6591 —תפלה, תורה, ושמחת ההתאחדות עם הבורא

B"H, 8th of Kislev, 5719. Brooklyn.

Harav Shneur Zalman Shazar.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

Certainly you received the regards I asked to be conveyed to you by Harav Hachassid Vavac"h Iy"a Nu"m who is involved with tzt"z and full of energy, Moreinu Harav Reb Binyamin Eliyahu Gorodetzki, and Harav Hachassid Vavac"h Iy"a Nu"m who is involved with tzt"z etc., Moreinu David Chanazin.

I was saddened to hear that your wife's health was not in order, and I hope that the medical treatment succeeded and that her peace of mind has also returned. I was also told that you yourself were in distress and scattered in spirit—and indeed, distress and scattered thoughts are contrary to all human life as a human being. In the words of our Sages: one should not stand to pray from a place of sadness etc., nor to rule on halachah; after all, an entire Jew's life on earth is prayer and Torah.

Prayer is elevation from below to above until connection, cleaving, and unification with the Creator; Torah is drawing down from His essence—drawing down holiness and goodness below. Their ultimate purpose is that they be done in public (with a community), as explained in Iggeres HaKodesh by Admor Hazaken section 23.

The inner explanation from Admor Hazaken is known: public prayer means gathering all the refinements and elevating them through prayer (see letter of my father-in-law the Rebbe printed in Kovetz HaTamim vol. 2 p. 46). From this we also understand what "public" means regarding Torah.

And a person who is intellectual must certainly do all his matters intentionally and for an important purpose—gathering his actions—deeds, words, thoughts—and his soul powers for this lofty goal: namely, raising them from below to above; then drawing into them a higher light from Heaven beyond what one could achieve on one's own.

Chassidus comes to unite and unify Torah and prayer through teaching that prayer follows contemplation on G‑d's greatness—in a way of learning and understanding with Chabad (intellect) of the soul: "Know the G‑d of your father," after which prayer continues as it says: "and serve Him with a whole heart." Similarly, before Torah study one precedes it with awe and love—Ahavas Hashem and Yiras Hashem—which come as results from avodah during prayer. Then Torah unites the learner with the Giver of Torah until reaching the level where "Israel, Torah, and the Holy One Blessed Be He are all one."

There is no greater joy than the joy of uniting created being with Creator—a double joy: joy for the Creator and joy for the created being—as explained in Tanya chapter 33.

With honor and blessing for good news revealed good in all mentioned above.

Certainly according to your good custom over many years you will visit Kfar Chabad on the bright day—the upcoming 19th of Kislev—to mark one hundred sixty years since the liberation day of our Rebbe Hazaken together with his liberation was also that of his Torah—Chabad Chassidus—and all those who follow its ways—he, his children, grandchildren until our generation: "We who stand here today are all alive." (Iggeres HaKodesh section 27).

Summary

The Rebbe teaches that both prayer and Torah study serve to connect us deeply with G‑d. Through communal practice and inner focus inspired by Chassidus, we elevate ourselves spiritually—leading to true joy found in unity between creation and Creator.