9419 —חנוכה, להאיר את העולם, ותמיכה בתומכי תמימים

B"H, Eve of Chanukah, 5728.

Brooklyn, NY.

To the community of Adas Yeshurun, lovers and supporters of Torah and mitzvah — may Hashem be upon them and grant them life.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

In these days before Chanukah, when the Jewish home is illuminated with the Chanukah lights—each day adding another candle—the Chanukah lights remind us of our duty to bring light even outside (al petach beiso mi'bachutz), with ner mitzvah v'Torah or (a mitzvah is a lamp and Torah is light), and in a manner of continuously increasing—mosif v'holech mosif v'or (increasing and increasing in light). We must also remember that—even in earlier times when the Beis HaMikdash stood in Jerusalem—there was a danger that the brightness of Torah and mitzvos could be darkened by impure oils from misleading ideas and false outlooks; if Jews were always few while the forces of darkness were many—the danger today is much greater than in previous times.

The way to combat darkness is through light—the light of Torah and mitzvos in daily life. The source of this illumination is drawn from yeshivos and educational institutions founded on purity and holiness. The Lubavitcher Yeshivos Tomchei Temimim are celebrating this year their 70th anniversary since the founding of the first Tomchei Temimim yeshivah in Lubavitch. Over these seventy years, Lubavitcher yeshivos have led—and continue to lead—their holy work in various countries among the seventy nations of the world. And for twenty-eight years now, the central Tomchei Temimim yeshivah in Brooklyn has been active here in this country—a work distinguished by its emphasis on raising generations of "neros le'ha'ir"—lights that shine and illuminate, that ignite "ner Hashem nishmas adam" (the soul of man is G‑d's lamp) within Jewish souls, sanctifying the Mishkan and Mikdash within Jewish hearts so that "v'shachanti b'socham" (I will dwell among them), within each individual.

Now the yeshivah is making necessary preparations for its annual celebration (10 Teves). I hope that all friends of the yeshivah—and especially its activists—will participate fully in these preparations to ensure that this undertaking will succeed in every respect, both spiritually and financially. The annual event is one of the main financial pillars upon which the yeshivah relies.

May the spirit of the upcoming Chanukah inspire everyone to act in a manner of mosif v'holech (ever-increasing), and through spreading ner mitzvah v'Torah or may we merit "or p'nei Melech chaim" (the light of the King's countenance), to be blessed—they and their households—with increasing light and success in all good matters of daily life both materially and spiritually.

With honor and blessing for a bright Chanukah,
M. Schneersohn

Summary

The Rebbe teaches that increasing spiritual light through Torah learning and mitzvos dispels modern darkness. Supporting institutions like Tomchei Temimim strengthens this mission; every Jew can help spread holiness by participating generously during Chanukah.