Torah Study Is the Foundation of Blessing

Holy letters of the Rebbe, Volume 17, letter number 6,196. Baruch Hashem, the 26th of Nissan, 5718, Brooklyn. Shalom u’vracha.

A student wrote to the Rebbe. It was on a Monday that he sent his letter. He explained that he was eighteen years old and learning in yeshivah, but the people around him were pressuring him and raising doubts about his future. They were telling him: What will become of you later on? You are in yeshivah, but you are not learning a trade, not attending college, and not getting a professional education. All you know is yeshivah. One can imagine the kind of concerns and arguments they were presenting to him. Troubled by this, he wrote to the Rebbe for guidance.

The Rebbe responds that it is obvious he must continue his studies in the yeshivah, learning our holy Torah. Torah, the Rebbe explains, is the pipeline and vessel through which one receives the blessings of Hakadosh Baruch Hu, the Giver of the Torah. It is only Hashem who feeds and sustains all creation. As we say in bentching: Zon u’mefarnes lakol b’tov, b’chein, b’chesed u’vrachamim—Hashem nourishes and sustains all with goodness, grace, kindness, and mercy.

The Rebbe explains that livelihood does not ultimately come from human studies or professional credentials alone. Parnassah comes from Hashem. Torah is the channel through which His blessing flows, and therefore one should strengthen himself in Torah study.

The Rebbe adds that perfection in the observance of mitzvos brings an additional increase in the blessings of Hashem. This applies as well to one’s future ability to establish himself in livelihood when the proper time comes. Right now, the student’s task is to engage in Torah study and in those things that draw down Hashem’s blessing. When the time arrives to enter the world of livelihood, that blessing will accompany him.

The Rebbe continues that there are thousands upon thousands of young men his age—and even older than he is—who are learning Torah with dedication and diligence and are successful. Many of them have already gone on to establish themselves well in matters of parnassah after their years of learning. Nothing was lost by their devotion to Torah. On the contrary, they succeeded. The Rebbe adds that matters which are publicly known require no proof. It is evident for all to see that many yeshivah students later build successful lives.

The Rebbe then expresses the hope that the student will find acquaintances who know him well and who can explain all of this to those people who are discouraging him and speaking negatively. Let them understand that the path of Torah is not a contradiction to future success, but the very source of blessing and success.

The Rebbe concludes with a blessing: May it be Hashem’s will that he study Torah with dedication and diligence, investing true effort in his learning, and then the promise of our holy Torah will be fulfilled in him: Yagata u’matzasa—if you toil, you will find success. The Rebbe blesses him to learn Torah with yiras Shamayim.

In a postscript, the Rebbe adds that surely he knows of the three daily lessons of Chumash, Tehillim, and Tanya, and he should at least begin observing them from now on.

The message of the letter is clear and powerful: do not be shaken by those who pressure you to abandon Torah study out of fear for the future. Continue learning, continue doing mitzvos, and trust that Hashem, who provides for all, will bless you with success when the proper time comes. In short: remain in the yeshivah, learn with effort, and Hashem will help you succeed.