ב"ה, ג' שבט, תשי"ח
ברוקלין.
מחות' הוו"ח אי"א נו"נ וכו'
מוה' שניאור זלמן שי'[1]
שלום וברכה!
לאחרי השתיקה הארוכה מאשר הנני קבלת מכתבו מיום ועש"ק, ולפלא שכותב שעד עתה לא קבל אישור קבלת הביכל ששלח ע"י מחו' הוו"ח מוה' דובער שי' לאדמיר, שהרי אשרוהו מכבר ומכבר, ומובן שכשידפיסו מה מהביכלעך ששלח, יציינו את הביכעל ובצירוף שם הבעל של הביכעל, ז.א. אביו ע"ה ואשר נתקבל ע"י כ' שליט"א והרי נוהג ישראל הוא.
ובזה להעיר שמזכיר במכתב, שהי' מעלי' הראשונה של חסידי חב"ד ששלח אותם אדמו"ר הזקן, ואתענין לדעת אם פליטת הקולמוס הוא וצ"ל אדמו"ר האמצעי, כי כמדומה עלי' הראשונה של חסידי חב"ד היתה בזמנו ולא בזמן אדמו"ר זקן (כי עליית החסידים שבשנת תקל"ז היתה עליית חסידים בכלל תיכף לאחרי הסתלקות הרה"צ המלאך שעדיין לא נתפרסמה חסידות חב"ד כחטיבה בפ"ע, עד שאדמו"ר הזקן קבל נשיאות בפרסום איזה שנים אחרי זה).
בעת רצון יזכירו אותו וב"ב שיחיו על הציון הק' של כ"ק מו"ח אדמו"ר זצוקללה"ה נבג"מ זי"ע כאו"א להמצטרך להם.
בת"ח עוה"פ על שילוח הביכעל.
בברכה לבשו"ט.
In the holy letters of the Rebbe, Volume 16, letter number 6,034.
Baruch Hashem, the third day of Shevat, 5718, Brooklyn.
The Rebbe addresses his mchuten, ha-vatik ve-ha-chassid, Moreinu Shneur Zalman sheyichye Schmerling.
Reb Zalman Schmerling was a well-known chassid who would come to the Rebbe and attend farbrengens when I was growing up. He came from Tel Aviv. The Rebbe refers to him as mchuten because he was also a descendant of the Alter Rebbe, (on his mothers side) and the Rebbe himself descends from the Alter Rebbe as well.
Reb Zalman would come every year to the Rebbe and would bring the Rebbe hadassim for the lulav and esrog. The Rebbe had a close connection with him, as he was a distant relative. The Rebbe often asked him to serve as the shliach tzibur for the recitation of Tehillim in 770. Although he did not originally have a beard, after his brother passed away in 5737 he began growing one, and the Rebbe was very pleased with this.
At one farbrengen, Reb Zalman presented the Rebbe with the Sefer HaTzetzaim, a book listing the various descendants within Chabad.
The Rebbe opens the letter with Shalom u’Bracha and notes the long silence, insinuating that he wishes people would write more frequently. The Rebbe then confirms receipt of Reb Zalman’s letter dated the Friday before the holy Shabbos. He expresses surprise that Reb Zalman wrote that he had not yet received confirmation for the bichel—the manuscript notebook—that he had sent through his mchuten, ha-vatik ve-ha-chassid Dovber sheyichye Lodmer.
The Rebbe notes that confirmation had already been given long ago. He adds that it is understood that when material from the bichel is published, the source will be cited, including the name of the owner of the manuscript—his father of blessed memory—and that it was received through Reb Zalman. This, the Rebbe writes, is in keeping with Jewish tradition. He reassures him that full credit will be given.
The Rebbe then addresses a point mentioned in the letter, namely that the owner of the bichel was among the first group of Chassidim sent by the Alter Rebbe. The Rebbe wonders whether this was written inadvertently (pletas hakolmos), and whether he intended to refer instead to the Mitteler Rebbe. The Rebbe explains that the first aliyah of Chabad Chassidim took place in the time of the Mitteler Rebbe, not the Alter Rebbe.
The Rebbe elaborates that the general aliyah of Chassidim occurred after the passing of the Maggid of Mezritch’s son, known as the Malach. At that time, Chassidus Chabad had not yet emerged as a distinct movement. Only later, when the Alter Rebbe publicly assumed leadership, did Chabad take form, and the organized aliyah of Chassidei Chabad followed during the time of the Mitteler Rebbe. Therefore, the Rebbe explains, it could not be described as the first aliyah of Chabad in the time of the Alter Rebbe.
The Rebbe concludes by writing that at an auspicious time he will mention Reb Zalman and his family members, may they live, at the holy Tzion of his father-in-law, the Rebbe, each according to their needs. He thanks him again for sending the bichel and blesses him with good news.
In summary, the Rebbe expresses appreciation for the manuscript, reassures him that proper credit will be given, encourages more regular correspondence, clarifies a historical point regarding the aliyah of Chabad Chassidim, and offers a heartfelt blessing.