5953 —התפתחות הישיבה בכמות ובאיכות, וכחות כל אחד להאיר מבחוץ – מי"ט כסלו לימי חנוכה

B"H, 26 Kislev, 5718
Brooklyn.

To the holy yeshivah in the holy community of Buenos Aires: the students, the Rosh Yeshivah^[1], the mashpia and the administration

May G‑d be upon them, may they live

Abundant peace and blessing!

It was with pleasure that I learned some time ago of the founding of the holy yeshivah, and the reports brought me added delight: that since it was founded it has developed in quantity, that is to say^[2], in the number of students, and likewise in quality, the standard of study.

And surely this development will add to each and every one of them strength and encouragement to do still more and still more, each in his own area, for the development of the yeshivah, as said, both in quantity and in quality.

For each one is able to act in both matters, since every Jew has both a body and a soul, both a G‑dly soul and an animal soul^[3].

And with all these parts he was commanded to serve his Creator and Maker, the Giver of the Torah and Commander of the mitzvos, as the words of the Mishnah: "I was created to serve my Maker"^[4].

These days are especially propitious for good resolutions and for putting into action all the above. For we have just come from the auspicious day, this day of Yud-Tes Kislev, which is, in the words of the leader of Israel, the Rebbe (Rashab), in his letter to his son, my father-in-law, the Rebbe, may the memory of the righteous and holy be a blessing, "the festival on which He redeemed our souls in peace, and the light and life of our souls was given to us, etc.; to draw down the revelation of the light of the inner dimension of our holy Torah, etc., that it illuminate the inwardness of our souls, etc., to drive out from us every bad and unworthy trait of the natural traits; but that all our deeds and affairs (both in the service of G‑d, namely prayer, Torah and mitzvos, and in worldly matters necessary for the body's existence) be with a true intention for the sake of Heaven, as G‑d desires, etc."^[5]

And we have entered the days of Chanukah, whose message is that even though outside the sun has set, one must kindle "the lamp of G‑d, the soul of man"^[6], and "the lamp of a mitzvah, the Torah light"^[7], in the manner of adding more and more from day to day; and not to be content with what concerns oneself, but specifically at the entrance of one's house, outside^[8]; and the allusion is understood^[9]. And as our Sages have made known, "the Holy One, blessed be He, does not make unreasonable demands of His creatures"^[10]: certainly each and every one^[11] has been given the powers needed to fulfill this holy task, and, as the Creator commands, specifically "with joy and with gladness of heart", as stated by the great teacher, our master the Rambam, in his Yad HaChazakah, at the end of the Laws of Lulav^[12].

Enclosed herewith^[13] is a check as a symbolic participation in the expenses of the holy yeshivah.

With blessing for success in your holy work, and for good news^[14] in all the above.

Publisher's notes

Letter 5953: Printed in Likkutei Sichos, vol. 10, p. 273, and completed from the copy in the Rebbe's secretariat.

Notes

1. The Rosh Yeshivah (הר"י): הראש ישיבה.

2. That is to say (ז.א.): זאת אומרת.

3. An animal soul (נה"ב): נפש הבהמית. Every Jew has two souls, a G‑dly soul and an animal soul (Tanya, chs. 1–2); hence each one can act in both areas, "quantity" and "quality".

4. "I was created to serve my Maker" (אני נבראתי לשמש את קוני): Kiddushin 4:14 (and in the Gemara, Kiddushin 82a): "And I was created to serve my Maker."

5. In his letter to his son (במכתבו לבנו): The well-known letter of the Rebbe Rashab to his son, the Previous Rebbe, on Yud-Tes Kislev, copied at the beginning of Hayom Yom and in the introduction to Kuntres U'Mayan. תומ"צ = תורה ומצוות.

6. "The lamp of G‑d, the soul of man" (נר ה' נשמת אדם): Mishlei 20:27.

7. "The lamp of a mitzvah, the Torah light" (נר מצוה תורה אור): Mishlei 6:23: "For a mitzvah is a lamp, and the Torah is light."

8. At the entrance of one's house, outside (על פתח ביתו מבחוץ): Shabbos 21b: "It is a mitzvah to place the Chanukah light at the entrance of one's house, outside"; and there: "its mitzvah is from sunset", and "from then on he adds more and more."

9. The allusion is understood (והרמז מובן): One must not be content with lighting up oneself (and one's household), but must light up those who are "outside" as well, by influencing others.

10. "Does not make unreasonable demands of His creatures" (אין הקב"ה בא בטרוניא עם בריותיו): Avodah Zarah 3a; Rashi: "bitrunya, with a pretext." G‑d does not demand of a person what is beyond his power; since He commanded it, He has surely given the powers.

11. Each and every one (כאו"א): כל אחד ואחד.

12. At the end of the Laws of Lulav (סוף הלכות לולב): Rambam, Laws of Lulav 8:15: "The joy with which a person rejoices in doing a mitzvah and in the love of G‑d who commanded them is a great service." The command "with joy and with gladness of heart" is Devarim 28:47.

13. Enclosed herewith (מוסג"פ): מוסגר פה.

14. Good news (בשו"ט): בשורות טובות.

Summary

The Rebbe rejoices at the growth of the Buenos Aires yeshivah in numbers and in the quality of its learning, and calls on each person to add still more, since everyone, with body and soul, can contribute to both. Yud-Tes Kislev brings the light of the inner Torah into the soul and refines one's traits; Chanukah adds that the light must shine outside as well, day by day. G‑d gives each person the strength for this, to be done with joy; he encloses a token contribution.