5409 —הכנה ומעורבות בהפצת החסידות

B"H, 29th of Nissan, 5717. Brooklyn.

Havavach iy"a nu"n ish rav pealim Avraham Mordechai Shmuel Lider

Shalom u'Vrachah!

After a pause, I have now received your two letters from after Pesach and the two before them, in which you write at length about the farbrengen, the Kinus Melaveh Malka and the kabbolas ponim for the Chief Rabbi of England. As I believe I already wrote to you, it is specifically where one should elaborate that people are brief; yet at the farbrengen and especially at the kinus and kabbolas ponim, every detail is praiseworthy to mention—not the opposite. Perhaps a more detailed letter about these will still arrive.

I hope that since you wrote that the negative aspects at the kinus were due to a lack of proper preparation, at least from now on there will be interest in preparing all Chabad matters ahead of time with the necessary attention. Success in such things is not only about succeeding at a specific hour or day; rather, it also determines how much influence there will be on those who attend and gather. Therefore, every effort and endeavor is worthwhile since it affects many people. After all our learning merits, it is still not understood—after dealing with such matters for so many years and seeing clearly how much preparation and planning ahead matter—why we still stumble over this obstacle anew every morning.

I was pleased to read in your letter that you are preparing to help with registration [of students for Oholei Yosef Yitzchak], and I am confident based on what was said above that this will be done in an organized manner with the necessary energy. This matter is time-sensitive—until when will lack of preparation be a stumbling block for us?

It is understood that all of the above is not directed at you personally; with your permission and merit, please convey this to all those active among Anash. Anyone who reflects on our times can easily recognize the truth: everyone is an activist; one who does not act practically is simply following his evil inclination—and moreover, he sins by not utilizing the strengths and opportunities given to him by Hashem which then go to waste.

May it be G‑d's will that you bring good news of a fundamental change regarding all of the above very soon.

Blessings for good tidings with proper health, expanded mind, and outstanding success in your activities spreading the wellsprings in particular.

P.S. ... Regarding your question whether besides teaching you should also engage in activities for Tzeirei Agudas Chabad: my view here too is known—that everyone should take part in spreading the wellsprings outward, especially young people whose strength lies with them as granted by Divine Providence. However, obviously, the time devoted to these activities cannot be set rigidly; it depends on local conditions—place, time, abilities—and accordingly one decides each activity... but only insofar as it does not interfere at all now with education in our holy city...

Summary

The Rebbe teaches that careful preparation and wholehearted involvement are essential for success in spreading Chassidus. Every individual has a role to play; neglecting one's abilities means missing opportunities granted by Hashem. Organized effort brings blessing to many.