8537 —השפעה על הנוער, פשרה בתורה, ותפקיד המחנך

B"H, 2nd of Marcheshvan, 5723. Brooklyn.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

In response to your letter from the end of Tishrei. I was pleased to read about your impressions of Chabad chassidim in Kfar Chabad and the hope that their influence is also evident in practical matters. My intention is that you should strive to benefit and inform others of your aforementioned impressions. As is well known from our master the Alter Rebbe, author of Tanya and Shulchan Aruch, Chassidus is not only for a particular group G‑d forbid but is the inheritance of every Jew. He strove—even to self-sacrifice—for its dissemination, as did all subsequent leaders of Chabad who followed him. They gave their blessings to all who engage in this work that ultimately they will succeed.

This applies to everyone; how much more so for someone who has an opportunity to influence youth—since even a seemingly minor influence on them can change the course of their lives entirely, especially when they marry and build Jewish homes. Certainly for you this elaboration is unnecessary.

Regarding your question about studying a secular profession bareheaded (without a head covering), with the argument that it may make it easier to find common ground: two points on this matter: (a) Matters of Shulchan Aruch are not "for sale"—one does not sell a minor transgression in order to acquire a great mitzvah (except for special cases explicitly detailed in Shulchan Aruch where it is not a sale G‑d forbid but rather a halachic ruling like any other). (b) Most importantly: it is clearly seen—especially regarding youth—that even a slight compromise diminishes in their eyes both the value and all trust in the one making the compromise. If compromise is possible regarding any Torah or mitzvah law, it proves these matters are not absolutely true; for if they were truly true there would be no room for compromise or deviation even by a hair's breadth. If there is room for compromise—it is not the path of truth.

Even though "Truth said: let him not be created," since "there is no righteous person on earth... who does only good and never sins," and as explained in Chabad teachings there must be outreach to every individual without exception—with the assurance that even one mitzvah can eventually lead to all 613 mitzvos or at least he has not lost out etc., as stated by our master the Alter Rebbe in Tanya chapter 32—therefore if there is no other way one begins by speaking about one mitzvah. But together with this approach it must be made clear—not G‑d forbid saying this is the only mitzvah (and about it we speak) and he who keeps it is perfectly righteous—but rather emphasizing (albeit pleasantly and peacefully) that this is just one mitzvah out of 613; only due to circumstances we are not yet able to speak with him or demand more mitzvos from him, so we begin from easy to more difficult.

All this applies when demanding from students; but regarding the influencer himself, it’s understood that none of these justifications apply—on the contrary: when he demands from his students and they accept, he must be a living example not only for what he demands but for every aspect of life about which he speaks. In our sages’ language: "to absorb in order to impart." The students learn by inference: if their teacher may transgress something specific, then they themselves may permit themselves even more things—and all the more so.

There’s much more to elaborate on these matters but I hope my few lines relative to the importance of education will suffice.

Summary

The Rebbe teaches that uncompromising adherence to Torah values inspires true respect and trust among youth. Educators must embody what they teach; even small compromises undermine both personal integrity and effective influence.