6508 —עצה להתגברות על תרדמה בלימוד תורה וחיזוק הבריאות

B"H, 4 Tishrei, 5719. Brooklyn.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

In response to your letter from the 24th of Elul, with the enclosed pan (pidyon nefesh), which will be read at an auspicious time at the holy resting place of my father-in-law, the Rebbe, of blessed memory.

I was pleased to read in your letter about your participation in the recent farbrengens over the past weeks. It is well known the saying of our Rebbe, the Alter Rebbe: "What a chassidic farbrengen can accomplish, even the angel Michael cannot accomplish."

Regarding what you wrote about your ailment—that you fall into a slumber, etc.—one piece of advice for this is to learn the subject your heart desires, and to vary your studies from time to time; that is, not to learn for consecutive hours on one topic or in one style. It is understood that this is in addition to strengthening one's physical health in general—especially since this is an elevated matter in its own right, as Rambam writes: "Maintaining a healthy and whole body is among the ways of serving Hashem..."

With blessings for being sealed for a good year and for good news.

Summary

The Rebbe teaches that overcoming drowsiness in Torah study can be helped by learning subjects that inspire you and varying your routine. He also stresses that caring for one's physical health is itself a way of serving G‑d.