6716 —עצה לעצבות מתחושת כשלון: הודיה על החיים, הכחות שניתנו עם הבחירה, והשתדלות שוב ושוב

B"H, 10 Adar I, 5719
Brooklyn.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

In reply to your letter, in which you write how some time ago you were in a state of sadness, and see the cause in the fact that, in your opinion, you are not succeeding in several of your affairs, etc.; you fear you may come to such a mood in the future too, and you ask for advice on this.

Although you do not write about your situation in matters of Yiddishkeit, Torah study and the observance of its mitzvos, I presume you are as you are presumed to be, in the language of our Sages, "a messenger carries out his mission"^[1]; and every single one^[2] of Israel is a messenger of the Omnipresent, the Creator of the world and its Guide, to live his life in this world in accordance with the instruction of our Torah, a Torah of the world and a Torah of life.

According to the above, you surely not only know but also carry out the matter of the morning blessings, all of which begin with the formula "Blessed are You", that is^[3], an expression of thanks; and even before that, "I give thanks to You... for You have restored my soul within me"^[4]. In other words, the restoring of the soul, and the very life of a person on earth, are a reason to express thanks to the Creator of man and his Guide. Only, for a reason known to the Creator of man, free choice was given to man, whether to live his life in a way that is fitting before Him, so that life should be worthy of its name – life, full of good content and holiness. And since choice was given, surely the powers and possibilities were given to each and every one to bring all this into actuality. We see plainly that although several times one works at some matter and does not succeed, this is no proof at all that it will be so in the future too; it may be that the next time, even if it is the hundredth time, or precisely the hundred-and-first time^[5], he will succeed, and with great success.

It is understood that I do not mean to explain a Torah world view in theory alone; rather, this is how it actually is in the practical life of each and every one of us. Provided a person does what is incumbent on him – and he is asked only according to his strength^[6] – he will in the end succeed. There is no such thing as a person who, in your words in your letter, "does not succeed"; rather, the difference is between the lazy person and the person who uses and makes the most of the possibilities and powers given him generously by the Creator of the world.

It is understood and also obvious that at all times we need the blessing of G‑d, may He be blessed^[7], and every addition in matters of Torah and mitzvos adds to G‑d's blessings in whatever a person needs.

You will surely be in touch with the military rabbi attached to your unit^[8] regarding his assistance. May it be G‑d's will that you share good news in all the above.

With blessing,

In the name of the Rebbe shlita^[9],

Secretary

Notes

1. "A messenger carries out his mission" (שליח עושה שליחותו): After the Gemara (Nazir 12a): צא וקדש לי אשה סתם אסור בכל הנשים שבעולם, חזקה שליח עושה שליחותו, "[If one said,] 'Go and betroth a woman for me' without specifying, he is forbidden to all the women in the world, for there is a presumption that a messenger carries out his mission." As halachah presumes that a messenger has done his mission, so the Rebbe presumes that the recipient fulfills his mission as a Jew, in Torah study and the observance of mitzvos.

2. Every single one (כאו"א): כאו"א = כל אחד ואחד. "The Omnipresent" (מקום) is a name of G‑d.

3. That is (ז.א.): ז.א. = זאת אומרת, "that is to say".

4. "I give thanks to You... for You have restored my soul within me" (מודה אני לפניך שהחזרת בי נשמתי): The "Modeh Ani" said immediately on waking (Siddur, Morning Blessings): וטוב להרגיל עצמו לומר מיד שניעור נוסח זה, "מודה אני לפניך מלך חי וקים שהחזרת בי נשמתי בחמלה, רבה אמונתך", "It is good to accustom oneself to say, immediately on waking, this text: 'I give thanks to You, living and eternal King, for You have mercifully restored my soul within me; great is Your faithfulness.'" Even before the morning blessings, on rising, a person gives thanks for life itself.

5. The hundred-and-first time (פעם המאה ואחד): The phrase recalls the saying of our Sages (Chagigah 9b): ואינו דומה שונה פרקו מאה פעמים לשונה פרקו מאה ואחד, "One who reviews his chapter a hundred times is not like one who reviews it a hundred and one times." There it speaks of reviewing one's learning; the Rebbe says that in every matter it is precisely the additional attempt that can bring success.

6. He is asked only according to his strength (ואין דורשים ממנו אלא לפי כחו): After the saying of our Sages (Shemos Rabbah 34:1): שאין הקדוש ברוך הוא בא בטרחות עם בריותיו, לא בא על האדם אלא לפי כחו, "for the Holy One, blessed be He, does not come with burdensome demands upon His creatures; He comes upon a person only according to his strength."

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

8. The military rabbi attached to your unit (רב צבאי השייך להפלוגה שלו): The recipient was a soldier; the Rebbe refers him to the military chaplain of his unit for help.

9. The Rebbe shlita (כ"ק אדמו"ר שליט"א): כ"ק אדמו"ר שליט"א = כבוד קדושת אדוננו מורנו ורבנו שליט"א ("may he live a long and good life, amen"). This letter was written and signed in his name by the secretary.

Summary

To a soldier who fell into sadness believing he fails in his affairs, the Rebbe's secretariat writes in his name: life itself is a gift for which a Jew thanks G‑d from the moment he wakes; together with free choice G‑d gave every person the powers to succeed, and past failures prove nothing, for the next attempt may succeed. One is asked only according to one's strength; the difference is between the lazy and the one who uses his G‑d-given powers, and adding in Torah and mitzvos adds blessing.