5935 —יום הגאולה י"ט כסלו ורישומו על כל השנה, והזכרה על הציון בזכות גמ"ח בגשמיות וברוחניות

B"H, 18 Kislev, 5718
Brooklyn.

The veteran Chassid, a G‑d-fearing man, distinguished and honored, engaged in communal affairs, our teacher Rabbi Yaakov, may he live^[1]

Shalom u'Vrachah!

After an interruption, your letter of 12 Kislev was received; and "merit is brought about on a meritorious day"^[2], the day of redemption and victory of the teachings of Chassidus, the bright day of Yud-Tes Kislev, to which, in the words of our holy Rebbeim, they gave the name the Rosh Hashanah of Chassidus and of the ways of Chassidus^[3].

At an auspicious time, all those you write about will be mentioned at the holy resting place^[4] of my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe, of sacred and blessed memory, may his merit shield us, each one for what he needs, in keeping with the content of your letter.

And the merit of your involvement in gemilus chasadim in the plain sense, and in spiritual gemilus chasadim through your public Torah class [and I strongly hope that you mix into it "a kav of salt"^[5], that is, from the teachings of Chassidus, its ways and its sichos (see the explanation of "a kav of salt" in Likkutei Torah, Vayikra, the explanation of the discourse "Velo Tashbis," section 5)], will stand by you and by all those you write about, for what they need and for success in their affairs; and this also includes your communal work mentioned, as the Mishnah rules, "one mitzvah brings another mitzvah," "the reward of a mitzvah is a mitzvah"^[6].

Surely you will take part in the farbrengen of the bright day of Yud-Tes Kislev; may it be G‑d's will that its impression be felt throughout the whole coming year.

With blessing for the Festival of Redemption, and for good news.

Publisher's notes

Rabbi Yaakov (מו"ה יעקב): Horowitz, Ramat Gan.

Notes

1. Rabbi Yaakov (מו"ה יעקב): Earlier, in vol. 15, letter 5525 (18 Sivan 5717), also "after the long interruption," the Rebbe wrote to him about his success in enlarging the free-loan fund of their shul, and blessed him to do kindness "also spiritually, by spreading Judaism in general and spreading the wellsprings in particular." That is the "gemilus chasadim in the plain sense" and "spiritual gemilus chasadim" of this letter.

2. "Merit is brought about on a meritorious day" (מגלגלין זכות ליום זכאי): Taanis 29a. It is no accident that his letter arrived in the days close to Yud-Tes Kislev.

3. The Rosh Hashanah of Chassidus (ראש השנה לחסידות): Hayom Yom, 19 Kislev, from a letter of the Rebbe Rashab: "This day is the Rosh Hashanah of the words of the living G‑d."

4. The holy resting place (הציון הק'): The Ohel, the resting place of the Previous Rebbe.

5. "A kav of salt" (קב חומטין): From our Sages (Shabbos 31a): "A parable of a man who told his agent, 'Bring a kor of wheat up to the attic for me.' He went and brought it up. He said to him, 'Did you mix a kav of salt into it for me?' He said, 'No.' He said, 'Better you had not brought it up'"; the lesson there is the fear of G‑d that must accompany Torah study. Rashi explains the salt as a salty earth that preserves the grain; and Likkutei Torah explains that the salt is the inner dimension of the Torah, which gives flavor to the revealed Torah. So the Rebbe hopes that the recipient's class in revealed Torah includes some of the teachings of Chassidus.

6. "One mitzvah brings another mitzvah" (מצוה גוררת מצוה): Avos 4:2.

Summary

Kindness in the plain sense and kindness of the spirit, teaching Torah to the public, are a merit for everyone the recipient prays for. A class in revealed Torah needs the "salt" of Chassidus, and the farbrengen of Yud-Tes Kislev, the Rosh Hashanah of Chassidus, should leave its mark on the whole year.