5891 —הבאת התלמידים ומושפעי העבר להתוועדות י"ט כסלו

B"H, 3rd of Kislev, 5718
Brooklyn.

The veteran and Chassid, a G‑d-fearing man, distinguished and honored, a man of many deeds, whose work is the work of Heaven^[1],
Shmuel, may he live^[2]

Shalom u'Vrachah!

... I was glad to read in your letter about the possibility of your students taking part in the farbrengen of the auspicious day of Yud-Tes Kislev^[3]. From now until then there is enough time for suitable preparation, as you put it in your letter; and the merit of the many will help you to additional heavenly assistance to succeed in this. Perhaps there is room to include in this also those you influenced in the past. And according to the well-known saying about what a Chassidic farbrengen accomplishes^[4], effort and toil in this are worthwhile, since it is a time of favor and an opportune time for making an impression, in such a way that its effect will be noticeable for several weeks and months afterwards, as you have also seen tangibly in the past.

May it be G‑d's will that the merit of the one whose celebration it is^[5] on the auspicious day of Yud-Tes Kislev stand by each one within the community of Israel^[6], to succeed in the general matters and in the personal matters — which, in general, depend on each other^[7] — and especially by those who have been graced with a talent for education and influence.

With blessing for good news^[8] in all the above.

[Publisher's notes: Shmuel: Chafer, Tel Aviv.]

Notes

1. The veteran and Chassid, a G‑d-fearing man, distinguished and honored... whose work is the work of Heaven (הוו"ח אי"א נו"נ רב פעלים מלאכתו מלאכת שמים): הוותיק וחסיד, איש ירא אלקים, נעלה ונכבד. "Whose work is the work of Heaven" — after the words of R. Yishmael to R. Meir the scribe in Eruvin 13a: "My son, be careful in your work, for your work is the work of Heaven." Here as a title for an educator engaged in the education of Jewish children.

2. Shmuel (שמואל שי'): R. Shmuel Chafer, an educator in Tel Aviv (later in Bnei Brak). A further letter to him: below, vol. 19, letter 7261, about a gathering of the schoolchildren of his district, and the references in the notes there.

3. The auspicious day of Yud-Tes Kislev (יום הבהיר י"ט כסלו): The day of the Alter Rebbe's release from imprisonment, "the Rosh Hashanah of Chassidus" (Hayom Yom, 19 Kislev).

4. The well-known saying about what a Chassidic farbrengen accomplishes (הפתגם הידוע בפעולת התועדות חסידותית): The saying related by the Alter Rebbe: "What a Chassidic farbrengen can accomplish, the angel Michael cannot accomplish" (see Igros Kodesh of the Previous Rebbe, vol. 3, letter 784; and below, letter 5921). Therefore the effort and toil to bring the students to the farbrengen are worthwhile.

5. The one whose celebration it is (בעל השמחה): The Alter Rebbe, whose day of release is Yud-Tes Kislev.

6. Each one within the community of Israel (כ"א בתכ"י): כל אחד בתוך כלל ישראל.

7. Depend on each other (זב"ז): זה בזה. That is: success in the general matters and success in the personal matters depend on each other.

8. Good news (בשו"ט): בשורות טובות.

Summary

The Rebbe is glad to hear that an educator's students may take part in the Yud-Tes Kislev farbrengen; there is time to prepare, the merit of the many will help, and his former students could be included too. As the Alter Rebbe's saying teaches, a Chassidic farbrengen achieves what even the angel Michael cannot, and its effect lasts for weeks and months. May the merit of the Alter Rebbe help everyone succeed, especially those gifted in education.