5915 —עסק חדש בלי השגת גבול, והפרשת צדקה מן הרווחים מתחילתו

[10th of Kislev, 5718]

In reply to your letter of Saturday night^[1], and afterward the telephoned message through Rabbi Hodakov^[2], that the deal is to be concluded very shortly and there remains only the proposal of the poultry shochet.

I take it that in the matter you write about there is no question of encroachment^[3], and if that is so, may it be in a good and successful hour. It would be a fitting thing for you to put a certain sum into a charity box on account of the coming earnings, and thereby from the very start to establish the new undertaking on G‑d's "You shall surely tithe"^[4], and as it is written, "Test Me now with this, etc."^[5]

At a propitious time all those you write about will be mentioned at the resting place of my father-in-law, the Rebbe, of sainted memory^[6], each one^[7] for what he needs, and may G‑d help that in this too you will bring good news.

Surely in your holy community too^[8] preparations are being made for the auspicious day of Yud-Tes Kislev^[9], the day of redemption of the Alter Rebbe, of the teachings of Chassidus, its matters and its guidance; and the merit of the one whose celebration it is, the Alter Rebbe, will stand by each one among all the Jewish people^[10] in whatever he needs, materially and spiritually.

With blessing for good news^[11] and for a joyous and productive farbrengen.

[Publisher's notes: Printed in Likkutei Sichos vol. 24, p. 435.]

Notes

1. Saturday night (אור ליום א'): Literally "the night before Sunday", i.e. Motzaei Shabbos.

2. Rabbi Hodakov (הרב חדקוב שי'): R. Chaim Mordechai Aizik Hodakov, head of the Rebbe's secretariat.

3. Encroachment (השגת גבול): Hasagas gevul: harming another's livelihood by entering his domain, forbidden by Chazal, after the pasuk, Devarim 19:14: "You shall not move your neighbor's boundary." That is: if the new business does not cut into anyone else's livelihood, may it be in a good hour.

4. G‑d's "You shall surely tithe" (ע"פ השי"ת עשר תעשר): The words of the pasuk, Devarim 14:22, which Chazal expound (Taanis 9a): "Tithe, so that you will become wealthy." That is: he should set aside a tithe from the profits from the very start of the business.

5. "Test Me now with this, etc." (ובחנוני נא בזאת וגו'): The words of the pasuk, Malachi 3:10: "Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now with this, says the L‑rd of Hosts, if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing beyond measure." From this Chazal learn (Taanis, ibid.) that in giving tithes one is permitted to test G‑d.

6. The resting place of my father-in-law, the Rebbe, of sainted memory (הציון של כ"ק מו"ח אדמו"ר זצוקללה"ה נבג"מ זי"ע): The Ohel of the Previous Rebbe. זצוקללה"ה נבג"מ זי"ע — זכר צדיק וקדוש לברכה לחיי העולם הבא, נשמתו בגנזי מרומים, זכותו יגן עלינו.

7. Each one (כאו"א): כל אחד ואחד.

8. In your holy community (במחנם הט'): מחנם הטהור, "their pure camp", i.e. their holy community.

9. Yud-Tes Kislev (י"ט כסלו): The day of the Alter Rebbe's release from imprisonment in Petersburg in 5559 (1798), "the Rosh Hashanah of Chassidus" (Hayom Yom, 19 Kislev). "The one whose celebration it is" (בעל השמחה) — the Alter Rebbe, since the celebration is the joy of his redemption.

10. Among all the Jewish people (בתכ"י): בתוך כלל ישראל.

11. Good news (בשו"ט): בשורות טובות.

Summary

Answering a businessman about a new venture, the Rebbe says that if it involves no encroachment on another's livelihood, may it be in a good hour, and advises him to set aside charity from the coming profits from the very start, on the basis of "tithe, so that you will become wealthy" and "test Me now with this". He will mention those the writer asked about at the Previous Rebbe's resting place, and wishes him a joyous Yud-Tes Kislev farbrengen.