5903 —קדושת המחנה – החוב הנוסף בקדושה על הנמצאים בצבא

B"H, 6 Kislev, 5718

Brooklyn.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

I acknowledge receipt of your letter with a pidyon nefesh^[1] of Rosh Chodesh Kislev, the month of miracles and of redemption^[2],

and at an auspicious time you will be mentioned at the holy resting place of my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe, of saintly memory^[3].

Surely there is no need to remind you that, if everywhere a Jew must conduct himself in keeping with the title given him by the Creator of the world, "a kingdom of priests and a holy nation"^[4], there is an added obligation in this for those who are in the army, in keeping with the additional command in our holy Torah, "your camp shall be holy"^[5]. Moreover, this affects all those who are with him, as is explained there in the verse: "For the L‑rd your G‑d walks in the midst of your camp" – if – "your camp shall be holy"^[6]. May it be G‑d's will that you find fitting words to explain the matter to yourself, and likewise to all those around you; and may it be G‑d's will that your words come from the heart, and so they will enter the heart^[7] and have their effect.

Surely you will farbreng on Yud-Tes Kislev, the luminous day and the auspicious day, coming upon us for good^[8]; and may it be G‑d's will that the inspiration bring an increase in deed, in daily conduct, according to the instruction of our holy Torah, the Torah of life^[9].

With blessing for good news^[10] in all the above.

In the name of the Rebbe shlita,

Secretary

Notes

1. Pidyon nefesh (פ"נ): A note in which the writer gives his name and his mother's name and his request, handed to the Rebbe to be mentioned at the resting place of a tzaddik.

2. The month of miracles and of redemption (חדש הנסים והגאולה): Kislev is "the month of miracles" for the miracle of Chanukah (25 Kislev), and "the month of redemption" for the liberation of the Alter Rebbe from his imprisonment in Petersburg on 19 Kislev 5559 (and of the Mitteler Rebbe on 10 Kislev 5587).

3. My revered father-in-law, the Rebbe, of saintly memory (כ"ק מו"ח אדמו"ר זצוקללה"ה נבג"מ זי"ע): The Previous Rebbe, R. Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn. The abbreviations stand for: "may the memory of the righteous and holy be for a blessing in the life of the World to Come; his soul is in the hidden treasuries on high; may his merit shield us."

4. A kingdom of priests and a holy nation (ממלכת כהנים וגוי קדוש): Shemos 19:6: "And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation" – the title G‑d gave the whole Jewish people before the Giving of the Torah, so that every Jew, wherever he is, must live up to it.

5. Your camp shall be holy (והי' מחנך קדוש): Devarim 23:15. Beyond the holiness required of every Jew, the Torah gives an additional command in the passage about going out to war, "When you go out as a camp against your enemies" (ibid. 23:10): "your camp shall be holy." Hence those in the army have an added obligation in holiness.

6. If (באם): The full verse (Devarim 23:15) reads: "For the L‑rd your G‑d walks in the midst of your camp, to save you and to deliver your enemies before you; therefore your camp shall be holy, so that He not see anything unseemly among you and turn away from you." By inserting "if" the Rebbe stresses that G‑d's presence in the camp, and with it rescue and victory, depends on the camp being holy; that is why each man's conduct affects all who are with him.

7. Words from the heart enter the heart (יוצאים מן הלב... נכנסים אל הלב): Based on the saying "Words that come from the heart enter the heart"; see Sefer HaYashar attributed to Rabbeinu Tam, Gate 13.

8. Yud-Tes Kislev... coming upon us for good (י"ט כסלו... הבע"ל): The day of the Alter Rebbe's liberation from imprisonment in Petersburg, called "the Rosh Hashanah of Chassidus" (see Hayom Yom, 19 Kislev).

9. The Torah of life (תורת חיים): The words of the prayer in the blessing Sim Shalom of the Amidah: "for by the light of Your countenance You gave us, L‑rd our G‑d, the Torah of life." That is, a Torah that instructs daily life.

10. Good news (בשו"ט): בשו"ט stands for בשורות טובות, "good news."

Summary

This letter reminds a Jewish soldier that, beyond the holiness expected of every Jew as part of "a kingdom of priests and a holy nation," the Torah commands that an army camp be holy, and G‑d's presence in the camp depends on it; so his conduct affects all around him. It asks him to explain this, with words from the heart, to himself and his comrades, and to let the Yud-Tes Kislev farbrengen bring added action in daily life.