5938 —דברי חסידות פועלים תמיד גם כשאין רואים פירות, הסיוע מלמעלה למי שנותן ידו, ומעלת הגוף לעתיד לבוא

B"H, 18 Kislev, 5718
Brooklyn.

The veteran Chassid, a G‑d-fearing man, distinguished and honored, etc., our teacher Rabbi Shlomo, may he live

Shalom u'Vrachah!

After a long interruption your letter, which you began writing on 27 MarCheshvan, was received. Fortunate is your lot that you organize farbrengens. As to what you write, that you do not always see the results and fruits from this, etc.: at the farbrengen itself, words of Torah and of inspiration are surely spoken, and it is impossible that words of Chassidus should not have their effect. Well known is the teaching of our holy Rebbeim that the soul hears^[1], even in the case of an utterly simple person, as is understood also from the sicha of Yud-Tes Kislev 5693 (see Likkutei Dibburim II, section 17)^[2]; and all the more so in our case, where it concerns people versed in Torah, etc.

As to what you write about the rav of Makov, may he live, and that he is a disciple of R. Shimon Greenfeld, author of the Responsa Maharshag^[3]: surely at a fitting opportunity you will give him my regards, although I do not know him, for I strongly hope that he will do all he can to spread the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov in general, and as they were revealed in the teachings of Chabad through the Alter Rebbe. This hope of mine is strengthened by the regard for the Alter Rebbe shown by his teacher, as is understood from his efforts to reconcile the words of the Alter Rebbe; see Responsa Maharshag, part II, sections 34 and 75 [part I of these responsa is not at hand; perhaps there too there is something of this kind].

You mention in your letter Rav Safra, may he live. Here too there is a Rav Safra, may he live, who told me that his father lives in the Holy Land, may it be built and established; perhaps this is he.

I am confident that for the Yud-Tes Kislev farbrengen too you did all that depends on you to arrange it properly. As to what you write, that you do not feel enough strength in yourself, etc.: our Sages have already taught us, in our holy Torah, the Torah of life, which is eternal, through the stories about R. Chanina ben Dosa, that all that was demanded of him was to give his hand, and from Heaven they helped him bring a stone up to Jerusalem (Shir HaShirim Rabbah and Koheles Rabbah, at the beginning; see there)^[4]. And there is a wonderful hint in this, according to what is explained about the "heart of stone"^[5] and about "Yerushalayim," complete awe^[6]. Great is the merit of your involvement in the above and the like, that you and all your household, may they live, succeed in all your affairs.

As to what you write at the end of your letter, that one of those who give the class said, as a conclusion from what he learned in Kuntres UMaayan^[7], that in the time to come the body will give to the soul^[8]: so it is, as the matter is explained at length in the maamarim of the Rebbe (Rashab), of blessed memory, "Lechol Tichlah," 5659^[9], and cited also in Kovetz Lubavitch, issue 3.

With blessing for good news, and for a joyous and active farbrengen.

Publisher's notes

Rabbi Shlomo, may he live (מו"ה שלמה שי'): Koptzik.

Notes

1. The soul hears (הנשמה שומעת): See Hayom Yom, 24 Adar I: the Mitteler Rebbe answered R. Hillel of Paritch, who asked whether to repeat Chassidus also in towns whose people have no grasp of Chassidus: "Words of Chassidus, the soul hears... and when the soul hears... it strengthens the doing of good... and the turning from evil." Even when no results are seen, the soul hears and is affected.

2. The sicha of Yud-Tes Kislev 5693 (השיחה ביט"כ צ"ג): A sicha of the Previous Rebbe, printed in Likkutei Dibburim.

3. R. Shimon Greenfeld, author of the Responsa Maharshag (הר"ש גרינפעלד בע"מ שו"ת מהרש"ג): Rabbi Shimon Greenfeld, rav of Semihaly in Hungary, author of the Responsa Maharshag. The Rebbe adds that in those responsa he labors to reconcile the words of the Alter Rebbe, showing his regard for him.

4. R. Chanina ben Dosa (ר"ח בן דוסא): The Midrash tells that he saw the people of his town bringing offerings up to Jerusalem and had nothing to bring. He found a stone, chiseled and polished it, and wished to bring it up to Jerusalem. Angels in human form said to him, "Put your hand and finger with us," and as soon as he gave his hand he found himself standing in Jerusalem. All that is asked of a person is to "give his hand," as far as he can, and Heaven helps complete the rest; and since the Torah is eternal, this instruction holds at all times, for the recipient too.

5. The "heart of stone" (לב האבן): Yechezkel 36:26, "I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh": the closed heart that does not feel.

6. "Yerushalayim," complete awe (ירושלים יראה שלם): After the Midrash (Bereishis Rabbah 56:10): Avraham called the place "Yir'eh" and Shem called it "Shalem," and G‑d called it "Yerushalayim," joining the two names; in the way of Chassidus, Yerushalayim is the completeness of awe (yirah shleimah). The hint, which the Rebbe points to without spelling out: bringing the "stone" up to Jerusalem is raising the "heart of stone" to complete awe of G‑d; and here too only one's hand is demanded, and Heaven helps.

7. Kuntres UMaayan (קונטרס ומעין): Maamarim of the Rebbe Rashab.

8. The body will give to the soul (הגוף ישפיע להנשמה): In the time to come, at the Resurrection, the body will be the source that gives life to the soul, not as now, when the soul gives life to the body.

9. "Lechol Tichlah," 5659 (לכל תכלה רנ"ט): The maamar "Lechol Tichlah Ra'isi Ketz" (after Tehillim 119:96), of the year 5659.

Summary

Words of Chassidus always act, even when no fruit is seen, for the soul hears them. A person who feels too weak need only give his hand, as R. Chanina ben Dosa did with his stone, and Heaven carries it up to Jerusalem; and in the time to come the body itself will give life to the soul.