Strengthening Torah Study and Serving Hashem with Joy

We have a letter in the holy letters of the Rebbe, volume 17, letter 6159. Baruch Hashem, the 5th of Nissan 5718, Brooklyn. And this is somebody who is known to us, Rabbi Telushkin, who wrote a biography of the Rebbe. That was his father. His name was Nissan Sh’yichye Telushkin. Shalom v’bracha. And he was a follower of the Rebbe and also a great rabbi. And he also did a lot with mikvahs. He did a lot of very important work.

So the Rebbe says, “Shalom v’bracha.” The Rebbe says it was with pleasantness that I received the letter dated the 4th of Nissan with what was attached therein. And as your honor requested, I am going to mention all those you write about them on the holy Tziyon of my father-in-law, the Rebbe, with the Rebbe’s titles, as befitting to what you write for everything you want for them, for their blessings. And the Rebbe prays, “Vi-yehi ratzon,” and I pray may it be the will of Hashem that you shall be able to give good news in all the above.

And the Rebbe says, likewise, in a timely way, I received this good news, the happy news from our friends, Anash, the Chassidim in Miami, about the public study in the Tanya. There was a class set up over there. And the Rebbe said, apparently, I would assume that they went there for vacation, or people used to go to Miami. I think he lived in New York and had a shul there, but he probably went there for vacation. So that is why the Rebbe says that for sure before you left, you appointed somebody to take your place. That is what the Rebbe says. Certainly before you left, you appointed somebody to take your place, because he gave the class in Tanya in order to strengthen this idea. And especially, the Rebbe says, we have been commanded not just to strengthen, but also to add in matters of Torah and mitzvos.

And since Hashem instructed us to go and add and do more, that means that we have the power. Hashem does not come with unfounded expectations from those He created. A person does not expect a machine to produce something that it was not built to produce. If Hashem created us and expects from us, that means Hashem gave us the ability to fulfill it. So therefore, Hashem prepares ahead of time the possibility to fulfill this command to go ahead and strengthen and do more. And it is only up to the person who is encouraging.

So the Rebbe says, based on what they wrote to me from there about the impression of this study of Tanya, it is my hope that if you communicate with them, if you correspond with those who are organizing and leading the shiur, and from time to time you will encourage them about the importance of this matter and how it should be continued, then for sure you will be successful. The Rebbe wants him also, and makes him the agent, to ensure that this continues. The Rebbe makes you responsible, and once you are responsible, you must act. So the Rebbe appoints him to encourage participation and to increase the shiur.

And the Rebbe says, we have already been promised: Dvarim hayotzim min halev nichnasim el halev. Words that come from the heart enter the heart. So if you speak from your heart, it will enter the heart.

And as we are approaching the festival of Matzos, the time of our redemption, which is coming upon us and upon all Jews for good, I want to express hereby my blessing for a Chag Kasher v’Sameach, a happy and kosher Pesach, and for true freedom—freedom from all worries, both physical worries and spiritual worries. Freedom from anything that prevents serving Hashem with joy and gladness of heart. Because if a person has worries, whether spiritual or physical, they distract him and do not allow him to fully serve Hashem with joy. So the blessing is that you should have true freedom and be able to celebrate with joy and gladness of heart, and that this freedom and joy should extend throughout the entire year.

Especially, the Rebbe says, when we serve Hashem, we are instructed to serve Hashem with joy, Ivdu es Hashem b’simcha, as we have been instructed in the Torah, which is a Toras Chayim, a Torah of life. One might think that serving Hashem is only when one is in shul, davening, or learning. But that is not the case. We are always serving Hashem. The service of Hashem applies in all aspects of a person’s life, throughout the entire day and night, as it is said in the verse, B’chol drachecha da’eihu, in all your ways you should know Him, meaning that whatever you are doing, you are serving Hashem.

So therefore, since serving Hashem must be with joy, you are given a special blessing to be free from all worries, so that you can serve Hashem properly with joy and gladness of heart.

The Rebbe encourages Rabbi Telushkin, having heard about the Tanya shiur that was organized there, and appoints him to ensure that it continues and grows. The Rebbe emphasizes that since Hashem wants this increase, He has given the ability to accomplish it. And the Rebbe blesses him with true freedom, a Chag Kasher v’Sameach, and the ability to be free of all worries so that he can serve Hashem with joy and gladness of heart.

Summary
The Rebbe teaches that responsibility in spreading Torah comes with the power to succeed. Through heartfelt encouragement and freedom from distraction, one can inspire others and serve Hashem with true joy in every aspect of life.

אגרות קודש של הרבי, כרך י״ז, מכתב מספר 6159. ברוך השם, ה׳ ניסן תשי״ח, ברוקלין. שלום וברכה.

מדובר בר׳ ניסן תלושקין, מחסידי הרבי, שעסק רבות בפעילות ציבורית ובמיוחד בענייני מקוואות.

הרבי כותב שקיבל בשמחה את מכתבו מיום ד׳ ניסן עם המצורף, ויזכיר על הציון הקדוש של כ״ק אדמו״ר הריי״צ את כל מי שביקש עבורם ברכה, ומברך שיוכל לבשר בשורות טובות.

הרבי מציין גם את הבשורה המשמחת על שיעור התניא במיאמי, ומדגיש שבוודאי מונה מחליף להמשיך את השיעור. שכן נצטווינו לא רק לחזק אלא גם להוסיף בלימוד התורה וקיום המצוות.

הרבי מבאר שכאשר ה׳ מצווה—הוא גם נותן את הכוחות לקיים. ולכן יש לעודד ולהמשיך את השיעור, ולחזק את המשתתפים, מתוך הבטחה שדברים היוצאים מן הלב נכנסים אל הלב.

לקראת חג הפסח, הרבי מברך לחירות אמיתית—חירות מכל דאגות, גשמיות ורוחניות—כדי שנוכל לעבוד את ה׳ בשמחה.

הרבי מדגיש שעבודת ה׳ אינה רק בזמן תפילה או לימוד, אלא בכל מעשי האדם, כפי שנאמר “בכל דרכיך דעהו”. ולכן יש צורך להיות בשמחה תמיד.

הרבי מסיים בברכה לחג פסח כשר ושמח, וליכולת לעבוד את ה׳ מתוך שמחה והרחבת הדעת במשך כל השנה.