5862 —סעודה שלישית בשבת, ושינוי הטבע בפעולה על הזולת ועל בני הבית

B"H, 20th of Marcheshvan, 5718

Brooklyn.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

In reply to your letter of the 16th of Cheshvan, in which you write regarding the third meal of the holy Shabbos.

Your question is surprising, since what is printed in Hayom Yom is as I heard it from my father-in-law, his holy eminence our master, teacher and Rebbe [the Previous Rebbe], may the memory of the righteous and holy be for a blessing for the life of the World to Come, whose soul is in the treasuries on high, may his merit protect us; and it was printed in his lifetime in this world, and he also saw what was printed there after it was printed.

Incidentally, what is quoted there regarding the third meal is so in a Chassidic maamar of his holy eminence the Rebbe (Rashab), whose soul is in Eden, beginning "Meheirah Yishama," 5648.

As is your way, you mention nothing regarding your activities to influence others. Although one could plead in your favor that habit becomes second nature, the greatness of the matter, and the demand to change the nature of one's traits, has already been explained, particularly since this is among the matters of Chassidus, as explained in the sichos of 5693 (Simchas Torah).

May it be G‑d's will that at least from now on this conduct will change. And I fear that "regarding others" includes also your wife and household, may they live; that is to say, that you do not devote as much of your time as is needed to guiding them, בדרכי נועם "in ways of pleasantness" (cf. דרכיה דרכי נעם "Her ways are ways of pleasantness," Mishlei 3:17), etc.

With blessing for good news in all the above, and in the other matters you mention,

M. Schneersohn

Publisher's notes

Hayom Yom (היום יום): 22 Adar I: My father [the Rebbe Rashab] writes in one of his maamarim: The statement about the third meal, היום לא "today you will not [find it in the field]" (Shabbos 117b, on Shemos 16:25), means that bread is not required, but one must taste something; and Rabbi Yosi said, יהא חלקי מאוכלי שלש סעודות "May my portion be among those who eat three meals [on Shabbos]" (Shabbos 118b).

Meheirah Yishama, 5648 (מהרה ישמע, תרמ"ח): This maamar has not reached us; see the references in Likkutei Sichos vol. 21, p. 84, note 9.

Summary

This letter affirms that the Hayom Yom entry on the third Shabbos meal (bread is not required, but one must taste something) is exactly as the Previous Rebbe said it and as the Rebbe Rashab wrote it. It then turns to the recipient himself: habit is no excuse, for Chassidus demands changing one's nature, and his influence on others must begin with guiding his own wife and household in ways of pleasantness.