6718 —תודה על ההתענינות בכפר חב"ד, והוספה בלי גבול בטוב ובקדושה ע"י הגברת הצורה על החומר

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

The veteran Chassid, a G‑d-fearing man, distinguished and honored, engaged in communal needs^[1], possessed of exalted traits, a branch of a tree of distinguished forebears, etc., Reb Shneur Zalman, may he live long^[2]

Shalom u'Vrachah!

… And here is the place for me^[3] to express to you once again my thanks for your personal interest in the affairs of Kfar Chabad: in its material matters, in the spiritual matters within the material, and in the spiritual matters themselves. And although I hope that even in the present situation there is reason for satisfaction from the village and its affairs, matters of goodness and holiness – which are in truth one and the same – are infinite, since their source is the true Infinite, the Creator, blessed be He^[4]. Therefore, however good the situation may be, there is always unlimited room for increase, and to that measure an increase in nachas as well. May it be G‑d's will that this be so in great and constant measure.

And from the village in our Holy Land to our Holy Land as a whole^[5]: may it be G‑d's will that in this too you receive nachas, ever growing and increasing in light^[6], through form gaining the upper hand over matter^[7]. For however much matter too is holy – as in the words of our master the Alter Rebbe in the Tanya (chapter 49)^[8], "'And You have chosen us from among all nations and tongues' – this refers to the material body, which in its materiality resembles the bodies of the nations of the world"; and certainly G‑d's choice of anything whatsoever sanctifies it, refines it, purifies it and elevates it – nevertheless its holiness is not like the holiness of the soul and the form. And so it is with matter and form in every single thing.

And certainly, so that the nachas and the delight be true and inward, the Holy One, blessed be He, will grant you health and peace of mind, for whoever gives, gives generously^[9].

With esteem, with high regard, and with blessing for good news.

On your question regarding the study of Tanya^[10]: perhaps my answer is already late, but in my opinion, for several reasons, it is right to continue also with the other parts of the Tanya, Iggeres HaTeshuvah and Iggeres HaKodesh.

Publisher's notes

Printed in Likkutei Sichos, vol. 24, p. 388, and completed from the secretariat's copy.

Reb Shneur Zalman (מהרש"ז): Shazar. Further letters to him: above, letter 6591, and the references in the notes there.

Notes

1. The veteran Chassid, a G‑d-fearing man, distinguished and honored, engaged in communal needs (הוו"ח אי"א נו"נ עוסק בצ"צ): הוו"ח = הוותיק וחסיד; אי"א = איש ירא אלקים; נו"נ = נעלה ונכבד; עוסק בצ"צ = עוסק בצרכי ציבור.

2. Reb Shneur Zalman (מהרש"ז): מהרש"ז = מורנו הרב ר' שניאור זלמן. Shazar (as the publisher's note states). Shneur Zalman Shazar (Rubashov; 1889–1974), a leader of the Labor movement, Israel's first Minister of Education (1949–1951), from 1952 a member of the Jewish Agency Executive and in 1956–1960 acting chairman of its Jerusalem Executive; in 1963 he was elected the third President of the State of Israel. From his boyhood he was attached to Chabad Chassidus, and the Rebbe corresponded with him extensively, especially about Kfar Chabad: after the tragedy in Kfar Chabad in Iyar 5716 (vol. 13, letter 4309), and on sending ten Tomchei Temimim students from here to strengthen the spirit of Anash in the village (ibid., letter 4554). The Rebbe's previous letter to him is letter 6591 (8 Kislev 5719).

3. And here is the place for me (וכאן מקום אתי): The letter is printed with its beginning omitted, as the "…" shows; "here is the place for me" refers back to the part that was not printed.

4. The Creator, blessed be He (הבורא ית'): ית' = יתברך. Since the source of goodness and holiness is the Creator, Who is infinite, they too are without limit; so however good things are, there is always room to add, and every addition brings added nachas.

5. To our Holy Land as a whole (לכללות ארצנו הק'): הק' = הקדושה. Just as he has nachas from Kfar Chabad, may he have nachas from the Land of Israel as a whole.

6. Ever growing and increasing in light (הלוך והוסיף הלוך ואור): From Mishlei 4:18: וארח צדיקים כאור נגה הולך ואור עד נכון היום, "The path of the righteous is like the shining light, that grows ever brighter until the full day"; Rashi there: "which keeps on brightening from dawn". May the nachas keep growing like the morning light.

7. Form gaining the upper hand over matter (הגברת הצורה על החומר): Matter and form: body and soul, the outward and the inward in every thing. The increase in nachas will come as the spiritual side, the "form", prevails over the physical side, the "matter"; for, as the Rebbe goes on to explain, although matter too is holy, its holiness is not like that of the form.

8. Tanya, chapter 49 (תניא פ' מ"ט): Tanya, ch. 49: "ובנו בחרת מכל עם ולשון", הוא הגוף החומרי, הנדמה בחומריותו לגופי אומות העולם. "And You have chosen us from among all nations and tongues" are words of the blessing Ahavah Rabbah before the Shema, and the Alter Rebbe explains there that the choice is of the material body specifically. The material body too was chosen by G‑d, and this choice sanctifies it; nevertheless its holiness is not like that of the soul.

9. Whoever gives, gives generously (כל הנותן בעין יפה נותן): Based on the Gemara, Bava Basra 65a: אלמא מאן דיהיב מתנה בעין יפה יהיב, "evidently, one who gives a gift gives generously". The Rebbe applies it to G‑d's giving: since He gives the nachas, He will surely give the health and peace of mind too, without which the nachas and delight are not true and inward.

10. Regarding the study of Tanya (בהנוגע ללימוד התניא): The recipient's question is not spelled out here; the Rebbe answers that it is right to continue with the other parts of the Tanya as well, Iggeres HaTeshuvah and Iggeres HaKodesh. The following year he asked "what they should study after completing the Tanya", and the Rebbe answered "that they continue with the study of Torah Or" (vol. 19, letter 7084).

Summary

The Rebbe thanks Zalman Shazar again for his personal involvement in Kfar Chabad, material and spiritual, and explains that goodness and holiness are infinite, so there is always room for more nachas – from the village and from the whole Land – as form prevails over matter. He adds that Shazar's Tanya study should continue with Iggeres HaTeshuvah and Iggeres HaKodesh.