The Need for Stability and Effort

Holy letters of the Rebbe, Volume 15, letter number 5,442. Boruch Hashem, the 11th day of Iyar, 5717, Brooklyn. Shalom u’vracha.

The Rebbe writes that after a long interruption he received the writer’s letter dated the 29th of Nissan, in which he states that he had returned to Yeshivah. However, after a short time he changed direction again, then accepted a teaching position, and now had decided that he no longer wanted that either.

The Rebbe explains that generally such conduct points to a lack of discipline and a lack of accepting responsibility, to the extent that there is no order even in the primary areas of life. If there is no structure in the major matters of life, then certainly the secondary matters are also without order and focus.

The Rebbe says it is self-understood that this type of conduct is entirely improper. At the same time, correcting it does not require climbing to the heavens. The solution is neither distant nor difficult. It depends on taking some time for honest reflection and recognizing that every person was created for a specific purpose and mission.

As the Mishnah teaches, a person is created to serve his Creator. Therefore, wasting time in idleness and simply following every passing desire shows that one is not taking life’s true purpose seriously. If a person merely does whatever he feels like in the moment, he is ignoring the greater goal for which he was created.

The Rebbe adds that it is also obvious that one cannot establish a proper life while refusing effort in every area. Whether it is Torah study, employment, or personal growth, the writer appears to want everything to come easily, without labor or struggle.

The Rebbe writes that this seems to be the common thread in the writer’s decisions. He left Yeshivah because he did not want to work hard in learning. He now wants to leave teaching because that too requires discipline, preparation, and changing from a life without order into a life of responsibility.

The Rebbe emphasizes that the world was not created for a person simply to drift and chase whatever he wants at the moment. However, the Rebbe adds that his intention is not merely to rebuke, but to encourage him once and for all to understand that no person can declare himself an exception to the rule and imagine that he alone will succeed without effort.

Our Sages teach: if someone says, “I did not labor and yet I succeeded,” do not believe him. If people are settled and successful, it is because they worked for it. Therefore, the writer must think again about why he rejects this teaching position and honestly examine his motives.

The writer had also suggested becoming a farmer. The Rebbe responds that he should consider what will happen when he learns how much labor farming requires. Most likely, he will then reject that as well because it too demands hard work.

The message is that in every path a person chooses, effort is required. One must change the mistaken attitude that something meaningful can be achieved without toil. People who succeed do so because they apply themselves. No one receives lasting success simply because he wishes for it.

The Rebbe advises that after proper reflection he should proceed with energy and with fitting effort, as the Sages say, “Yagata u’matzata”—if you labor, you will find success. Whatever profession he chooses, he must choose something and commit himself to it.

He should not imagine that in a few days he will see open miracles and effortless wealth against the normal order of the world. Rather, he should trust the promise of the Sages that through labor and persistence one ultimately succeeds.

The Rebbe blesses him that Hashem should place into his heart the ability to decide what is truly good for him, both materially and spiritually together.

The Rebbe then turns to the writer’s spiritual concerns. The writer had described his spiritual state as terrible. The Rebbe responds that this is not the proper description. The Yetzer Hara has only a small share in the problem. The greater issue is laziness and the unwillingness to exert oneself and struggle in any worthwhile matter.

The Rebbe explains that even this laziness is itself a form of Yetzer Hara, because on the side of holiness, zeal and alacrity are foundational principles. People may call laziness a temperament or personality trait, but in truth it is something negative that must be overcome.

The good news, the Rebbe says, is that this challenge is easier to defeat. Even ordinary human reason recognizes that one cannot simply remain passive and expect results. Therefore, the writer can certainly change, become more focused, energetic, and productive, and accomplish what he is meant to accomplish.

The writer also asked about a proposed shidduch in which the girl had the same name as his mother. The Rebbe answers that if the match is pursued, a name should be added either to the mother or to the girl. In addition, they should not live in the same place, since calling a wife by the same name as one’s mother can create discomfort and issues of respect.

Finally, the Rebbe notes that the writer did not mention any participation in the activities of Tzeirei Agudas Chabad during the past month of Nissan. Perhaps, the Rebbe says, this omission was only in writing and not in practice.

The Rebbe concludes with blessing. The central message is clear: establish direction, make decisions, remain consistent, and understand that both worldly and spiritual success come through steady effort and disciplined living.

Summary – The Rebbe teaches that confusion and instability are often cured not by changing paths, but by changing habits. When a person accepts responsibility, works hard, and stays committed, both material success and spiritual growth become possible.