5464 —בריאות, ימי החירות, ושירת הפרות

B"H, 20 Iyar, 5717.

Brooklyn.

Haraha"ch iy"a nu"n etc. Shaul Yissachar

Shalom u'Vrachah!

In response to your letter from Erev Yom HaBahir, the yahrzeit of Rashbi, after Atzeres: At an auspicious time I will mention you and your wife at the holy resting place of my father-in-law, the Rebbe zatzal nbg"m zya"a for all that you need according to what you wrote... May it be G‑d's will that you share good news regarding an improvement in your health very soon.

Especially as we are now in the days between Pesach—Zman Cheiruseinu (the time of our freedom)—and Shavuos—Zman Matan Torah (the time of giving the Torah), 'charus al haluchos' (engraved on the tablets), do not read 'charus' but 'cheirus' (freedom). May it be G‑d's will that everyone experiences true freedom from all matters that disturb serving Hashem—including matters of bodily health. As our Sages explain: all Israel were healthy and whole to receive the Torah both spiritually and physically. This is understood even more deeply according to Tanya chapter 49: 'u'vanu vacharta mikol am v'lashon' (and You chose us from every nation and tongue)—the revealed choice at Matan Torah was specifically in the physical body, etc., see there.

Blessings for good news,

M. Schneersohn

Regarding your comment in Likkutei Torah Bamidbar (discourse "U'Sfartem Sus'a") where it says "and cows that carried the Ark in the days of David": this actually occurred before Saul's reign, as proven by verses. Note also that in Sefer HaMitzvos by tzt"z on mitzvah of Omer and Sefirah section 1, the words "in the days of David" do not appear—but based on what is written in Shmuel I 7:2; II Samuel 5:4-5; II Samuel 6:3—it is clear that at the event when cows carried [the Ark], David was seventeen years old.

The connection between "Vayisharna haparot" (the cows went straight) and David is emphasized by our Sages (Avodah Zarah 24b; Midrash Shmuel; Yalkut Shimoni etc.), who say they sang "Hodu laHashem..." (Give thanks to Hashem...), which David later instructed to be said before the Ark (I Chronicles 16). See Radak's commentary there for further opinions about the song of the cows.

The connection between this episode and David according to Chassidus—see tzt"z on Tehillim section 98 and discourse "Hodu laHashem" (Sefer HaMaamarim 5627).

Summary

The Rebbe teaches that true freedom includes both spiritual and physical health, especially during these special days. He connects this idea with historical events involving King David and explains their deeper meaning through Chassidus.