4874 —בית רבקה לילדות לכל היום באגאדיר – אפילו אם הראשית מצער, ובאופן שלא יגרום למחלוקת; פנס ברחוב

B"H, 26 Marcheshvan, 5717

Brooklyn.

The Rabbi and Chassid, G‑d-fearing man, distinguished and honored, occupied with communal needs, our teacher Rabbi Azriel, may he live

Shalom u'Vrachah!

I was pleased to read in your letter of the increase in the number of students, may they live — although it is understood that this is not enough, and surely you are working for growth both in quantity and in quality, both for the boys and for the girls.

As for what you write about the full-day Beth Rivkah for girls: the need for it is understood, even if the beginning will be small. [It is understood, though, that it must be arranged so that it does not cause strife; and surely there are several ways to calm those who fear that this aims to destroy their institution, especially since, as you write, the Rav too favors founding the institution.] It has already been said, "Your beginning shall be small"^[1] — and as the Baal Shem Tov explains, through this there will be — "and your end shall greatly increase." And well known is the talk of my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe, that when a lamp is set up in the street in the darkness of night, people gather around it; and this is easy to understand.

Surely you will write in the future regularly and in the necessary detail; and may it be G‑d's will that the news be gladdening, materially and spiritually.

Surely you will make use of the days of Yud-Tes Kislev and Chanukah, may they come upon us for good, as required and as befits your holy work in the Ohalei Yosef Yitzchak Lubavitch institutions. And may G‑d, blessed be He, grant you success.

With blessing.

Publisher's notes

Rabbi Azriel: Chaikin, Agadir. Other letters to him — above, vol. 13, letter 4413, letter 4639.

As the Baal Shem Tov explains: see also above, vol. 6, letter 1559, and the sources noted there; vol. 10, letter 3366; below, letter 5171.

When a lamp is set up: see also above, vol. 11, letter 3672, and the sources noted there.

Notes

[1] "Your beginning shall be small" (והי' ראשיתך מצער): Iyov 8:7: והיה ראשיתך מצער ואחריתך ישגה מאד, "Your beginning shall be small, and your end shall greatly increase." The Baal Shem Tov reads it: because your beginning is small (with humility and self-nullification), your end will greatly increase.

Summary

This letter welcomes the growth in students and urges more in quantity and quality. A full-day Beth Rivkah for girls is needed even if it starts small, without causing strife: "your beginning small" brings, as the Baal Shem Tov explains, a great end; and as the Previous Rebbe said, people gather around a lamp lit in the dark.