5941 —מברקי י"ט כסלו לכינוס הנוער ולכינוס צה"ל: תורת חיים בחום חסידי, ואחריות היחיד בבנין הארץ

B"H, 22 Kislev, 5718
Brooklyn.

The distinguished Rabbi and Chassid, the veteran Chassid, a G‑d-fearing man, distinguished and honored, engaged in communal affairs, etc., Reb Avraham Chanoch, may he live long^[1]

Shalom u'Vrachah!

Copied here is the text of the telegram that the Rebbe shlita kindly sent to the youth gathering and to the gathering of the IDF^[2] that took place on Yud-Tes Kislev just past.

To the youth gathering: The content of the victory of Yud-Tes Kislev^[3] is that our Torah is a Torah of life^[4], for every day and for all its parts, and every man and woman is bound up with it and obligated in it, out of the Creator's love for us. May it be G‑d's will that it set aflame the youth, our future, and especially those in the Holy Land, to direct their lives by the light of the Torah and the mitzvah and the light within them^[5], and to spread them in all their surroundings with chassidic warmth. Then they will be happy, in lives full of content, wholeness and peace.

To the IDF gathering: In addition to the above, may it be G‑d's will that you use your qualities of accepting discipline, cooperation, and the recognition that the conduct of the individual influences, and at times even decides, the fate of the many, for the building of Eretz Yisrael Saba (the ancient Land of Israel) and for its defense; for "your camp shall be holy, and the L‑rd your G‑d shall walk in your midst"^[6].

With blessing for a successful farbrengen,

Menachem Schneerson

With blessing,

Secretary

Notes

1. Reb Avraham Chanoch (מו"ה אברהם חנוך): Publisher's note: "Glitzenstein, Lod. Further letters to him: above, letter 5871, and the references in the notes there." R. Avraham Chanoch Glitzenstein, who worked at publicizing Chabad matters in the press and at editing Beis Rebbi in Hebrew (see above, vol. 8, letter 2259; vol. 12, letter 3879). This letter was written by the Rebbe's secretariat and copies the text of the telegrams the Rebbe sent. In the address: הרה"ח הוו"ח אי"א נו"נ = הרב החסיד הוותיק וחסיד איש ירא אלקים נעלה ונכבד; עוסק בצ"צ = עוסק בצרכי ציבור.

2. The IDF (צה"ל): צבא הגנה לישראל, the Israel Defense Forces. כ"ק = כבוד קדושת.

3. The victory of Yud-Tes Kislev (הנצחון די"ט כסלו): Yud-Tes Kislev is the day of the Alter Rebbe's release from imprisonment in Petersburg, on which the teachings of Chassidus prevailed, "the Rosh Hashanah of Chassidus" (Hayom Yom, 19 Kislev).

4. Our Torah is a Torah of life (תורתנו תורת חיים): From the words of the prayer (the blessing Sim Shalom): "For by the light of Your countenance You gave us, L‑rd our G‑d, a Torah of life." That is, the Torah is guidance for every part of life, every day.

5. The light within them (והמאור שבהם): After the teaching of our Sages (Yerushalmi Chagigah 1:7; Eichah Rabbah, Pesichta 2): "Would that they had forsaken Me but kept My Torah, for through occupying themselves with it, the light within it would have brought them back to the good." That is, the inner dimension of the Torah and the mitzvah, the light within them.

6. "Your camp shall be holy, and the L‑rd your G‑d shall walk in your midst" (כי יהי' מחניכם קדוש וה' אלקיכם יתהלך בקרבכם): After Devarim 23:15: "For the L‑rd your G‑d walks in the midst of your camp, to save you and to deliver your enemies before you; therefore your camp shall be holy." In the telegram the words are in the plural and in reverse order: first "your camp shall be holy", then "the L‑rd your G‑d shall walk in your midst".

Summary

The victory of Yud-Tes Kislev teaches that the Torah is a Torah of life, for every day and every Jew; the youth, especially in the Holy Land, should direct their lives by its light and spread it with chassidic warmth. Soldiers should turn their discipline, teamwork and awareness that one person's conduct can decide the fate of many to building and defending the Land, keeping their camp holy.