6585 —יש לחדש תמיד: לימוד התורה שלמעלה מן השמש, והרחבת הדעת בדירה החדשה

B"H, 7th of Kislev, 5719
Brooklyn.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

After a long interruption, your letter of Rosh Chodesh Kislev was received, in which you bring the good news that you have been approved for a good apartment.

May it be in a good and successful hour, and may it broaden your mind, as in the well-known saying of our Sages^[1] (Berachos 57b)^[2], with a true broadening. And may it be G‑d's will that you bring good news of the broadening of the mind through the three things mentioned, according to the explanation of the Tikkunei Zohar (Tikkun 6; see there^[3])^[4].

It is most astonishing that you mention nothing of your holy activities in spreading the wellsprings^[5]; and not only that, but you write explicitly in your letter that there is nothing more to renew — as though we were already in that era of which it is said, "Shabbos and rest for life everlasting"^[6]. Would that we had at least^[7] reached the level of "they go from strength to strength"^[8] solely in matters of holiness, and not as in our era of darkness doubled and redoubled^[9], when one must still wrestle with the line of "turn away from evil"^[10]; and this is easy to understand^[11].

And although it has already been said, "there is nothing new"^[12] — that there is nothing to renew — its refutation has already been stated in several places^[13], among them in Tanya at the beginning of chapter 40^[14]: that it is specifically "under the sun" that this applies, and even in matters of holiness, even of Torah and what is learned with toil; but the study of Torah according to the guidance of the teachings of Chassidus, which is above the sun — there certainly is, and is, what to renew. Not only that, but this is the true task of each and every one^[15] of the Jewish people; and there is no need to elaborate on what is plain. May it be G‑d's will that you bring good news regarding the above, in a manner of constant increase. We are, after all, approaching the auspicious days, the bright days of Yud and Yud-Tes Kislev^[16], and the days of Chanukah which come right after, in which the halachah follows Beis Hillel^[17], who steadily add from day to day^[18].

With blessing for good tidings^[19].

Notes

1. The saying of our Sages (כמרז"ל): כמאמר רבותינו זכרונם לברכה.

2. Berachos 57b (ברכות נז, ב): Berachos 57b: "Three things broaden a person's mind: a beautiful home, a beautiful wife and beautiful vessels." These are "the three things mentioned" later in the letter.

3. See there (עיי"ש): עיין שם.

4. According to the explanation of the Tikkunei Zohar (כפי ביאור התקוני זהר): Apparently the meaning is that the Tikkunei Zohar there explains these things in their spiritual sense too; hence "a true broadening" — that broadening of the mind in material things should bring a broadening in spiritual things.

5. Spreading the wellsprings (הפצת המעינות): Spreading the teachings of Chassidus; after the letter of the Baal Shem Tov (printed at the beginning of Kesser Shem Tov), who was answered by Mashiach: when your teaching becomes known and your wellsprings spread outward. It is based on the pasuk, Mishlei 5:16: "Let your wellsprings spread outward."

6. "Shabbos and rest for life everlasting" (שבת ומנוחה לחיי העולמים): The words of the Mishnah, Tamid 33b (said in the Song of the Day for Shabbos): "On Shabbos they would say, 'A psalm, a song for the Shabbos day' — a psalm, a song for the Time to Come, for the day that is entirely Shabbos and rest for life everlasting." In the letter: as though we had already reached the days of Mashiach, when there is no longer any need for avodah and renewal.

7. At least (עכ"פ): על כל פנים.

8. "They go from strength to strength" (ילכו מחיל אל חיל): The words of the pasuk, Tehillim 84:8: "They go from strength to strength; each one appears before G‑d in Zion"; and in the Gemara, Berachos 64a: "Torah scholars have no rest, neither in this world nor in the World to Come, as it says, 'They go from strength to strength.'" That is: even one who has attained this level has no "rest", but always rises from level to level.

9. Darkness doubled and redoubled (חשך כפול ומכופל): After the wording of Tanya, chapter 36, on this world, "than which there is none lower in the concealment of His light, and darkness doubled and redoubled." In the letter, of our generation, the time just before Mashiach.

10. "Turn away from evil" (סור מרע): The words of the pasuk, Tehillim 34:15: "Turn away from evil and do good." That is: in our time one still has to wrestle and fight over the very distancing from evil, and must not be content with what has already been done.

11. This is easy to understand (וק"ל): וקל להבין.

12. "There is nothing new" (אין כל חדש): The words of the pasuk, Koheles 1:9: "and there is nothing new under the sun."

13. In several places (בכ"מ): בכמה מקומות.

14. Tanya at the beginning of chapter 40 (תניא ריש פרק מ'): Tanya, chapter 40: "As is said in the Zohar on the pasuk 'What profit does a man have in all his toil that he toils under the sun' — even the toil of Torah, if he does it for his own honor, etc." — i.e., Torah not for its own sake is "under the sun" and remains below. Hence the study of Torah according to the guidance of Chassidus (for its own sake, with fear and love) is above the sun, and there "there is what to renew".

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

16. Yud and Yud-Tes Kislev (יו"ד וי"ט כסלו): 10 Kislev — the day of the Mitteler Rebbe's release from imprisonment (5587); 19 Kislev — the day of the Alter Rebbe's release from imprisonment (5559), "the Rosh Hashanah of Chassidus".

17. Beis Hillel (כב"ה): כבית הלל.

18. Who steadily add from day to day (דמוסיף והולך מיום ליום): Shabbos 21b: "Beis Hillel say: on the first day one lights one, from then on one steadily adds," and so the halachah is decided. The lesson: to add and rise in matters of holiness from day to day.

19. Good tidings (לבשו"ט): לבשורות טובות.

Summary

The Rebbe blesses the recipient on his new apartment, that it broaden his mind in the true sense. He is astonished that the letter says nothing of his work spreading Chassidus and even claims there is nothing more to renew — as if we were already in the era of everlasting rest. "Nothing new" applies only "under the sun"; Torah studied in the way of Chassidus is above the sun, where there is always something to renew, and that is every Jew's task, especially approaching Yud and Yud-Tes Kislev and Chanukah, when one keeps adding.