5981 —חיזוק התורה ואחדות על ידי י״ט כסלו

B"H, 11 Teves, 5718.

Brooklyn.

Haraha"g vavac"h iy"a nu"n rav pealim etc. Elchanan Heilprin

Shalom u'Vrachah!

I acknowledge receipt of your letter from the eve of the Festival of Lights, which reached me the day before yesterday along with the complete Marganita D'Rabbi Baruch book. Many thanks for this response and for your attention in sending me the book. May it be G‑d's will that you increase strength in Torah to magnify and glorify it; this includes Torah study from its lowest form to its ultimate perfection—teaching children (see Rambam Hilchos Talmud Torah end of chapter 2). In the words of Rabbeinu HaZaken: even if it is not for its own sake but out of fear of the teacher's strap (Tanya ch. 55a), and regarding study that is above learning that leads to action (Chullin 66b). In our generation, this is especially essential—the mitzvah and necessity to bring together both aspects of Torah: the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge, to unite them as one in your hand (see Zohar III 126b, 157a). This is explained according to Chabad Chassidus in Iggeres HaKodesh by Rabbeinu HaZaken section 26 and in his Likkutei Torah Parshas Shelach p.42b onward until "the wellsprings spread outward," fulfilling the prophecy: "As I am written, so am I called," unity revealed and hidden of the Holy One Blessed Be He.

With honor and blessing.

P.S. As is my custom out of affection for the matter—even though time does not permit—I nevertheless glanced through the book hurriedly, making some brief notes as I passed through.

a) At the beginning of the book on "Vayehi Or": It seems there is a question about what is novel in this interpretation since this is precisely what our Sages say in Bereishis Rabbah 42:4 cited at the start. Also, regarding what is written that the light that was hidden away is sunlight—this appears in many places—but actually, the light created on day one and sunlight are two separate things, as is also evident from the fact that sunlight was hidden in its sheath (and in the future G‑d will remove it from its sheath), whereas about the hidden light it says it was stored away for the future (though this distinction can be answered).

b) At the end of the book regarding Shemoneh Esrei etc., based on "seventy faces to Torah," it follows our Sages who say Israel repents first and then Mashiach comes [though they disagree on how teshuvah happens (Sanhedrin 97b)]. Because of the first seventeen curses, repentance becomes extremely difficult; even those who repent for their own matters are responsible for all Israel due to mutual responsibility—they should have protested. Even those who do protest—our Sages say up to rebuke with blows or curses—and even though it is revealed before Him that if they protested they would not be heeded, only He knows this. As our Sages relate (Shabbos 55a). To correct this, Yeshayahu prophesied "the youth will act arrogantly against elders," so that even they will know their protest won't be accepted—thus nullifying this claim. According to this explanation, his mind was calmed because this matter corrects all consequences of those seventeen [curses], clarifying also our Sages' precision: when Israel repents they are immediately redeemed—as Rambam writes Hilchos Teshuvah ch.9 halacha 5 and as Rabbeinu HaZaken writes in his Iggeres HaTeshuvah ch.11.

Summary

The Rebbe teaches that strengthening Torah at every level unites all aspects of learning and brings redemption closer. He encourages careful study while addressing communal responsibility for spiritual improvement.