6737 —הבטחון בה' מוצדק גם בעניני העולם הזה, ומוסיף בבריאות ובהצלחה

B"H, the first day of Rosh Chodesh Adar II^[1], 5719
Brooklyn.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

In reply to your letter of 25 Adar I^[2], with its enclosure:

At an auspicious time I will mention you and your family, may they live long, at the holy resting place of my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe, of saintly memory, whose soul is in the hidden treasuries on High, may his merit protect us^[3], for what you need, in accordance with what you wrote.

Surely, to one like you, "the man who has seen affliction"^[4] and has also seen the kindnesses of G‑d, blessed be He, in being rescued from the distress and the many hardships, there is no need to elaborate that trust in G‑d, blessed be He, Creator of the world and its Guide, is justified not only with regard to the life of the World to Come, but also with regard to the matters of this world – although it is physical and material, and its affairs are harsh and evil, as is explained also in the Alter Rebbe's Tanya, end of chapter 6^[5]. Indeed, even according to medical science, the greater a person's trust, the greater his vigor; and this affects the state of his bodily health and his state of mind as well, which in turn adds to his success in his deeds and his efforts.

And so, from all that has been said, in keeping with the content of your letter, it is understood – and I strongly hope, based on the promise of our Sages that whoever is shown good, it is for length of days and years^[6] – that after some time you will be able to report that the situation has improved in the points you write about; and may this improvement continue to grow.

I hope that after your visit to Kfar Chabad to heal the sick, you will visit there on joyous occasions, a visit to the healthy^[7], and take part in the farbrengens held there from time to time, which bring healing and strength, encouraging "the spirit of the lowly, the heart of the contrite"^[8] – lowly and contrite in the war of the inclinations, the war of form against matter and of spirit against the physical. All this comes as a result of the war of the G‑dly soul with the animal soul^[9].

With respect and with blessings for good news^[10] in all the above.

Notes

1. The first day of Rosh Chodesh Adar II (אדר"ח אד"ש): אדר"ח = א' דראש חודש; אד"ש = אדר שני: 30 Adar I, Tuesday, the first day of Rosh Chodesh Adar II.

2. 25 Adar I (כ"ה אד"ר): אד"ר = אדר ראשון: Thursday, 25 Adar I.

3. My revered father-in-law, the Rebbe (כ"ק מו"ח אדמו"ר זצוקללה"ה נבג"מ זי"ע): כ"ק מו"ח אדמו"ר = "my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe", the Previous Rebbe; זצוקללה"ה נבג"מ זי"ע = "of saintly memory, whose soul is in the hidden treasuries on High, may his merit protect us".

4. "The man who has seen affliction" (הגבר ראה עני): לדכוותי' = "to one like him". After Eichah 3:1: "I am the man who has seen affliction by the rod of His wrath", and Rashi: "who saw affliction more than all the prophets". The recipient has seen in his life both affliction and G‑d's kindness in rescuing him from it; so there is no need to tell him at length that trust in G‑d is justified in the matters of this world too.

5. Tanya, end of chapter 6 (ספר התניא... סוף פרק ו'): Tanya, end of chapter 6: "Therefore this world and all it contains is called the world of kelipos and sitra achra; therefore all the affairs of this world are harsh and evil, and the wicked prevail in it." Even so, trust in G‑d is justified in its matters too.

6. Whoever is shown good, it is for length of days and years (שכל מי שמטיבין לו הוא לאורך ימים ושנים): Bava Basra 12b: "Rav Acha applied to himself: whoever is dealt ill, is not soon dealt good; and whoever is dealt good, is not soon dealt ill." The Rebbe gives this source in several letters, e.g. vol. 15, letter 5423: "according to the well-known saying of our Sages, that whoever is shown good, it is for length of days (Bava Basra 12b)". Since good has already been shown to him, one may trust that it will continue and increase.

7. A visit to the healthy (בקור בריאים): That is: his previous visit to Kfar Chabad was to heal the sick; the Rebbe hopes he will visit there in future for joyous occasions, a "visit to the healthy", in place of "visiting the sick".

8. "The spirit of the lowly, the heart of the contrite" (רוח שפלים לב נדכאים): After Yeshayahu 57:15: "For so says the High and Lofty One, Who dwells forever and Whose name is holy: I dwell on high and in holiness, and with the contrite and lowly of spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite", and Rashi: "the lowly – the crushed, who suffer poverty and illness". The Rebbe applies "the lowly and contrite" to those crushed in the struggle with the inclination, to whom the farbrengens bring healing and strength.

9. The war of the G‑dly soul with the animal soul (המלחמה דנפש האלקית עם הנפש הבהמית): After Tanya, chapter 9: "for the body is called a small city, and just as two kings wage war over one city, each wishing to capture it and rule over it" – the G‑dly soul and the animal soul.

10. Good news (בשו"ט): בשו"ט = בשורות טובות.

Summary

The Rebbe tells a man who was rescued from great distress that trust in G‑d is justified even in the harsh matters of this world, and that, as medicine too recognizes, greater trust brings greater vigor, health and success; since good has been shown him, it will continue. He hopes the recipient, who came to Kfar Chabad to heal the sick, will return for joyous occasions and farbrengens that heal those crushed in the inner struggle.