5910 —הוראת חנוכה – להוסיף אור בתורה ומצוות מיום ליום, גם כשהמצב נראה חשוך

B"H, 9 Kislev, 5718

Brooklyn.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

In reply to your letter of 3 Kislev.

At an auspicious time I will mention all those you write about at the holy resting place of my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe, of saintly memory^[1], each one^[2] for what he needs, in keeping with the content of your letter. And the more you add in the study of our holy Torah, in Nigleh and Chassidus, with diligence and assiduousness, and in beautifying the observance of the mitzvos, the more will be added in G‑d's blessings^[3] in what is needed, and in the fulfillment of your above request.

And since we are approaching the days of Chanukah, surely there is no need to stress the instruction of Chanukah: that in matters of Torah and mitzvos it must be in the manner of "adding progressively" specifically, even when the situation seems to the eyes of flesh not so good; as in the law of Chanukah, that the candle is lit after the sun has set, and even so one adds from day to day^[4]. As for the light and the candle, the verse has already said, "A mitzvah is a candle, and Torah is light"^[5]; and especially for a young married man who is a yeshivah student.

Surely you keep the three well-known shiurim in Chumash, Tehillim and Tanya^[6]; at any rate, keep them from now on.

With blessing for good news^[7] in all the above.

Notes

1. 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."

2. Each one (כאו"א): כל אחד ואחד.

3. G‑d's blessings (ברכות השי"ת): השם יתברך. Adding in Torah and mitzvos is the vessel for G‑d's blessing, and the blessing grows in the measure of the addition.

4. The candle is lit after the sun has set, and even so one adds from day to day (מדליקין הנר משתשקע החמה... מוסיפין מיום ליום): See Shabbos 21b: "Its mitzvah is from when the sun sets"; and Beis Hillel say, "On the first day one lights one; from then on he adds progressively," for "we ascend in holiness and do not descend." The Rebbe learns from this: although the Chanukah candle is lit specifically after sunset, when darkness prevails, one adds to it from day to day; so too in Torah and mitzvos one must keep adding even when the situation looks bad to the eyes of flesh.

5. "A mitzvah is a candle, and Torah is light" (נר מצוה ותורה אור): Mishlei 6:23. The "candle" and the "light" of Chanukah allude to mitzvos and Torah, and the instruction to add in them daily applies especially to a young yeshivah man, whose main occupation is Torah study.

6. The three well-known shiurim (שלשת השיעורים... הידועים): The daily shiurim instituted by the Previous Rebbe: Chumash with Rashi from the weekly parshah, Tehillim as divided for the days of the month, and Tanya as divided for the days of the year (Chitas). עכ"פ = על כל פנים, "at any rate."

7. Good news (בשו"ט): בשורות טובות.

Summary

This letter promises to mention at the Previous Rebbe's resting place all those the writer asked about, and teaches that blessing grows as he adds in Torah and mitzvos. Chanukah instructs that in Torah and mitzvos one must keep adding even when things look dark: the candle is lit after sunset, yet more candles are added each day; and "a mitzvah is a candle and Torah is light," especially for a young yeshivah man. It reminds him to keep the daily shiurim of Chitas.