8128 —גינוי אלימות, מרכזיות אהבת ישראל בכפר חב"ד

B"H, 10 Elul, 5717. Brooklyn.

Vaad Kfar Chabad, may Hashem be upon them for life.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

A shocking report has reached me: once again there has been an incident where one person raised a hand against another—apparently it actually happened, G‑d forbid—and moreover, it was done publicly without any protest from those present.

Perhaps what I wrote about a similar incident some years ago has already been forgotten; perhaps someone among the villagers still has a copy of my letter. If my words are not sufficient, surely the words of our holy Torah about the gravity of this matter will suffice. Enough said.

I wish to further emphasize that this is not just a private matter between the one who raised his hand and the other party; rather, it concerns the entire community living there and, in cases of judgment, all residents of Kfar Chabad.

In the case of Kfar Chabad, this is even more alarming (and thus more severe), since it is in absolute contradiction to one of the fundamental principles of general Chassidus and specifically Chassidus Chabad—as emphasized by our Rebbe the Alter Rebbe, author of Tanya (the authority in the hidden dimension of Torah) and Shulchan Aruch (the authority in revealed Torah)—that "VeAhavta L'Rei'acha Kamocha" (Love your fellow as yourself) is one with "VeAhavta Es Hashem Elokecha" (Love Hashem your G‑d), that this love is the root of all 248 positive commandments and from it they all derive; included among these mitzvos is also fear of Hashem, which is the root for all 365 prohibitions—for one fears to rebel against the King of kings, Hakadosh Baruch Hu. Thus overall—love is the root for all 613 mitzvos themselves. And from an affirmative statement you can infer its opposite.

I do not wish to dwell at length on such disturbing matters; I await a detailed letter from you regarding this incident and whether any measures were taken as protest. Please inform me by telegram immediately upon receiving this letter with the name (and mother's name) of the person who raised his hand so that I may arouse much mercy upon him and his family; speed in this matter is praiseworthy.

May it be G‑d's will that finally begin an era when Kfar Chabad and its affairs bring true chassidic nachas.

With blessings for a good inscription and sealing.

In the name of His Holiness our Rebbe shlita,
A. Kvint
Secretary

Summary

This letter teaches that violence contradicts both Torah law and chassidic values. The Rebbe urges communal responsibility and emphasizes that Ahavas Yisrael—the love for one's fellow—is foundational to all mitzvos. Prompt action and self-examination are essential for spiritual growth.