ב"ה, כ"א אלול, תשט"ו
ברוקלין.
להמשתתפים בהתועדות דיום הבהיר ח"י אלול יום הולדת שני המאורות כ"ק הבעש"ט וכ"ק רבנו הזקן
ד' עליהם יחיו
שלום וברכה!
בנועם קבלתי מכתבם הט' מבשר טוב מהתועדותם במסיבת רעים וידידים ביום ח"י אלול, שבודאי הוסיפו עי"ז בענין חדש אלול בכללות שהוא כלשון רבנו הזקן בלקו"ת פ' ראה לב, ב אשר המלך נמצא בשדה וכל אחד רשאי לקבל פניו ומקבל את כולם בספ"י וכו', וכידוע הפתגם מדורות הראשונים לחסידות שזכינו לשמוע מפי כ"ק מו"ח אדמו"ר זצוקללה"ה נבג"מ זי"ע אודות ח"י אלול שמכניס חיות בעניני אלול הכלולים בשלשת העמודים שעליהם העולם עומד, תורה (אלול ר"ת, אנה לידו ושמתי לך, תורה אשר דברי תורה קולטים הם וכמרז"ל, מכות י, א) עבודה (אלול ר"ת, אני לדודי ודודי לי) וגמ"ח (אלול ר"ת איש לרעהו ומתנות לאביונים, וכמובא בספר ערוגת הבושם) ויסודם והקדמתם עמוד התשובה (אלול ר"ת את לבבך ואת לבב - בעה"ט דברים ל, ו).
ובכדי שיהי' כל זה מבלי בלבולים ומניעות צריך להיות שיסיר השי"ת ממנו כל הדברים המונעים כו' וישפיע לנו כל הטובות המחזקים ידינו לעשות את התורה כו' פנוים ללמוד בחכמה ולעשות המצוה (רמב"ם הלכות תשובה ריש פרק ט) אשר כללות כל זה נכלל בניסוח המקובל בתוככי בני ישראל שנה טובה ומתוקה.
בברכה לכתיבה וחתימה טובה לכאו"א מהם הוא וב"ב שיחיו.
With Hashem's Help, 21st of Elul, 5715
Brooklyn
To the Participants in the Gathering on the Auspicious Day of Chai Elul, the Birthday of the Two Great Luminaries, the Baal Shem Tov and the Alter Rebbe,
May Hashem bless you with life and all good things.
Shalom U'vracha (Peace and Blessings)!
I received your letter with great pleasure, sharing the good news of your gathering of friends and companions on the day of Chai Elul. Certainly, through this, you have added to the special aspect of Elul in general, which, as the Alter Rebbe writes in Likkutei Torah (Parshas Re'eh 32b), is when "the King is in the field, and everyone is permitted to approach Him, and He receives all with a pleasant countenance," etc. It is well known, from the earliest generations of Chassidus, the saying that we merited to hear from my father-in-law, the Rebbe, of blessed memory, regarding Chai Elul—that it brings vitality into all matters of Elul, which are encompassed by the three pillars upon which the world stands: Torah (as hinted in the acronym for Elul, “Ina leyado vesamti lach,” referring to the Torah, for words of Torah absorb, as mentioned in Makkos 10a), Avodah (Elul as the acronym for “Ani l’Dodi v’Dodi li”), and Gemilut Chassadim (Elul as the acronym for “Ish l’rei’eihu u’matanot la’evyonim,” as brought in Arovas HaBossem), all of which are preceded and founded upon the pillar of Teshuvah (Elul as the acronym for “Es levavcha ve’es levav,” Devarim 30:6).
In order for all of this to come to fruition without hindrance or obstacles, we pray that Hashem removes all barriers and provides us with all the goodness that strengthens our hands to fulfill the Torah, to be free to study wisdom and perform mitzvos (as stated in the Rambam’s Hilchos Teshuvah, beginning of Chapter 9). All of this is encapsulated in the traditional Jewish blessing for a good and sweet year.
With blessings for a Kesiva v’Chasima Tova to each and every one of you and your families.
B"H, 21st of Elul, 5715.
Brooklyn.
To the participants in the gathering on the auspicious day of Chai Elul, the birthday of the two great luminaries—the Baal Shem Tov and the Alter Rebbe—may Hashem grant you life and all good things.
Shalom u'Vrachah!
I received your letter with great pleasure, sharing the good news about your gathering of friends and companions on Chai Elul. Surely through this you have added to the special aspect of Elul in general, which—as the Alter Rebbe writes in Likkutei Torah (Parshas Re'eh 32b)—is when "the King is in the field and everyone is permitted to approach Him, and He receives all with a pleasant countenance," etc.
It is well known from the earliest generations of Chassidus—the saying we merited to hear from my father-in-law, the Rebbe (of blessed memory), regarding Chai Elul: it brings vitality into all matters of Elul encompassed by the three pillars upon which the world stands—Torah (Elul as an acronym for "Ina leyado vesamti lach," referring to Torah; for words of Torah absorb—as mentioned in Makkos 10a), Avodah (Elul as an acronym for "Ani l'Dodi v'Dodi li"), and Gemilut Chassadim (Elul as an acronym for "Ish l'rei'eihu u'matanot la'evyonim," as brought in Arovas HaBossem). All these are preceded and founded upon the pillar of Teshuvah (Elul as an acronym for "Es levavcha v'es levav," Devarim 30:6).
In order for all this to come about without confusion or obstacles, we pray that Hashem removes all barriers and provides us with every goodness that strengthens our hands to fulfill Torah—to be free to study wisdom and perform mitzvos (as stated in Rambam's Hilchos Teshuvah at the beginning of Chapter 9). All this is encapsulated in the traditional blessing among Bnei Yisrael: a good and sweet year.
Blessings for a Kesivah v'Chasimah Tovah to each one of you and your families.
Summary
This letter highlights how farbrengens during Elul infuse extra vitality into Torah study, prayer, acts of kindness, and especially teshuvah. The Rebbe encourages removing obstacles so these pillars can flourish and blesses everyone for a good and sweet year.