3393 —גאולה גשמית ורוחנית בפסח וצדקה

B"H, 8th of Nissan, 5715.

Brooklyn, NY.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

Through Haraha"g veHaraha"ch vavac"h iy"a nu"n one involved in tzt"z etc. Moreinu HaRav Shlomo Zalman Hecht, your contribution for Maos Chittim has been received. This is distributed in our Holy Land, may it be rebuilt and established by our righteous Moshiach.

One of the lessons of this Yom Tov of Pesach, the Season of Our Freedom, is that material freedom—freedom from physical slavery and hardship—is not an end in itself. It must serve to enable and lead to spiritual liberation: the liberation of the soul. This was also the purpose of the Exodus from Egypt—BeHotzi'acha Et HaAm MiMitzrayim Ta'avdun Et HaElokim Al HaHar HaZeh ("When you bring the people out of Egypt, you will serve G‑d on this mountain")—the giving of the Torah.

This applies both collectively and individually. Therefore, it is a Jewish custom—which is Torah—that a Jew begins his Season of Our Freedom by performing a mitzvah; and a mitzvah that is equal to all others—charity. He gives before Pesach—Maos Chittim—and at the Seder he says: Kol Dichfin Yeitei Veyeichol ("Let all who are hungry come and eat").

In the full sense of the Season of Our Freedom, I send my blessing that you should experience true freedom: freedom from material worries and from spiritual worries—from anything that hinders serving Hashem with joy and gladness of heart. May this joy and freedom continue throughout the entire year.

With blessings for a kosher and joyous Pesach holiday.

Summary

Pursuing material freedom should lead to spiritual liberation. By giving charity before Pesach and inviting others to join in celebration, we fulfill both aspects of redemption—physical and spiritual—enabling us to serve Hashem with true joy all year.