3885 —ברכה ועידוד לדינר השנתי של ישיבות תומכי תמימים ליובאוויטש

B"H, 15 MarCheshvan, 5716

Brooklyn, N.Y.

To our brethren, the Children of Israel, who love and cherish Torah and mitzvos,
may G‑d be upon them, may they live

Greetings and blessing!

Herewith I send my blessing to all the askanim of the yeshivah, the helpers and participants in the preparation of the annual dinner of the Central Yeshivos "Tomchei Temimim" Lubavitch, which is to take place, G‑d willing, on Sunday of the week of Parshas Vayigash, 3 Teves, may it come upon us for good.

I greet the friends of the Lubavitcher yeshivos in connection with the merit they have been privileged to have, a share in supporting one of the greatest strongholds of Torah with the fear of Heaven in our time.

Together with this I send my call, in keeping with the saying of our Sages אין מזרזין אלא למזורזין, "one urges on only those who are already zealous" (Sifra, beginning of Parshas Tzav; Sifrei, Naso), and I underline the special obligation that rests on all those who understand the vital importance of a yeshivah in general, and of the Lubavitcher yeshivos in particular.

Like all matters of Torah and mitzvos, their work for the Lubavitcher yeshivos must be done with zeal, as the virtue of zeal is known, which Avraham Avinu implanted in all Jews to the end of all generations; and it must be in an increasing measure, like every living thing, whose sign of life is that it grows and develops.

As our Sages said: מעלין בקדש, "one ascends in holiness" (Berachos 28a).

A special merit and obligation rests in particular on the leading askanim, those who set the tone and show the way, די עושים ומעשים, "those who do and those who cause others to do" (cf. Bava Basra 9a), on whom the success of a yeshivah undertaking depends to a great extent.

They should and must create the necessary movement of dedication and self-sacrifice, so that each one does his duty according to his powers, the revealed powers and the hidden powers, and in this way ensure the further existence and expansion of Merkaz HaYeshivos Tomchei Temimim Lubavitch.

Recognizing the great merit and sensing the holy obligation, each one will merit the blessing of our holy Rebbeim, the founders of the Yeshivah Tomchei Temimim Lubavitch, who always arouse great mercy for the supporters of the yeshivah,

for the threefold blessing in בני חיי ומזונא רויחא, "children, life and ample sustenance" (cf. Mo'ed Katan 28a), in addition to the blessing ותומכי' מאושר, "and those who support it are fortunate" (Mishlei 3:18).

With blessing for success in all the above.

Publisher's notes

Printed in Likkutei Sichos, vol. 24, p. 479.