6797 —עסקנות חב"ד בארץ הקודש: כשהזולת אינו ממלא תפקידו – להוסיף מרץ

B"H, 4 Nissan, 5719
Brooklyn.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

In reply to your letter of Purim and the two before it^[1]. In the meantime you have surely already received my letter, in which there is an answer to some of the matters you write about in the above...^[2]

As to what you write about the character of Chabad activity in the Holy Land^[3]: the instruction in such a case is known – that first of all, each one must do everything that depends on him with the greatest energy; and if he sees that someone is not fulfilling his task in this area, then on the contrary, this should make him add still more energy and more strength to his own activity in these matters. This is for two reasons. Simply: since he has seen that something is lacking – even if it is in his fellow's share – he endeavors to fill what is lacking. And further, according to the teachings of Chassidus: since he has been shown that something is lacking in a particular point, the known saying of the Baal Shem Tov makes it clear that this matter belongs to him, for the seeing is not in vain^[4]; and this will be readily understood.

There is also a third point in all the above: we see tangibly the truth of the saying of our Sages, "A woman is jealous only...,"^[5] and "The jealousy of scholars increases wisdom"^[6].

It is understood and also obvious that what you write in your letter – that you do not find favor, etc. – has no basis whatsoever. I have already written to several of Anash that the delay in my letters is only because of the pressure of work and the like^[7].

Since we have entered the month of Nissan, in which we are destined to be redeemed, as the Midrash determines (Shemos Rabbah 15:11)^[8] – and there in the Midrash, that this redemption is also a going out from servitude of iron to servitude of Torah^[9] – and according to what is written in Tanya, at the beginning of ch. 37^[10], that the matters of the days of Moshiach depend on our service throughout the time of exile: it is understood from this that now we must go out from servitude of iron to servitude (that is: that one can hardly bring oneself to act, and does so only as servitude and a yoke – but that this servitude be servitude) of Torah and mitzvos^[11], and especially the strengthening of Chabad institutions and activities in the field of education in holiness and purity, in which Torah and mitzvos are both together. I hope that now you will add warmth, light and vitality in your activities for all the above, and serve as a living example to other activists in this matter in your surroundings, in addition to the efforts you will make with them by speaking. Our Sages assured us, "You toiled and you found"^[12], and the precision of the word "found" is known: that it comes by way of a find, far beyond what would be estimated according to the toil^[13].

With blessings for good news^[14] in all the above and for a kosher and joyous Pesach.

Notes

1. Your letter of Purim and the two before it (מכתבו מפורים ושנים הקודמים): Purim, 14 Adar II, was Tuesday, 24 March 1959; ושנים הקודמים = and the two (letters) before it. This letter was written on Sunday, 4 Nissan, 12 April.

2. In the above... (בהנ"ל...): בהנ"ל = in the above-mentioned letters. The three dots are an omission in print of part of the letter.

3. The character of Chabad activity in the Holy Land (אופי עסקנות חב"ד באה"ק ת"ו): במ"ש = במה שכתב, "as to what you write"; באה"ק ת"ו = בארץ הקודש תבנה ותכונן. The recipient complained about the character of Anash's activity in the Holy Land: that some do not fulfill their task.

4. The known saying of the Baal Shem Tov... the seeing is not in vain (דבר הבעש"ט... אין הראי' לבטלה): עי"ז = על ידי זה; הבעש"ט = הבעל שם טוב. Hayom Yom, 9 Iyar: מורנו הבעש"ט אמר: כל דבר ודבר אשר האדם רואה או שומע, הוא הוראת הנהגה בעבודת השם, "Our teacher the Baal Shem Tov said: Everything a person sees or hears is an instruction for his conduct in the service of G‑d." Since he was shown the lack, it is no accident: it is a sign that it is his to make up. וק"ל = וקל להבין.

