6717 —אי-תלותו של כפר חב"ד בכל תנועה ומפלגה, וההכרח בלימוד פנימיות התורה

B"H, 11 Adar I, 5719
Brooklyn, N.Y.

Mr. Yitzchak Kaufman, may he live long

Shalom u'Vrachah!

In reply to your letter of 16 Shevat and the one before it, in which you write that you heard that Kfar Chabad is connected with a certain movement^[1], and ask whether this is so.

I am surprised at the question, when everyone knows, in the Holy Land^[2] and abroad alike, that neither Kfar Chabad nor the Chabad approach is connected with any movement or party, and that they are subject to no influence other than the directives of our holy Torah, the Torah of life, both its revealed part and Chassidus.

True, as you write, Kfar Chabad receives assistance from various places, but on a prior condition^[3] – which in recent years is self-understood, besides being stated explicitly – that the assistance does not touch the independence of the village to conduct all its affairs according to the Chabad approach, which was founded about two hundred years ago, that is, before all the movements you^[4] mention in your letter were founded.

It was a pleasure to read in your letter that you observe Kfar Chabad and rejoice in its becoming firmly established. This gives me hope that this joy and this attitude will lead to deeds and to actions in support of Kfar Chabad in all its affairs, as far as is possible for you and for everyone you can influence. And surely, for one like yourself it is superfluous to repeat once again^[5] what is self-evident: that no concession whatsoever in the approach of Chabad-Lubavitch may be tied to this – an approach that unites two extremes: zealousness with regard to worldviews alien to unity, to the Torah and to religion, on the one side, and closeness and love to every single Jew as an individual, on the other side^[6]. The one does not negate the other; on the contrary, the point of Ahavas Yisrael is what unites them both.

On this occasion, and following on the wording of your signature, "with the blessing of the Torah and its avodah (service)", and especially according to our Sages' explanation of the avodah spoken of in the Torah – that this is prayer, the service of the heart^[7], love of G‑d and fear of G‑d and their branches – I wish to urge you, and through you those whom you influence, about the great necessity, especially in our era, an era of confusion of minds like no other, to set times for studying pnimiyus haTorah, the inner dimension of the Torah: a study that leads directly to love of G‑d and fear of Him. As is alluded to also in the words of the great teacher, the Rambam, in the Laws of the Foundations of the Torah, beginning of chapter 2^[8]: "And what is the way to love Him and fear Him? When a person contemplates… and sees from them His wisdom (of the Holy One, blessed be He)… he desires with a great desire to know the great Name," etc.

This is the content of the teaching of Chabad Chassidus and its aim.

Of course, writing in a letter is not a suitable way to explain this necessity; but there is also no need for it, since these matters are explained in many places – even though, for various reasons which this is not the place to explain, there are circles in which this necessity is not accepted for the time being, despite, among other things, what is ruled in the Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, section 98, paragraph 1, that at least three times a day a person must think of the exaltedness of G‑d, may He be exalted, etc.^[9]

With esteem and with blessing for good news in all the above.

Because of the great pressure of work the reply was delayed, and I ask your forgiveness.

Publisher's notes

Printed in Likkutei Sichos, vol. 22, p. 310, and completed from the secretariat's copy.

Notes

1. A certain movement (תנועה מסויימה): Kfar Chabad is the village in the Holy Land founded by the Previous Rebbe; the Rebbe describes it as "founded and directed by my father-in-law, the Rebbe" (letter 6651, to the Vaad of Kfar Chabad, 18 Teves 5719). The Rebbe does not say which movement the writer named. On the matter itself he had already written to the administration of Kfar Chabad (vol. 16, letter 6028, 1 Shevat 5718): מובן ופשוט בתכלית שאין כל מקום לסברא ע"ד כפר או שיכון שיתופי עם מפלגה - אפילו הטובה ביותר, שהרי זהו בנגוד גמור ומוחלט להנהגת רבותינו נשיאינו, שענין חב"ד הוא על מפלגתי, "it is utterly obvious that there is no room at all for the idea of a village or housing project in partnership with a party – even the very best one – for this is in complete and absolute contradiction to the conduct of our Rebbeim, since Chabad stands above parties"; and to the Vaad of Kfar Chabad (ibid., letter 6085, 3 Adar 5718): "the village must guard its independence as far as possible".

