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Rabbi Yehuda Aryeh Wallegemuth was a rabbinic leader in Utrecht, the Netherlands, who maintained correspondence with the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson. The Rebbe addressed him with honorific titles, acknowledging his communal and Torah activities.
The letter from the Rebbe, dated 1 Shevat 5712 (1952), responds warmly to Rabbi Wallegemuth's report regarding the health of another rabbi, specifically mentioning improvement in his eyesight and expressing hope for continued recovery. The Rebbe invokes a blessing that the L-rd, "Who heals all flesh and performs wonders," should send a speedy and complete recovery.
The Rebbe uses the occasion to share a teaching from Chassidus, citing the saying of the Sages, "Who is wise? One who sees what is born." He elaborates, based on the teachings of Shaar HaYichud VeHaEmunah by the Alter Rebbe, that creation is a continual process, renewed every moment by the word of G-d. The Rebbe draws a parallel between physical and spiritual health, emphasizing that just as one seeks a doctor for physical ailments, attention must also be given to spiritual well-being—specifically, the ability to perceive the constant renewal of creation.
The Rebbe encourages Rabbi Wallegemuth to help the ailing rabbi strengthen himself through the study of Chassidus, particularly beginning with Shaar HaYichud VeHaEmunah. He expresses gratitude to Rabbi Wallegemuth for serving as a messenger in this matter and urges him to continue assisting in both reporting on the rabbi's condition and supporting his spiritual growth.
The Rebbe closes with a personal recollection of visiting Rabbi Wallegemuth's father, Rabbi Yosef Wallegemuth, in Berlin in 1928, recalling a Shabbat evening when his father taught Rambam to his family. This memory underscores the longstanding connection between the Rebbe and the Wallegemuth family.
Enclosed with the letter were materials related to Yud Tes Kislev (the "festival of liberation" in Chabad tradition), including a general letter, a list of teachings, and a booklet, reflecting the Rebbe's hope that these would be of interest and benefit to Rabbi Wallegemuth in his communal work to bring Jewish hearts closer to their Father in Heaven.