5. "A woman is jealous only..." (אין אשה מתקנאת כו'): רז"ל = רבותינו זכרונם לברכה. Megillah 13a, on "And when the maidens were gathered a second time" (Esther 2:19): אזיל שקל עצה ממרדכי, אמר: אין אשה מתקנאה אלא בירך חבירתה, "He went and took counsel from Mordechai, who said: A woman is jealous only of the thigh of her fellow" (the Gemara reads מתקנאה). Jealousy is aroused precisely by seeing another.

6. The jealousy of scholars increases wisdom (קנאת סופרים תרבה חכמה): In Bava Basra 21a, on a teacher of children when another teaches better than he, where the first is not dismissed lest the second grow lax: רב דימי מנהרדעא אמר: כ"ש דגריס טפי. קנאת סופרים תרבה חכמה, "Rav Dimi of Neharde'a said: all the more will he teach better, for the jealousy of scholars increases wisdom." When one sees another's activity, or what is lacking in it, he is roused to add to his own.

7. That you do not find favor (שאינו מוצא חן): The recipient wrote that he does not "find favor" in the Rebbe's eyes, apparently because the reply to his letters was delayed; the Rebbe answers that this has no basis. אנ"ש = אנשי שלומנו, "our people."

8. As the Midrash determines (Shemos Rabbah 15:11) (וכפסק המדרש (שמו"ר פט"ו, יא)): Shemos Rabbah 15:11, on "This month shall be for you": וכשבחר ביעקב ובניו קבע בו ראש חדשים של גאלה, שבו נגאלו ישראל ממצרים ובו עתידין לגאל, "When He chose Yaakov and his sons, He set in it the head of months of redemption, in which Israel were redeemed from Egypt and in which they are destined to be redeemed."

9. From servitude of iron to servitude of Torah (משעבוד ברזל לשעבוד תורה): The Midrash there: משל למלך שהוציא את בנו מבית האסורין... מעל ברזל לחיים, מעבדות לחרות... כך הוציא הקדוש ברוך הוא לישראל... מעל ברזל לעל תורה, מעבדות לחרות, "A parable of a king who took his son out of prison... from a yoke of iron to life, from slavery to freedom... So the Holy One, blessed be He, took Israel out... from a yoke of iron to the yoke of Torah, from slavery to freedom" (the Midrash says "yoke," על).

10. Tanya, at the beginning of ch. 37 (תניא רפל"ז): רפל"ז = ריש פרק ל"ז. There: והנה תכלית השלימות הזה של ימות המשיח ותחיית המתים, שהוא גילוי אור א"ס ב"ה בעוה"ז הגשמי, תלוי במעשינו ועבודתנו כל זמן משך הגלות, "The ultimate perfection of the days of Moshiach and the Resurrection, which is the revelation of the infinite light of G‑d in this physical world, depends on our deeds and service throughout the time of exile."

11. Servitude... of Torah and mitzvos (שעבוד... תומ"צ): ז.א. = זאת אומרת; תומ"צ = תורה ומצוות. "Servitude of iron" is work done with difficulty, under compulsion, as a yoke; now one must leave it for "servitude" to Torah and mitzvos, being bound to them.

12. "You toiled and you found" (יגעת ומצאת): After Megillah 6b: ואמר ר' יצחק: אם יאמר לך אדם: יגעתי ולא מצאתי, אל תאמן... יגעתי ומצאתי, תאמן, "R. Yitzchak said: If a person tells you, 'I toiled and did not find,' do not believe him... 'I toiled and found,' believe him."

13. The precision of the word "found" (הדיוק של "ומצאת"): It does not say "I toiled and attained," but "found," a find, which comes out of proportion to the toil. As the Rebbe wrote (vol. 17, letter 6460): "as explained at the farbrengen here, it does not say 'you attained and understood,' for there is nothing novel in that; rather, the Torah promises that the success will be in the manner of a find."

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

Summary

To an activist in the Holy Land who complained that others neglect their share of Chabad work, the Rebbe answers that seeing a lack obligates one to add energy, for, as the Baal Shem Tov taught, what one sees is a lesson for him, and healthy rivalry increases wisdom. The delay in replies implies no disfavor; Nissan calls for leaving the "yoke of iron" for the yoke of Torah, above all in Chabad education.