5922 —הפצת המעינות היא חובת גברא על כאו"א, ולא רק ביום מיוחד

B"H, 13 Kislev, 5718
Brooklyn.

...As for what you write at the end of your letter^[1], that you are ready to do whatever you are told: the question is astonishing, after so many years in which I have been showering instructions, requests and even orders concerning the work of each and every one, which is a personal obligation^[2] in this generation of ours, with no one excepted. And the point is spreading the wellsprings^[3], and all the activities that can help in this. And "spreading" means, literally, the teachings of Chassidus, suited to the understanding of the listeners; reviewing maamarim of Chassidus^[4] from time to time; and more and more. To my very great regret, from ... I have not yet received good news about the above, except for a brief report, at rare intervals, that a maamar of Chassidus was reviewed in such-and-such a place; and they write about it as an altogether exceptional event, and I fear that this is indeed the case. For the thing happens very rarely, at a time when your father and his sons [i.e. your brothers], may they live, could have, and therefore also must, make of ... (and over the years in general, in the country of ...) a Chabad place. Instead of reports about the activities of Chassidim, the "worldly" activists^[5] conquer one area after another and found one institution after another; while Anash, with them at their head, wait for an exceptional day and hold a farbrengen, and afterward again rest from all activity until several months have passed and another holiday^[6] comes.

It is plain that my intention is not to preach morals, but that at long last they should be roused to actual activity. For "behold, he stands behind our wall"^[7], the King Moshiach; and the time is very short, and the work is very great^[8].

Surely the farbrengen of the coming Yud-Tes Kislev will be on the necessary scale, that is, with great expansion; and may it be G‑d's will that it be a good beginning to fulfilling their task in the above.

It is understood that all of the above is directed not only to you but also to your father and brothers, may they live. And may it be G‑d's will that you find the fitting words to explain the above, so that your own activities, too, will arouse them and compel them to do what is incumbent upon them. And nothing stands in the way of the will^[9].

With blessings for good news in all of the above, and for a joyous and active farbrengen,
M. Schneerson

Notes

1. As for what you write at the end of your letter (...ובמ"ש בסיום מכתבו): The beginning of the letter was not printed; it is printed from the middle. The names of people and places were also left out in print (from ..., in ..., in the country of ...).

2. A personal obligation (חובת גברא): A halachic term: an obligation that rests on the person himself (as opposed to chovas cheftza, an obligation on an object). Spreading Chassidus is a personal duty of each and every one in this generation, and therefore "no one is excepted".

3. Spreading the wellsprings (הפצת המעינות): After the verse (Mishlei 5:16), יפוצו מעינתיך חוצה, "Let your wellsprings be spread outward," and the answer of the King Moshiach to the Baal Shem Tov, in his well-known letter (printed at the beginning of Kesser Shem Tov), that he will come "when your wellsprings are spread outward". That is, spreading the teachings of Chassidus, as the Rebbe explains here.

4. Reviewing maamarim of Chassidus (חזרת דא"ח): דא"ח = דברי אלקים חיים, "the words of the living G‑d", i.e., a maamar of Chassidus. To "review" one is to repeat it by heart in public.

5. The "worldly" activists (העולמות'שע): A Yiddish form: the "worldly" ones, i.e., those who do not follow the ways of the Torah. In a place known as a Chabad place, one hears no reports of the Chassidim's activities, while others conquer one area after another and found one institution after another.

6. Another holiday (יומא דפגרא): Aramaic: a day off from work, a holiday. Said wryly: Anash act only when a "special day" (a holiday or a farbrengen day) comes, and between one such day and the next they rest from all activity.

7. Behold, he stands behind our wall (זה עומד אחר כתלנו): Shir HaShirim 2:9, הנה זה עומד אחר כתלנו, "Behold, he stands behind our wall"; the Rebbe applies it to the King Moshiach.

8. The time is very short, and the work is very great (והזמן קצר ביותר, והמלאכה מרובה ביותר): After the Mishnah (Avos 2:15), היום קצר והמלאכה מרובה, "The day is short and the work is great." The Mishnah says "the day"; the Rebbe says "the time", and adds "very".

9. Nothing stands in the way of the will (אין לך דבר העומד בפני הרצון): A well-known saying (see Zohar II, 162b). When one truly wants, nothing can hold one back; so he can arouse his father and brothers to real activity.

Summary

This letter rebukes a Chassid who wrote that he is "ready to do whatever he is told", when for years the Rebbe has been calling on everyone to spread Chassidus. Anash in his Chabad town come alive only on special days while secular activists build institution after institution; with Moshiach at the door, Yud-Tes Kislev should be the start of steady work, and his own example should move his father and brothers.