5851 —היסח הדעת ע"י שקיעה בלימוד התורה כתיקון לנפילת הרוח, ודרך הממוצע בין עבודתו בעצמו לטובת הזולת

B"H, 17 Marcheshvan, 5718

Brooklyn.

Greetings and blessing!

In reply to your letter from the end of Tishrei, in which you write that on certain occasions you fall very, very low in spirit, broken and crushed, and find it hard to learn, even though you are careful about a number of matters explained in the seforim in connection with this.

I believe I have already written to you that one of the points for correcting this state is the matter of diverting the mind. It is explained, and understood even by simple reason, that diverting the mind does not mean fighting the matter, nor debating it back and forth, even in order to negate it, for that is the very opposite of diverting the mind. Rather, it means, in its plain sense, to divert one's mind from it entirely, even from correcting it and from thinking how bad the matter is, etc. But since thought is always roaming, diverting the mind is possible only by immersing one's thought in matters of an entirely different kind, and best of all in a matter of Torah. And if מעט אור דוחה הרבה חשך "a little light dispels much darkness" (Tanya, ch. 12), how much more so a great deal of light, and especially the study of המאור שבתורה "the light within the Torah" (Eichah Rabbah, Pesichta 2; Yerushalmi Chagigah 1:7), the source of light, which is the inner dimension of the Torah, as explained in a number of places. The necessity of diverting the mind specifically is explained in a number of places, and is also based on the well-known responsum of the Tzemach Tzedek (printed in his Responsa, Shaar HaMiluim, section 62).

As for what you write, that it is hard for you to take part in Chassidic farbrengens since you have no feeling for niggun: this is like the saying of our Sages, of blessed memory, מי שאכל שום וכו' יאכל שום "one who has eaten garlic, etc., should he eat garlic again?" (Shabbos 31b; Berachos 51a), that is, because one thing is lacking, should he add a further lack? This is besides the refutation of the conclusion you draw from the above, "that nothing has any effect on you," for that is impossible: a person in general is open to influence, and especially at a time of Divine favor; and as is known, the "note that came down from Heaven" (see the Previous Rebbe's letter in Kovetz Michtavim l'Tehillim, p. 199, and Igros Kodesh of the Previous Rebbe, vol. 3, p. 413) about how great is the effect of a farbrengen.

As for your question, whether a person is obliged to give up his own spirituality in order to save the spirituality of another: the saying of Rabbi Akiva is already known, ואהבת לרעך כמוך "Love your fellow as yourself" (Vayikra 19:18) כלל גדול בתורה "is a great principle in the Torah" (Rashi there)*. See likewise the statement of our Sages, of blessed memory, in Sotah 21b: היכי דמי חסיד שוטה "What is a foolish pietist like?" (one who sees a woman drowning in the river and says, "It is not proper for me to look at her," and does not save her), and a number of other statements of our Sages, of blessed memory, that bear witness to the above. And the main thing in this is what is known** in the explanation of the verse וצדקה תרומם גוי "righteousness exalts a nation" (Mishlei 14:34; in the verse, without the initial "and"), that through charity one's mind and heart become refined thousands of times over; and spiritual charity, which touches the soul, is obviously no less than material charity. It is understood, however, that the above has its limits, that is to say: just as one is obliged to concern himself with the good of another, a yeshivah student may not set aside all the schedules of the yeshivah and occupy himself only with matters of charity, material or spiritual; as in the well-known story told by our Sages, המבלי כו' "Is it for lack of graves in Caesarea that I sent you to Tiberias?" (Yerushalmi Pesachim 3:7, where Rabbi Abahu rebukes his son, sent to Tiberias to learn, for occupying himself with acts of kindness, since it was resolved that study comes before deed). See also Moed Katan 9a, at the end, and there (a mitzvah that can be done by others is left to them, while one does the greater one himself). Rather, as in all matters of our Torah, תורת חיים "a Torah of life" (Siddur, Sim Shalom), one must find the middle path, as the Rambam explains at length at the beginning of Hilchos Deos. But since אדם קרוב לעצמו "a person is close to himself" (Sanhedrin 9b), one should set out the matter in detail before one's friends, and they will instruct him. May it be G‑d's will that in all of the above you will report good news, regarding your work on yourself and your work with others.

With blessing,

In the name of the Rebbe, may he live long and good days,

Secretary

*) See also Igeres HaKodesh, epistle 16.

**) Torah Ohr, at its beginning.

Summary

This letter teaches that the cure for dejection is not to fight the thought but to divert the mind from it by immersing it in Torah, above all its inner dimension; and that although caring for another's spiritual welfare is a great principle, a yeshivah student may not abandon his own studies, but must find the middle path with the counsel of friends.