2. The Holy Land (באה"ק ת"ו): באה"ק ת"ו = בארץ הקודש תבנה ותכונן, "in the Holy Land, may it be built and established".

3. On a prior condition (ובתנאי קדום): The assistance was given from the outset on a condition made beforehand, that it does not affect the village's independence; in recent years this need not even be stated, being self-understood – and nevertheless it is also stated explicitly.

4. You (כ'): כ' = כבודו, "his honor", a respectful way of addressing the recipient.

5. For one like yourself… once again (לדכוותי'… עוה"פ): לדכוותי' = לדכוותיה, "for one like him"; עוה"פ = עוד הפעם, "once again".

6. Two extremes (ב' הקצוות): מסטרא דא = "on this side"; או"א = איש ואחד, "every single one". Two extremes that seem to contradict each other: on one side, uncompromising zeal toward worldviews alien to Torah and religion; on the other, closeness and love to each and every Jew as an individual, whatever his views. Neither negates the other; rather, in the Rebbe's words, "the point of Ahavas Yisrael is what unites them both".

7. Prayer, the service of the heart (התפלה, עבודה שבלב): Based on Taanis 2a: דתניא: לאהבה את ה' אלהיכם ולעבדו בכל לבבכם – איזו היא עבודה שהיא בלב? הוי אומר: זו תפלה, "As it was taught: 'to love the L‑rd your G‑d and to serve Him with all your heart' – what is the service that is in the heart? You must say: this is prayer." The recipient signed his letter "with the blessing of the Torah and its avodah", and the Rebbe takes the "avodah" of his signature as our Sages took the avodah spoken of in the Torah: the service of prayer, whose essence is love and fear of G‑d. From there he goes on to urge him to study pnimiyus haTorah, which leads to love and fear of G‑d.

8. Laws of the Foundations of the Torah, beginning of chapter 2 (בהלכות יסודי התורה, ריש פ' ב'): Rambam, Hilchos Yesodei HaTorah 2:2: והיאך היא הדרך לאהבתו ויראתו? בשעה שיתבונן האדם במעשיו וברואיו הנפלאים הגדולים, ויראה מהם חכמתו שאין לה ערך ולא קץ – מיד הוא אוהב ומשבח ומפאר ומתאוה תאוה גדולה לידע השם הגדול, "And what is the way to love Him and fear Him? When a person contemplates His great and wondrous works and creations, and sees from them His wisdom, which has no measure and no end – immediately he loves, praises and glorifies, and desires with a great desire to know the great Name." The way to love and fear is contemplating G‑d's wisdom, and that, the Rebbe goes on to say, is the very content and aim of Chabad Chassidus.

9. Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 98:1 (שולחן ערוך אורח חיים סימן צ"ח סעיף א'): In the gloss of the Rema there: ויחשוב קודם התפלה מרוממות האל יתעלה ובשפלו' האדם ויסיר כל תענוגי האדם מלבו, "Before prayer he should think of the exaltedness of G‑d, may He be exalted, and of the lowliness of man, and remove all human pleasures from his heart." Likewise in the Alter Rebbe's Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 98:1: וקודם התפלה יחשוב מרוממות האל יתברך ושפלות האדם, "Before prayer he should think of the exaltedness of G‑d, blessed be He, and the lowliness of man." Since one must contemplate G‑d's exaltedness before every prayer, and there are three prayers each day, a person must contemplate G‑d's greatness at least three times a day – and this is the very contemplation Chassidus comes to teach.

Summary

Answering a correspondent who heard that Kfar Chabad is tied to a certain movement, the Rebbe states that neither the village nor the Chabad approach is bound to any movement or party: outside aid is accepted only on condition that it does not touch the village's independence. He asks him to help the village, and urges him to set times for studying the inner dimension of the Torah, which leads to love and fear of G‑d.