaim, Amoraim, Rishonim, and Acharonim on this subject—that even though she does not intellectually grasp these arguments at all relative to those above her, nevertheless it is simple: when something truly matters to someone, even a Hebrew maidservant can understand the reasoning of both early and later authorities—and even higher...

I await good news regarding all of the above as well as regarding the content of my previous letter.

Summary

The Rebbe teaches that criticism is not his goal; rather, heartfelt concern should inspire us to take personal responsibility and seek constructive solutions. When we truly care about an issue, we can reach deeper understanding and find ways to improve.