5897 —אין לדחות קביעות שיעורים בתורה עד שתוטב הפרנסה, כי הברכה באה ע"י עמל התורה

B"H, 4 Kislev, 5718

Brooklyn.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

After a prolonged interruption^[1], I was pleased to receive your letter of 2 Kislev, in which you write of the improvement in your material situation, and also of the sessions you have in Torah, which unfortunately are for the time being not yet in the full measure that they should be; but you hope to make this good.

But it is explained at length in many sefarim that in the matter of Torah study it is not possible to make up in the future what was missed, because each day, however much one learns in it, suffices only for that day itself; so there is not a single spare minute in it with which one could make good the lack of the past. It is also known that the explanation of our Sages, which Rashi brings on the verse "If you walk in My statutes" — "that you toil in Torah"^[2] etc. — [is followed by] "I will give your rains in their season" etc., and all the blessings stated there. From this it is plainly understood that there is no room to say, "When my livelihood improves, I will set a fixed session for Torah." On the contrary: the improvement in livelihood can come, and be hastened, precisely through sessions in Torah; and the fact that the livelihood is for the time being not as it should be is in fact an added reason to increase in Torah and mitzvos. And although this learning may contain an element of "not for its own sake", the saying of our Sages is known: "A person should always learn, etc., for from [learning] not for its own sake he comes to [learning] for its own sake"^[3].

As for what you write, that you have a chavrusa only once a week: I hope that with effort a solution can be found for this too, and until then one must at least learn alone; and nothing stands in the way of the will.

In connection with the coming of the auspicious day, the festival of redemption, Yud-Tes Kislev, a booklet on the festival of Yud-Tes Kislev is enclosed^[4], and surely you will acquaint all those with whom you come in contact with its content.

With blessing for good news,

In the name of the Rebbe shlita,

Secretary

Notes

[1] After a prolonged interruption (נאך א לאנגען איבעררייס): That is, after a long break in their correspondence. איבעררייס (Yiddish) is an interruption.

[2] That you toil in Torah (שתהיו עמלים בתורה): Rashi on Vayikra 26:3: "'If you walk in My statutes' — could this mean fulfilling the mitzvos? When it says 'and keep My commandments', fulfilling the mitzvos is already stated. How then do I explain 'If you walk in My statutes'? That you toil in Torah." The next verse (26:4) continues: "I will give your rains in their season," with the other blessings. The Rebbe's proof: the blessings, livelihood among them, come in the wake of toil in Torah; so one should not postpone fixed study until livelihood improves — on the contrary, the study hastens it.

[3] Not for its own sake (שמתוך שלא לשמה בא לשמה): Pesachim 50b: לעולם יעסוק אדם בתורה ומצות אף על פי שלא לשמה, שמתוך שלא לשמה, בא לשמה, "A person should always occupy himself with Torah and mitzvos even not for their own sake, for from [doing them] not for their own sake he comes to [do them] for their own sake." The Rebbe quotes it in short, as "A person should always learn". Even if the recipient learns now (also) in the hope that his livelihood will improve, that does not hold it back.

[4] A booklet on the festival of Yud-Tes Kislev (חוברת פון פרשת החג י"ט כסלו): The same Yud-Tes Kislev booklet (not named) was sent in those days with letters 5909 (9 Kislev), 5912 (10 Kislev), 5916 (10 Kislev) and 5927 (17 Kislev). This is the booklet Yud-Tes Kislev – Sippur Parashas Chag HaGeulah, known as Megillas Yud-Tes Kislev (Kehot, 5712), which the Previous Rebbe wrote without his name appearing as author; see letters 3104 and 3959.

Summary

This letter, written after a long break, tells the recipient not to wait for his livelihood to improve before setting fixed Torah study: a missed day of learning cannot be made up, and the blessings, livelihood among them, come through toil in Torah. Learning not for its own sake leads to learning for its own sake, and until he has a regular chavrusa he should learn alone.