5884 —עבודת החינוך ברשת אהלי יוסף יצחק באופן דמעלין בקדש, והדרכות בענין ההוצאות, המורים והסמינר

B"H, 28 Marcheshvan, 5718

Brooklyn.

The Rabbi and Chassid, a G‑d-fearing man, honored and elevated, engaged in communal needs, our teacher Rabbi Yitzchak, may he live

Shalom u'Vrachah!

I hereby acknowledge receipt of your letters of 6, 10 and 12 Cheshvan and of the Monday after it. It was pleasant for me to read in them that you have approached your holy work in the Ohalei Yosef Yitzchak Lubavitch network in the Holy Land, may it be built and established, with added energy and renewed vitality. My hope is strong that, contrary to what is usual in worldly matters, where from time to time vitality and energy weaken, in the above, which is among the principal mitzvos of our holy Torah, ושננתם לבניך אלו התלמידים "You shall teach them diligently to your children: these are the students" (Devarim 6:7 and Rashi there), it will be, as the Torah commands, in the manner of מעלין בקדש "one ascends in holiness" (Berachos 28a). The matter depends only on will, as was discussed concerning the Russian saying מאזשעס דא ניע חאטשעס "you can, but you do not want," etc.

It is obvious, as I wrote and also said orally, that all the regular expenses of the network will be paid in full, and this is only a matter of time. But on the other hand, regarding the same wording in which you write not to cut back: experience has shown that immediately one comes to alarming expenses, in such a way that after a time no one can explain how such a sum was reached, as we discussed orally.

Understandably, I hold to my view that the separation of boys and girls is essential and cannot be waived; but as for combining classes, this should be weighed in each school according to its own conditions, and also in light of an estimate of how the relevant government offices will react to combining these classes...

As to the difficulty you raise in your letter: I said that a staff of expert teachers must be assembled, and how is this possible, since Anash have not been engaged in this until now?

Expertise does not necessarily require many years of work. If there is a talent for it and a strong will to become expert in the profession of education in one's own right, one may hope that within a few months he will become an expert; and during these months he need not be a principal or a teacher of difficult classes and the like; he can be employed in the classes where the work is easier. And this is easy to understand...

You do not mention in your letter my request that you convey my regards also to those connected with Anash who are serving in the army. I hope this is only an omission in your letter, and that, close to your return to the Holy Land, it will be made felt that they are not among the forgotten, G‑d forbid. Surely Rabbi Y. L. Zalmanov, may he live, and the others whose work within the framework of Tzeirei Agudas Chabad keeps them most closely in touch with them, will help and assist you in arranging this in the most effective way...

Since among the chief tasks of a school principal is the negotiation with the various government offices, and the impression he makes there, etc., it is understood that where there is doubt, preference should be given to one whose good relations and the good impression he makes are known.

As to what you write about opening a seminary for teachers: you do not write any plan for it, only that the matter involves great difficulties.

One should look into the seminaries that already exist and have been operating for some time, so that their method is known, and choose the most suitable of them; and surely, through negotiation with them in good time, it will be possible to demand a number of further improvements to set them right.

With blessing for good news in all of the above, and above all about the fact that you have thrown yourself into your holy work of developing all the affairs of the network and see G‑d's success in it.

Publisher's notes

Our teacher Rabbi Yitzchak (מו"ה יצחק): Ginzburg, Tel Aviv.

Summary

This letter welcomes the recipient's renewed energy in the Ohalei Yosef Yitzchak network and asks that the work of teaching students, "your children," keep ascending in holiness, which depends only on will. It holds firm on separating boys and girls, warns against expenses that spiral out of control, explains that capable people can become expert teachers within months, asks that soldiers among Anash be remembered, and advises choosing principals with good official ties and working with existing seminaries.