6557 —ביקור קהילות, התעוררות לבבות ישראל, ושיתוף בשורות טובות

B"H, 15th of Marcheshvan, 5719

Brooklyn.

The Rabbi and Gaon, the Rabbi and Chassid, a G‑d-fearing man, honored and elevated, engaged in communal needs, our teacher Rabbi Alexander Sender, may he live

Shalom u'Vrachah!

I hereby acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 7th of Cheshvan, in which you write that you received the papers, as well as an outline of your activities.

It is surprising that you make no mention of visits to various places, as you were accustomed to make during the summer months. Perhaps there is now even more room for this, explaining to them that you are preparing to travel here and will visit the holy resting place (the tziyun) of my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe, of saintly memory, whose soul is in the hidden treasuries on high, may his merit protect us, the Nasi of Israel, etc., etc. For the heart of Israel is awake — ולבי ער "and my heart is awake" (Shir HaShirim 5:2) — even among those who are asleep in exile (whatever level of sleep it may be,* for the verse makes no distinction in this, and this is easily understood). And may it be G‑d's will that in this too you will bring truly good news, טוב לשמים וטוב לבריות "good to Heaven and good to people" (Kiddushin 40a), and a good that bears fruit, as in the discussion in tractate Kiddushin (of the Holy One, blessed be He, and Israel, who are groom and bride, and חתונתם "their wedding" is the Giving of the Torah (Taanis 26b, on Shir HaShirim 3:11) — which was given (for) forty (days), page one [i.e., folio 40, side a] (see the additions to Torah Or at the end of Parshas Yisro, that the Giving of the Torah is specifically one day, and not like the other festivals)).

With blessing for good news in all the above.

*) See Bereishis Rabbah 17:5; and the well-known maamar ואת האלף ותשע"ה "And of the thousand, seven hundred and seventy-five" (Shemos 38:28), etc.

Publisher's notes

Printed in Likkutei Sichos vol. 21, p. 372, and completed according to the copy in the Secretariat.

Our teacher Rabbi Alexander Sender (מו"ה אלכסנדר סענדר): Yudasin. Further letters to him: above, vol. 14, 4802, and the sources noted there.

And in the well-known maamar (ובמאמר הידוע): Printed in Maamarei Admur HaZaken al HaTorah, Pekudei, p. 419.

See also: vol. 21, letter 7981.

Summary

This letter urges the recipient to resume his visits to communities, using his coming trip to the Previous Rebbe's resting place as an occasion, since every Jewish heart remains awake even in the deepest sleep of exile. It blesses him with news that is good for Heaven and for people, alluding to the bond of G‑d and Israel as groom and bride at the Giving of the Torah.