5908 —פרסום תורת החסידות בעתונים, ותכנית מפורטת לי"ט כסלו – "ראש" השנה לחסידות

B"H, 9 Kislev, 5718

Brooklyn.

The Rabbi and Chassid, a G‑d-fearing man, distinguished and honored, etc.^[1], our teacher Rabbi Tzvi, may he live

Shalom u'Vrachah!

In reply to your letter of 2 Kislev: it is surprising that in it too you do not mention printing, in the newspapers^[2] read by the Jews of your country, matters of the teachings of Chassidus and of what surrounds Chassidus^[3]; especially since, as I recall, some years ago you wrote that you had spoken with and befriended the editor of a newspaper that appears there. The benefit in this surely needs no explanation or elaboration.

I hope that, although you do not write about what I mentioned^[4] regarding the preparations for Yud-Tes Kislev, a detailed plan is being prepared for how to use this day for spreading the wellsprings, in such a way that its impression will be felt in the weeks and months that follow. For since it is called the Rosh Hashanah of Chassidus and the ways of Chassidus, surely here too the precision is "head" and not "beginning," like the head, which contains the vitality of the limbs, as is explained in several places^[5]. And nothing stands in the way of the will^[6], for the ability for this has been given.

With blessing for good news, and greetings^[7] to those taking part in the work of spreading the wellsprings outward.

Publisher's notes

Our teacher Rabbi Tzvi, may he live (מו"ה צבי שי'): Chitrik, Rio. Further letters to him – above, letter 5854, and in the references in the notes there.

Notes

1. The Rabbi and Chassid... etc. (הרה"ח אי"א נו"נ וכו'): Titles of honor: הרב החסיד, איש ירא אלקים, נעלה ונכבד; מוה' = מורנו הרב. The recipient is R. Tzvi Chitrik of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (see the publisher's notes).

2. Newspapers (מכ"ע): מכתבי עתים. That is, to print matters of Chassidus in the Jewish newspapers of Brazil.

3. What surrounds Chassidus (דעם ארום פון חסידות): Yiddish in the original. Not only the teachings of Chassidus themselves but the matters connected with them (such as stories of Chassidim, customs and the history of the Rebbeim).

4. What I mentioned (שהזכרתיו): In his letter to him of 18 Marcheshvan (letter 5854): "It seems I have already written about an orderly plan, in good time, for using the days of Kislev, and especially Yud-Tes Kislev... the Rosh Hashanah of Chassidus and the ways of Chassidus, in the best possible way; and nothing stands in the way of the will." There he also urged spreading the wellsprings throughout Brazil, not only within their own four cubits.

5. "Head" and not "beginning" (ראש ולא תחלה): See Likkutei Torah, Ki Savo, the discourse "Hayom Hazeh": it is called the "head" of the year and not its "beginning," for just as the head contains the vitality of all the limbs, Rosh Hashanah contains all the days of the year. So too Yud-Tes Kislev, "the Rosh Hashanah of Chassidus," contains and draws vitality into the whole year; hence its impression must be felt in the weeks and months after it.

6. Nothing stands in the way of the will (אין לך דבר העומד בפני הרצון): A well-known saying (see Zohar II, 162b). The Rebbe adds: "for the ability for this has been given" – since it is required, the strength to do it has been granted.

7. Good news, and greetings (לבשו"ט ובפ"ש): בשורות טובות; פריסת שלום.

Summary

This letter urges the recipient to have Chassidus and its surrounding matters printed in the Jewish newspapers of his country, using his friendship with an editor, and to prepare a detailed plan for Yud-Tes Kislev so that its effect lasts for weeks and months: as the "head" of the year for Chassidus it holds the vitality of the whole year, and since nothing stands in the way of the will, the ability has been given.