5936 —אין ליפול ברוחו מטענות והתנגדות, ק"ו ממשה רבנו העסקן הראשון, וחדש כסלו "מוסיף והולך"

B"H, 18 Kislev, 5718
Brooklyn.

The Rabbi and Chassid, a G‑d-fearing man, distinguished and honored, of many deeds, our teacher Rabbi Shlomo, may he live^[1]

Shalom u'Vrachah!

In reply to your letters of 24 MarCheshvan and 10 Kislev and what was enclosed in them. Surely in the meantime my reply to your previous letter has been received.

It is a pity that you lose heart because so-and-so comes with a complaint, or so-and-so behaves in an undesirable way. For this has been the way of our world for years and for generations past, perhaps on a greater scale than now. And who is greater for us than the first communal worker after the giving of the Torah, Moshe Rabbeinu, the first to receive our holy Torah, and nevertheless, etc.^[2] On the contrary, in these days the work is easier, since "the deeds of the fathers are a sign for the children"^[3], who have already paved the way; and moreover, the concealments and hindrances are light compared with the above. And although "who is he that dares to approach" and compare himself, etc. (along the lines of what the Alter Rebbe writes in Tanya, chapter 44)^[4], there is strengthening and encouragement from this all the more so, a fortiori, and this is easy to understand^[5].

All the more so in these days, now that we have entered the month of Kislev, the month of redemption and miracles^[6], whose lesson is to keep increasing^[7].

With blessing for good news in all that was said, and in making use of the days of this month with outstanding success.

P.S.

Surely this year too Chanukah gelt will be distributed in my name, as last year^[8].

Publisher's notes

Rabbi Shlomo, may he live (מו"ה שלמה שי'): Matusof, Casablanca. Further letters to him: above, vol. 15, letter 5403, and the sources noted there.

Notes

1. Rabbi Shlomo (מו"ה שלמה): The Rebbe's shliach to Morocco. "Of many deeds" is from II Shmuel 23:20.

2. "And nevertheless, etc." (ובכל זה וכו'): The Rebbe does not spell it out but hints with "etc.": even Moshe Rabbeinu, the greatest of leaders, bore complaints and grievances from the Jewish people, and was opposed more than once; nevertheless he did not lose heart and went on leading them.

3. "The deeds of the fathers are a sign for the children" (מעשה אבות סימן לבנים): The words of the Ramban (Bereishis 12:6), based on the Midrash, "all that happened to the fathers is a sign for the children." What Moshe Rabbeinu and the leaders after him went through paved the way, and by their strength the work is easier today.

4. Tanya, chapter 44 (תניא פרק מ"ד): There (Tanya ch. 44): "And although who is he, and where is he, that dares to approach and attain even one part in a thousand of the level of love of the Faithful Shepherd? Nevertheless, a tiny portion and a glimmer of his great goodness and light shines on all Israel in every generation." The phrase "dares to approach" is from Yirmiyahu 30:21.

5. All the more so, a fortiori (במכש"כ וק"ו, וק"ל): Though one cannot compare oneself to Moshe Rabbeinu, if he, who received the Torah and was the first communal worker, bore complaints and opposition and still stood at his task, then all the more so a communal worker in our generation, before whom the way is already paved and the hindrances are lighter, should not lose heart.

6. The month of redemption and miracles (חדש הגאולה והנסים): Kislev holds the days of release of the Mitteler Rebbe (Yud Kislev) and of the Alter Rebbe (Yud-Tes Kislev), and the miracle of Chanukah.

7. To keep increasing (דמוסיף והולך): After Beis Hillel's way of lighting the Chanukah lights (Shabbos 21b): "On the first day one lights one; from then on, one keeps adding." The lesson is to add light every day.

8. Chanukah gelt in my name (דמי חנוכה בשמי): Chanukah money for the students, in the Rebbe's name. On the same day the Rebbe wrote similarly to R. Avraham Pariz in Petach Tikvah, above, letter 5933: "Obviously this year too you should distribute Chanukah gelt as in past years."

Summary

Complaints and opposition are no reason to lose heart: they have always been part of communal work, and even Moshe Rabbeinu bore them. Those who came before have already paved the way, and Kislev, with its Chanukah lights that grow each night, teaches to keep adding.