4864 —ברכה לדינער לטובת ישיבת אחי תמימים בפיטסבורג הנערך לכבודו, וחשיבות החינוך על טהרת הקודש

B"H, 24 Marcheshvan, 5717

Brooklyn.

The veteran Chassid, G‑d-fearing man, distinguished and honored, engaged in communal needs, our teacher Rabbi Yehuda Leib, may he live

Shalom u'Vrachah!

I was pleased to receive the news, among the reports of the Yeshivah Achei Temimim Lubavitch in Pittsburgh, that a dinner is being prepared whose proceeds go to the yeshivah, and which is being given in your honor.

The directive of our Torah, the Torah of life, is well known: that it is a mitzvah to publicize those who do a mitzvah^[1] — and especially when the activity of those who do the mitzvah is in the field of education in pure holiness^[2], Torah education, which is one of the pillars on which the house of Israel stands. And especially in our time, the doubled and redoubled darkness of the exile^[3], it is vitally important that the education of Jewish children be in the spirit of the perfect Torah^[4], with pure fear of Heaven, with Chassidic warmth and light.

And fortunate is the portion of all those who act in this, to receive additional blessings from the Giver of the Torah in whatever they and their households need.

And I hope that our brethren, the children of Israel, in Pittsburgh, who have known you for many years, will appreciate the importance of what has been said above and will take part in the dinner, and will also influence their friends to take part in it; and, as said, you will have a share also in their share.

Since you do not write me any details about your private affairs, I hope this is a sign that all is in order and at peace; and may Hashem, blessed be He, grant you the merit to share good news also in this.

With blessing for success in all of the above.

Publisher's notes

Rabbi Yehuda Leib: Unger, Pittsburgh. Another letter to him — above, vol. 4, letter 1027.

Notes

[1] To publicize those who do a mitzvah (צו מפרסם זיין עושי מצוה): the dinner in his honor publicizes his work; this too is a mitzvah, since it moves others to do likewise. (The letter is in Yiddish.)

[2] In pure holiness (על טהרת הקדש): education entirely according to the Torah, with no admixture.

[3] The doubled and redoubled darkness of the exile (חשך כפול ומכופל פון דעם גלות): a description of the darkness of exile in the latest generations, doubled and redoubled compared with earlier ones.

[4] The perfect Torah (תורה תמימה): from תורת ה' תמימה משיבת נפש, "The Torah of Hashem is perfect, restoring the soul" (Tehillim 19:8).

Summary

This letter, in Yiddish, welcomes news of a dinner for Yeshivas Achei Temimim in Pittsburgh held in the recipient's honor. It is a mitzvah to publicize those who do mitzvos, especially in pure Torah education, a pillar of the Jewish home; the Rebbe hopes Pittsburgh's Jews will take part and bring their friends.