9383 —הפצת יהדות בלי סכנה והשראת אחרים לפעולה

B"H, Chol HaMoed Sukkos, 5728.

Brooklyn, NY.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

With this I confirm receipt of your letter from October 15th. It pleased me to read how much you value mesiras nefesh for Yiddishkeit, to the point that you consider it a simple matter to ask a Jew to have mesiras nefesh—even risking actual danger to life—together with his wife and children, after he has already shown mesiras nefesh for decades in loneliness and hardship; that he should continue doing so. This gives me hope, strong hope, that you yourself—who are in a place where one can spread Yiddishkeit without any danger, where not only is no mesiras nefesh required but one even receives honor for it and it is written about in the newspapers—certainly do not rest and are active for Yiddishkeit to the greatest extent. You also do not let your relatives and good friends and acquaintances miss any opportunity to spread Yiddishkeit within your own family circle and beyond; at the same time you also explain that just as you do not stop urging men, women, and children not to leave that country—even when it means risking being exiled for years to cold regions as happened to many over fifty years—as long as they maintain Yiddishkeit there—it is all the more certain that you will not rest from spreading Yiddishkeit here as well.

I hope you will not interpret the above as criticism chas v’shalom. The intention is simply that Jews in America must ultimately give an accounting of what is expected of them: practical deeds—beginning with themselves, their own wives and children and grandchildren, relatives, good friends, and acquaintances. And by deeds I mean what you demand from those Jews in that other country: putting on tefillin, keeping kashrus, Shabbos and Yom Tov observance, maintaining taharas hamishpachah (family purity), educating children so they are ready for mesiras nefesh in a positive way without tests or challenges—and continuing their lives specifically along this path. And if children do not want to accept what is dictated regarding their conduct or do not take it seriously enough, then parents must have mesiras nefesh themselves and continue their efforts and influence—which even this level of mesiras nefesh does not compare with that of those Jews in that other land.

It will please me to hear from you that you are doing all the above-mentioned things to the fullest extent possible and with all the enthusiasm they deserve.

With blessings for a joyous festival.

Summary

The Rebbe teaches that living without danger brings greater responsibility: we must actively spread Yiddishkeit ourselves and inspire our families and communities through practical mitzvos—never resting or missing opportunities—just as we admire those who serve under hardship.