5902 —תכנית מפורטת בעוד מועד לימי כסלו, וחובת אנ"ש להפיץ המעינות גם ליהודי המקומות האחרים באוסטרליה

B"H, 6 Kislev, 5718

Brooklyn.

The rav and Chassid, a God-fearing man, distinguished and honored, etc., Reb Bezalel, may he live long, shochet and examiner

Shalom u'Vrachah!

After a very long interruption^[1], your letter of Rosh Chodesh Kislev was received, with a pidyon nefesh, which will be read at an auspicious time at the holy resting place of my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe, of saintly memory. May it be G‑d's will that you report good news in its content.

I hope, although no one writes about it, that well in advance a plan was prepared, and is being prepared, to make use of the days of Kislev in general, and the auspicious day of Yud-Tes Kislev, the Rosh Hashanah of Chassidus and of the ways of Chassidus, in particular; and to do so according to the precise wording, "spreading the wellsprings outward" — spreading specifically, wellsprings specifically and outward specifically^[2], as explained, at least briefly, elsewhere. Nothing stands in the way of the will; and the experience of past years has shown that the more detailed and clarified the plan is in advance, the more room there is for success.

It is a wonder in general that, apparently, Anash in Melbourne take no interest whatsoever in the Jews of Australia who are in other places; and of course the wonder is even greater regarding those who are called "lamps to give light"^[3]. Those who called them by this name were certainly right; but the lamps must bring this from potential into actuality, and when they do not, it is a misuse of their mission, may the Merciful One save us. There are a number of settlements in the country that are certainly not farther away than the description "outward", and so the obligation of spreading the wellsprings applies. Moreover, this holds back the coming of our righteous Moshiach^[4], and each one's sitting "under his vine and his fig tree"^[5] — even the vine and the fig tree in the spiritual sense (see Likkutei Torah on the Three Parshiyos, Bereishis 23b: the inner dimension of the G‑dly soul, refining the garments)^[6].

This in no way replaces your obligation in the spreading mentioned^[7].

With blessing for good news in all of the above.

Publisher's notes

Reb Bezalel (מו"ה בצלאל): Wilshansky, Melbourne. Further letters to him: above, vol. 12, letter 3869, and the sources noted there.

Notes

[1] After a very long interruption (לאחרי הפסק הכי ארוך): The previous letter to him that we have is Igros Kodesh vol. 12, letter 3869 (10 MarCheshvan 5716), about two years earlier. A later letter to him: vol. 22, letter 8227 (29 Tishrei 5722). The recipient, R. Bezalel Wilshansky, was a shochet in Melbourne, Australia, to whom the Rebbe also wrote often about the yeshivah there (e.g. letters 3000, 3744).

[2] Spreading the wellsprings outward (הפצת המעינות חוצה): The phrase comes from Moshiach's answer to the Baal Shem Tov, in his letter (printed at the beginning of Keser Shem Tov), to the question "When will the Master come?": "When your teaching will be publicized and revealed in the world, and your wellsprings will spread outward." The Rebbe stresses each word: spreading — not only learning for oneself; wellsprings — the teachings of Chassidus as they are; outward — also to those outside the circle of Anash.

[3] Lamps to give light (נרות להאיר): Those whose name and role is to illuminate their surroundings, like a lamp. Since they were rightly called so, they must bring their potential into action and give light also to the Jews in other places in Australia.

[4] This holds back the coming of Moshiach (זה מעכב ביאת משיח צדקנו): Following the Baal Shem Tov's letter (see note 2): Moshiach's coming depends on spreading the wellsprings outward, so not spreading them holds it back.

[5] Under his vine and his fig tree (תחת גפנו ותאנתו): Micha 4:4, in the prophecy of the end of days: "And they shall sit, each man under his vine and under his fig tree, and none shall make them afraid." Not spreading the wellsprings holds back not only Moshiach's coming but also what comes with it — each one sitting "under his vine and his fig tree", even the vine and fig tree in the spiritual sense.

[6] Likkutei Torah on the Three Parshiyos (לקו"ת לג' פרשיות): There it is explained what the spiritual "vine" and "fig tree" are: the inner dimension of the G‑dly soul, and the refining of its garments.

[7] In no way replaces your obligation (ואין זה מחליפה כלל וכלל חובתו): Nothing else takes the place of his particular obligation in spreading the wellsprings mentioned.

Summary

This letter urges the recipient to plan Kislev and Yud-Tes Kislev in advance and in detail, "spreading the wellsprings outward" in the full sense of each word. It is a wonder that Anash in Melbourne take no interest in Jews elsewhere in Australia; those called "lamps to give light" must shine, for this holds back Moshiach, and nothing replaces this duty.