3194 —תענית חצי יום עבור האברך ישראל הי"ד וחיזוק לימוד התורה

B"H, 16 Teves, 5715.

Brooklyn.

Haraha"ch vavac"h iy"a nu"n oseik b'tzt"z Moreinu Harav Shlomo Chaim Kaselman

Shalom u'Vrachah!

I acknowledge receipt of your letter from the third night of Chanukah and afterwards the letter from the sixth of Teves, in which you write about the matter of the Avrech Yisroel HYD. Let your mind be at ease just as you put my mind at ease by writing that there were no surgeries or embalming, etc. It would be appropriate for the students of the older classes to fast half a day, choosing a time as they see fit—perhaps before the upcoming Rosh Chodesh.

I am specifically writing half a day based on the ruling of our holy Torah that a young scholar who fasts, etc., and especially since this is not the way of the Baal Shem Tov and our holy Rebbeim regarding fasts and mortifications. My main intention is that this should arouse them to strengthen their study of our Torah, especially its inner dimension—the Tree of Life—which draws down and bestows life from the Source of Life, Ein Sof blessed be He, to all who hold onto it.

It is also understood that this does not mean giving a sermon or moral exhortation or awakening on that day itself but rather to draw from this awakening into their learning for the coming year.

And may the Guardian of Israel Who neither slumbers nor sleeps watch over each and every one of Bnei Yisrael wherever they are and say "enough!" to suffering—so that out of peace of mind and absence of material worries they will be able to engage in Torah and mitzvos with expanded consciousness inwardly and with joy.

Summary

The Rebbe teaches that fasting should serve as a means for spiritual awakening and strengthening Torah study—especially its inner dimension—rather than as an end in itself. The emphasis is on ongoing growth in learning with joy and inner peace.