6828 —הרצאת עניני חסידות ברבים – לא רק מותרת אלא מוכרחת

B"H, 28 Nissan, 5719
Brooklyn.

The Chassid, a G‑d-fearing man, distinguished and honored,^[1] whose work is the work of Heaven,^[2]
Reb Aba HaLevi, may he live long^[3]

Shalom u'Vrachah!

In reply to your letter of 25 Nissan: I was pleased to read in it that, although in your view the matter of the journey in connection with "Ufaratzta"^[4] was hard for you, nevertheless^[5] you have acted on it and are continuing. Fortunate is your lot, that you immediately saw good fruit of your toil, in that you "spoke to ears that listen,"^[6] for they listened with special attention to the explanatory talks, etc. Now the above is in the category of "You shall see your world in your lifetime,"^[7] and as explained in Chassidus, the World to Come is the radiance of one's Torah and mitzvos and the reward of the mitzvos.^[8] I am strengthened in my confidence that you will continue in the above, and not only that, but that you will add to it. The great necessity of this cannot be sufficiently explained or estimated, especially in the influence on the young, since very often this affects the standing (shtel)^[9] of the whole household and its members.

As to your question, whether it is permitted to speak on matters of Chassidus in the form of a lecture and talk:

It is understood that not only is it permitted, but it is also necessary. The very question is surprising, after what is explained in the letter of the Rebbe (Rashab), of blessed memory,^[10] that even in the study of the Tanya, if it leads to avodah, speaking is worthwhile, etc. (printed in HaTamim and in the supplement to Kuntres Etz Chaim, published by Kehot),^[11] and it is known and widespread among Anash. If this was so in those years, how much more so^[12] in our times. And over time an instruction has been added in matters such as these: the test of where a given question comes from is how it affects avodah in actual practice (Hayom Yom, 23 Sivan).^[13]

Similar to the above is the question whether it is permitted to add explanation to one maamar by inserting (arein-shtellen)^[14] in the middle of the maamar an explanation of a point from another maamar, where the listeners do not know Chassidus: this too is desirable and right.

At an auspicious time all those about whom you write will be mentioned at the holy resting place of my father-in-law, the Rebbe, of sainted memory,^[15] each one for what he needs, in accordance with the contents of your letter.

May it be G‑d's will that you report good news regarding yourself and each one of the residents of Kfar Chabad, "for there G‑d commanded the blessing."^[16]

With blessings for good news, and in detail, in all the above, and with the blessing, in the style of my father-in-law, the Rebbe, for a healthy summer,^[17]

M. Schneersohn

Publisher's notes

Reb Aba (מו"ה אבא שי'): Levin, Kfar Chabad. A further letter to him – above, vol. 13, letter 4377.

In connection with "Ufaratzta" (בענין דופרצת): See above, letter 6541, and the references in the notes there.

Notes

1. The Chassid, a G‑d-fearing man, distinguished and honored (הרה"ח אי"א נו"נ): הרה"ח = הרב החסיד, "the Chassid"; אי"א = איש ירא אלקים, "a G‑d-fearing man"; נו"נ = נעלה ונכבד, "distinguished and honored".

2. Whose work is the work of Heaven (מלאכתו מלאכת שמים): After Rabbi Yishmael's words to Rabbi Meir, who was a scribe, in Eruvin 13a: אמר לי: בני, הוי זהיר במלאכתך, שמלאכתך מלאכת שמים היא, "He said to me: My son, be careful in your work, for your work is the work of Heaven." Here it is said of one engaged in teaching; compare the Rebbe's earlier letter to the recipient, vol. 13, letter 4377: "surely you are adding vigor in teaching the class and in public Torah study."

3. Reb Aba HaLevi (מו"ה אבא שי' הלוי): מו"ה = מורנו הרב ר'; שי' = שיחי'. Levin, Kfar Chabad (per the publisher's note). In his earlier letter to him (vol. 13, letter 4377, 26 Iyar 5716) the Rebbe wrote: "surely you are adding vigor in teaching the class and in public Torah study, especially at this time, which demands many vessels in Kfar Chabad." Now he wrote to the Rebbe about his journey "in connection with Ufaratzta" and its success in the explanatory talks, and asked whether it is permitted to speak on Chassidus in the form of a lecture and talk.

4. The journey in connection with "Ufaratzta" (הנסיעה בענין דופרצת): That is, travelling to speak and explain (the "explanatory talks" below) as part of "Ufaratzta," the watchword of 5719, from the verse Bereishis 28:14: ופרצת ימה וקדמה וצפנה ונגבה, "and you shall spread out to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south"; as the Rebbe writes in letter 6768: "and as the watchword of this year, 'Ufaratzta' westward, eastward, northward and southward, up to an inheritance without bounds" (see the publisher's note below).

5. In your view... nevertheless (לפ"ד... בכ"ז): לפ"ד = לפי דעתו, "in your view"; בכ"ז = בכל זה, "nevertheless".

6. "Spoke to ears that listen" (דבר על אודנין דשמעין): The language of the Zohar (II, 186a-b, Parshas Tetzaveh): זכאה מאן דמליל על אודנין דשמעין, "Fortunate is he who speaks to ears that listen."

