6942 —מענה לדיווחים שליליים על ליובאוויטש וחשיבות אהבת ישראל

B"H, 18 Tammuz, 5719. Brooklyn.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

In response to your letter from Sunday, in which you write that you have been told various things about Lubavitch and want to find out if they are true—and it greatly bothers you to know the truth. The people you mention, from whom you heard these things, you surely understand were never close to Lubavitch. And as it appears from the way they speak with you, they act contrary to the mitzvah of Torah—not just any mitzvah, but the great principle of Torah: VeAhavta L'Rei'acha Kamocha ("And you shall love your fellow as yourself") (Yerushalmi Nedarim 9:4).

From this it is also clear that there is no logical reason to say that specifically such people know what is believed in Lubavitch—things that even Lubavitchers themselves do not know about! And regarding the things they told you—as you wrote—I have never heard of them, having been in Lubavitch much more than they (if they even know anything about Lubavitch at all).

What hurts even more is that they do not know what is written in many places in Shas and ruled in Rambam and Shulchan Aruch, etc. It would be worthwhile for you to inform them about this: That what they say regarding our holy Rebbeim zatzukal l'havdil nishmasam b'gan eden zichronam tzaddikim v'kadoshim l'vracha (may their memory be a blessing), there is a ruling in Gemara (Berachos 19a) concerning their "good conduct" (in euphemistic language), and also a ruling in Yerushalmi (Peah 1:1) about lashon hara against everyone—and likewise there that one should not speak lashon hara, etc.; see Sotah 42a; Arachin 15a and there at length; and elsewhere.

And if—as it seems—they do not hold of Lubavitch, then at least let them hold by the book Chafetz Chaim. And let them not consider this book as something for others or for the bookshelf, but come to the awareness that it actually refers to themselves.

May Hashem Yisbarach have compassion on them and save them from their current state. May it be His will that this happen with kindness and mercy.

Blessings for good news in all mentioned above,

In the name of the Rebbe shlita,
Secretary

Summary

The Rebbe teaches us not to accept negative reports from those unfamiliar with Chabad values and stresses the importance of Ahavas Yisrael—loving every Jew. Speaking negatively about others contradicts Torah principles and brings harm both spiritually and communally.