5896 —השתתפות במסיבה בשנת האבלות, והפצת התורה כקורת רוח לנשמת האב

B"H, 4 Kislev, 5718

Brooklyn.

The avrech Yosef, may he live long^[1]

Shalom u'Vrachah!

I acknowledge receipt of your letter of Rosh Chodesh Kislev, and your question about taking part in a gathering, etc.^[2]

Since this depends on several details (the nature of the gathering and the manner of participation), you should put the matter before a halachic authority in your area, and he will instruct you.

Surely you know what is brought in the sefarim about the ways in which children are to bring gratification to the souls of their parents^[3]: among the principal ones is involvement in spreading Torah and its mitzvos (see also the Zohar, vol. III, end of Parshas Bechukosai^[4]). And surely you know how your father, peace be upon him, gave himself with self-sacrifice for matters of Chassidus in general and for its dissemination in particular. I therefore hope that, as far as possible, you too are making efforts in this, in general and especially in the year of mourning. Your merit (and also your responsibility) in this is many times greater, since your position enables you to influence a certain circle, and especially your class; and nothing stands in the way of the will^[5].

You surely know of the three well-known daily portions in Chumash, Tehillim and Tanya^[6], of which we heard many times from my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe, of saintly memory, that they are equally suited to every soul and are a segulah for very many matters. At any rate, keep them from now on.

With blessing.

Publisher's notes

Yosef (יוסף שי'): Kiyubman. A further letter to him: below, letter 6059.

Taking part in a gathering (להשתתף במסיבה): in the year of mourning.

Notes

[1] Yosef (יוסף שי'): R. Yosef Kiyubman. His father, R. Avraham Kiyubman, passed away in 5717, and this letter was written in the year of mourning for him (see the publisher's notes). His father was among the leading activists who strengthened the underground branches of the Tomchei Temimim yeshivos in Russia, with self-sacrifice, and after leaving Russia he lived in Kfar Chabad. A further letter to the recipient: letter 6059 (17 Shevat 5718), on the nusach of prayer, in which the Rebbe blesses him to add in Torah and mitzvos permeated with the light of Chassidus, and to influence those under his guidance as well.

[2] Taking part in a gathering (להשתתף במסיבה): Whether he may take part in a gathering during the year of mourning for his father (as the publisher's note says). The laws of a mourner taking part in festive meals and celebrations during the twelve months for a parent are in Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De'ah 391; they depend on many details (the kind of gathering, whether it is a seudas mitzvah, how he takes part), and so the Rebbe did not rule from afar but sent him to a local halachic authority.

[3] Gratification to the souls of their parents (קורת רוח... לנשמת אבותיהם): See Sanhedrin 104a: ברא מזכי אבא, "a son brings merit to his father." A son's good deeds after his father's passing add merit and elevation to the father's soul.

[4] Zohar, end of Bechukosai (זהר ח"ג סוף פרשת בחקותי): The Zohar at the end of Parshas Bechukosai explains that the mitzvah of honoring one's father rests on the son even after the father's passing: when the son walks in the right path and mends his ways, he honors his father in both worlds. The Rebbe writes so in another letter (Igros Kodesh vol. 2, letter 193): "See the Zohar, end of Bechukosai, on honoring one's father, that this rests on the son even after his father's passing — to honor his father in both worlds."

[5] Nothing stands in the way of the will (ואין לך דבר העומד בפני הרצון): A well-known saying (see Zohar II, 162b): when one truly wants, nothing can hold one back; so he can influence his circle and his class, even if it seems difficult.

[6] The three daily portions (שלשת השיעורים בחומש תהלים ותניא): Chitas (Chumash, Tehillim, Tanya), the daily study instituted by the Previous Rebbe: Chumash with Rashi, the day's section of the weekly parshah; Tehillim as divided over the days of the month; and Tanya as divided over the days of the year.

Summary

This letter answers a mourner who asked whether he may take part in a gathering during the year of mourning for his father: since it depends on the details, he should ask a local halachic authority. Among the main ways a son brings gratification to his father's soul is spreading Torah and mitzvos, especially for one whose father gave himself for spreading Chassidus and who can influence his own class; and he should keep the daily portions of Chumash, Tehillim and Tanya.