6713 —"מעט מעט אגרשנו" בעבודת השליחות: צעד אחר צעד, בלי נמיכת רוח, וניצול ימי הפורים

[7 Adar I^[1], 5719]

…^[2] And in general, regarding your work: the general point is that we have been commanded the order of "Little by little I will drive them out"^[3], and it is not your task to grab hold of^[4] all the matters in the course of the first weeks and months of your being in your place now. On the contrary, in a great many matters restraint is needed, and the establishing of a number of matters that must come before them.

It is understood that this does not contradict what I spoke about with …^[5], for what was discussed were general points: cooperation with so-and-so, etc. Moreover, I met with him after a great many^[6] months, and this meeting was the first since your arrival …; understandably we spoke about a broader plan, and not necessarily about what concerns the nearest weeks and days.

Surely, if it will be possible, … will also visit your camp^[7], as you request. But the point stated above stands in its place, and I emphasize it, for it seems from between the lines of your letter that when you are unable to carry out at once^[8] some proposal of work, you feel low in spirit because of it^[9], whereas the order of the world, and also in the work of the mission of our Rebbeim, our leaders, is that one goes step by step.

It would be proper for you to consider how to make use of the coming days of Purim, may they come to us for good^[10]: although they fall in the middle of the week, there is certainly a special possibility to make use of them [in which, too, the point stated above applies: you are not obliged to do specifically great and wondrous things, and better is an activity of a moderate kind, but one that will serve as a preparation for the activities to come; and this is easy to understand^[11]].

With blessings for success in your holy work,

M. Schneerson

It is obvious that in all the above^[12] the intention is not, G‑d forbid, to weaken the energy of the work and the like, but rather^[13] to negate entirely the lowness of spirit mentioned above. It is also understood that the decision which works have already reached their time and which belong to the near future must be made on the spot, and the decision depends on the conditions on the spot, the possibilities that exist, etc. And may G‑d, blessed be He^[14], grant you success in deciding this properly.

Publisher's notes

Printed in Likkutei Sichos vol. 21, p. 477.

Notes

1. Adar I (אד"ר): אד"ר = אדר ראשון, the first Adar (5719 was a leap year).

2. … (...): The beginning of the letter was not printed, nor was the recipient's name. The letter shows that it was written to one of the shluchim ("the work of the mission of our Rebbeim"), about his work and that of those with him, in the place they had reached a few weeks and months earlier ("the first weeks and months of your being in your place now").

3. "Little by little I will drive them out" (מעט מעט אגרשנו): Shemos 23:30: מעט מעט אגרשנו מפניך עד אשר תפרה ונחלת את הארץ, "Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you increase and inherit the land"; the reason is stated in the verse before it (23:29): לא אגרשנו מפניך בשנה אחת פן תהיה הארץ שממה ורבה עליך חית השדה, "I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the beasts of the field multiply against you." Even the conquest of the Land, at G‑d's command, was done gradually. The Rebbe wrote likewise in letter 3465 (vol. 11, 11 Iyar 5715): וכמו שכבוש ארץ ישראל בפעם הראשונה הי' הסדר מעט מעט אגרשנו, הנה כן הוא בחיי כל אחד ואחד מישראל בכבוש ארץ ישראל הרוחנית בחלקו הנופל לגורלו, שאין הכבוש נעשה בבת אחת אלא מעט מעט, "Just as in the first conquest of the Land of Israel the order was 'little by little I will drive them out', so it is in the life of every single Jew, in the conquest of the spiritual Land of Israel, the portion that falls to his lot: the conquest is not made all at once, but little by little."

4. Grab hold of (אריינכאפען): Yiddish: to snatch, to seize, i.e., to take on all the matters at once.

5. What I spoke about with … (למה שדברתי עם...): The name was omitted in print, and words were omitted again below ("since your arrival …", "… will also visit your camp"). That is, there is no contradiction between the Rebbe's advice here and what he discussed with that person, since that conversation was about general lines and a broader plan, not about what concerns the coming weeks and days.

6. A great many (כו"כ): כו"כ = כמה וכמה.

7. Your camp (במחנם): במחנם = "in their camp", i.e., in their place and community.

8. At once (תומ"י): תומ"י = תיכף ומיד.

9. You feel low in spirit because of it (מרגיש בזה נמיכת רוח): The Rebbe wrote similarly in letter 4185 (vol. 12, 26 Adar 5716), to R. Yaakov Yosef Gurkav: במש"כ שאינו רואה תוצאות מפעולותיו וכו' - א"א שכן הוא, כיון שנשיאינו הק' הודיעונו שחזקה לתעמולה שאינה חוזרת ריקם. אלא שבטח יכול שתהינה התוצאות גדולות יותר, אבל כבר נאמר מעט מעט אגרשנו גו', "As for what you write, that you see no results from your activities, etc.: it is impossible that this is so, since our holy leaders have informed us that it is established that propagation does not return empty. Surely the results could be greater, but it has already been said: 'little by little I will drive them out.'" And there: וטובה פעולה אחת מאלף אנחות, "and one deed is better than a thousand sighs."

10. The coming days of Purim, may they come to us for good (ימי הפורים הבע"ל): הבע"ל = הבא עלינו לטובה. The days of Purim are 14 and 15 Adar II, which this year fell on Tuesday and Wednesday.

11. And this is easy to understand (וק"ל): וק"ל = וקל להבין. That is, on Purim too there is no need specifically for "great and wondrous things"; an activity of moderate scope that will serve as a foundation and preparation for the activities to come is better, and this is the very point of "little by little I will drive them out".

12. In all the above (בכהנ"ל): These words were written after the signature, as an addition to the letter. בכהנ"ל = בכל הנ"ל.

13. But rather (כ"א): כ"א = כי אם.

14. G‑d, blessed be He (השי"ת): השי"ת = השם יתברך.

Summary

To a shliach a few weeks and months after his arrival: G‑d's order is "little by little I will drive them out," so he need not take on everything at once, restraint is needed in many matters, and he must not feel low when a proposal cannot be carried out immediately, since in the work of the Rebbeim's mission one goes step by step. For the coming Purim, a moderate activity that prepares the next ones is better than "great and wondrous things"; which work is due now is to be decided on the spot.