6517 —שנת השמיטה ועבודת ה' שלא על מנת לקבל פרס

B"H, 11 Tishrei, 5719. Brooklyn.

To the participants in the first farbrengen of the Shemitah year, the year 5719 may it be upon us for good, in the city of Toronto — may Hashem be upon them and grant them life.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

It was with pleasure that I received your letter from Motzaei Shabbos Shuvah, reporting about the aforementioned first farbrengen,

and may it be G‑d's will that this be a good beginning for the entire year — the seventh year, which is "a Sabbath for Hashem,"

which is alluded to in, and connected with, "the day that is entirely Shabbos and rest for life everlasting" (see Ibn Ezra and Ramban, "like the day of Shabbos," etc., Vayikra 25:2).

And it is explained in Chassidus that this is the loftiest level in the reward of the Time to Come, which is generally divided into two periods: the period in which there is no rest in Olam HaBa, when "they go from strength to strength," and from this they are elevated to the period of Shabbos and rest for life everlasting.

And since the ultimate perfection of the world at that time depends on "our deeds and our service throughout the duration of the exile" (Tanya, beginning of chapter 37), it follows that our service too must be of this nature.

And it is simple that this is by completely removing oneself from all matters of the world — not only the physical world but even the spiritual world; and not only from human reason and understanding but even from the reason and understanding of holiness — and the service is above reason and understanding, reaching the service of "with all your might" (Devarim 6:5), and it is alluded to in the saying of our Sages, "service not in order to receive a reward" — not even a spiritual reward.

This is also the meaning of the verse "Whom have I in heaven? And with You I desire nothing on earth" (Tehillim 73:25), and as the Alter Rebbe explained it, saying in these words: "I want nothing at all; I do not want Your Gan Eden, I do not want Your World to Come, etc.; I want nothing but You alone" (Shoresh Mitzvas HaTefillah of the Tzemach Tzedek, end of chapter 40).

And regarding this too it is said: "It is not beyond you... it is not in heaven...," and as our Sages say there, that were it in heaven you would have to ascend after it and learn it (Devarim 30:12),

and since we have been assured that "the Holy One, blessed be He, does not come with unreasonable demands upon His creatures," certainly the powers for this have been given — and this is readily understood.

With blessings for a joyous festival.

"And as the Alter Rebbe explained it": See also above, vol. 5, letter 1454; vol. 6, 1549.

Summary

This letter teaches that true divine service means serving G‑d selflessly — not for any material or spiritual reward — as exemplified by Shemitah's message of ultimate rest and devotion. Every Jew has been given the strength to reach this lofty level through sincere effort.