7. "You shall see your world in your lifetime" (עולמך תראה בחייך): Berachos 17a: כי הוו מפטרי רבנן מבי ר' אמי... אמרי ליה הכי: עולמך תראה בחייך, ואחריתך לחיי העולם הבא, "When the Sages took leave of the house of Rabbi Ami... they would say to one another: May you see your world in your lifetime, and may your end be for the life of the World to Come"; Rashi: "you shall see your world in your lifetime – you will find all your needs."

8. The World to Come (עוה"ב): עוה"ב = עולם הבא, "the World to Come". On the same page, Berachos 17a: העולם הבא אין בו לא אכילה ולא שתיה... אלא צדיקים יושבין ועטרותיהם בראשיהם ונהנים מזיו השכינה, "In the World to Come there is no eating and no drinking... but the righteous sit with their crowns on their heads and delight in the radiance of the Divine Presence." Since the World to Come is the radiance and reward of the Torah and mitzvos themselves, seeing already now the good fruit of one's toil is "seeing your world in your lifetime."

9. Standing (shtel) (עמדת (שטעל)): שטעל = (Yiddish) standing, position. The influence on the young often affects the standing and way of life of the entire household.

10. The Rebbe (Rashab), of blessed memory (כ"ק אדמו"ר (מוהרש"ב) נ"ע): מוהרש"ב = מורנו הרב שלום דובער, the Rebbe Rashab; נ"ע = נשמתו עדן, "his soul is in Eden".

11. Published by Kehot (הוצאת קה"ת): קה"ת = קרני הוד תורה, Kehot. If even in the study of the Tanya speaking is worthwhile when it leads to avodah, then surely it is permitted, and necessary, to speak on Chassidus in the form of a lecture and talk.

12. How much more so (עאכו"כ): עאכו"כ = על אחת כמה וכמה, "how much more so".

13. Hayom Yom, 23 Sivan (היום יום כ"ג סיון): Hayom Yom, 23 Sivan: ויש אשר מתעורר חשק גדול ללמד חסידות או להתבונן היטב באיזה השכלה, ובאמת הנה זהו רק עצת היצר ומתחבולות נה"ב למנוע מעבודת התפלה וכדומה. ונקוט האי כללא בידך וזכור אותו תמיד, כי כל דבר המועיל או מביא לעבודה בפועל, הנה כל מניעה שתהי' לדבר זה – אפילו אם המניעה היא מדבר היותר נעלה – הוא רק מתחבולותיה של נה"ב, "Sometimes a great desire is aroused to teach Chassidus or to contemplate some concept deeply, and in truth this is only the counsel of the evil inclination and one of the ploys of the animal soul to keep one from the avodah of prayer and the like. Hold on to this rule and remember it always: whatever is useful for, or leads to, avodah in practice – any obstacle to it, even if the obstacle comes from the loftiest thing – is only one of the ploys of the animal soul." The test of every question, then, is its effect on avodah in practice; and since lecturing on Chassidus brings the listeners to avodah in practice, it is desirable.

14. Inserting (arein-shtellen) (שיחבר (אריינשטעלין)): ע"ד = על דרך, "similar to"; ע"י = על ידי, "by". אריינשטעלין = (Yiddish) to insert, to set in.

15. My father-in-law, the Rebbe… (כ"ק מו"ח אדמו"ר זצוקללה"ה נבג"מ זי"ע): כ"ק מו"ח אדמו"ר = כבוד קדושת מורי וחמי אדונינו מורנו ורבנו, the Previous Rebbe, R. Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn; זצוקללה"ה = זכר צדיק וקדוש לברכה לחיי העולם הבא; נבג"מ = נשמתו בגנזי מרומים; זי"ע = זכותו יגן עלינו. הציון הק' = הציון הקדוש, his holy resting place. כאו"א = כל אחד ואחד, "each one".

16. "For there G‑d commanded the blessing" (אשר שם צוה ה' את הברכה): After the verse Tehillim 133:3: כטל חרמון שירד על הררי ציון, כי שם צוה ה' את הברכה חיים עד העולם, "like the dew of Hermon that comes down upon the mountains of Zion, for there G‑d commanded the blessing, life for evermore."

17. For a healthy summer (צו א געזונטען זומער): לבשו"ט = לבשורות טובות, "for good news". צו א געזונטען זומער = (Yiddish) "for a healthy summer," a blessing the Rebbe here calls "in the style of my father-in-law, the Rebbe."

Summary

The Rebbe is pleased that, despite the difficulty, the recipient travels to give explanatory talks as part of "Ufaratzta," and has already seen their fruit – "you shall see your world in your lifetime." Lecturing on Chassidus is not only permitted but necessary, as the Rebbe Rashab wrote even of the Tanya, and the test is always the effect on avodah in practice; so too inserting an explanation from another maamar for listeners new to Chassidus is right.