6590 —אין הקב"ה בא בטרוניא: לימוד בעל פה בדרך לפרנסה, צדקה קודם התפלה ותהלים בכל יום

B"H, 8th of Kislev, 5719
Brooklyn.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

In reply to your letter of the 3rd of Kislev, in which you write the main points of how you have settled in life.

It is understood, and also plain, that what you write — that you are unable to take part in a shiur or to look into holy books — is not correct at all. The words of the Mishnah are known: one who fulfills the Torah in straitened circumstances will surely in the end^[1] fulfill it in ample ones^[2]. And since this is demanded, there certainly is the ability to fulfill the demand, for the Holy One, blessed be He, does not come with unfair demands upon His creatures^[3].

Nevertheless^[4], it is proper — in addition to the above — that you learn by heart some chapters of Mishnayos, and at any rate^[5] one chapter of the holy book of Tanya; and when you go to your place of material livelihood and on your return, fill your time with Torah by studying by heart, aloud, or at any rate going over those chapters in your thought^[6].

It is likewise proper that every weekday, before the morning prayer, you set aside some coin for tzedakah^[7], for this too is a segulah for an ample livelihood in the plain sense^[8]. Likewise keep the takanah of saying the monthly portion of Tehillim^[9] — as the Tehillim is divided for the days of the month — every day after the morning prayer.

I hope that you will take part in the farbrengens of Anash^[10] in the days of the month of Kislev, the month of miracles and redemption^[11], and especially on the bright day of Yud-Tes Kislev, the Rosh Hashanah of the teachings of Chassidus and the ways of Chassidus^[12].

With blessing for good tidings^[13] in all the above.

Notes

1. In the end (סו"ס): סוף סוף.

2. One who fulfills the Torah in straitened circumstances... in ample ones (המקיים את התורה מדוחק... מתוך הרחבה): After Avos 4:9: "Whoever fulfills the Torah in poverty will in the end fulfill it in wealth." The letter gives it in the form "in straitened circumstances... in ample ones".

3. Does not come with unfair demands upon His creatures (אין הקב"ה בא בטרוניא עם בריותיו): The words of the Gemara, Avodah Zarah 3a: "but the Holy One, blessed be He, does not come with unfair demands upon His creatures"; Rashi there: "bitruneya — with a pretext." That is: G‑d does not demand of a person something he has not the strength to fulfill.

4. Nevertheless (בכ"ז): בכל זאת.

5. At any rate (עכ"פ): על כל פנים.

6. Going over those chapters in your thought (לעבור במחשבתו על הפרקים האמורים): See Hayom Yom, 11 Teves: everyone should have something learned by heart — Chumash, Tehillim, Mishnayos, Tanya — so that at any time and in any place, walking in the street or traveling, he can think and say words of Torah.

7. Set aside some coin for tzedakah (יפריש איזה פרוטה לצדקה): Compare Bava Basra 10a: "Rabbi Elazar would give a coin to a poor man and then pray. He said: as it is written, 'I, in righteousness, shall behold Your face.'"

8. A segulah for an ample livelihood (סגולה להרחבת הפרנסה): See Taanis 9a: "'You shall surely tithe' (aser te'aser) — tithe so that you will become wealthy (shetis'asher)."

9. The takanah of saying the monthly portion of Tehillim (התקנה, לאמר השיעור תהלים חדשי): The takanah of the Previous Rebbe, to say every day after the morning prayer the portion of Tehillim as divided for the days of the month, as the letter goes on to say.

10. Anash (אנ"ש): אנשי שלומנו, "the men of our fellowship".

11. The month of miracles and redemption (חדש הנסים והגאולה): Kislev — the month of miracles, the miracle of Chanukah; and the month of redemption, with the release of the Mitteler Rebbe on 10 Kislev (Hayom Yom, 10 Kislev) and of the Alter Rebbe on 19 Kislev.

12. The Rosh Hashanah of the teachings of Chassidus (ראש השנה לתורת החסידות): See Hayom Yom, 19 Kislev, from a letter of the Rebbe Rashab: "This day is the Rosh Hashanah of the words of the living G‑d."

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

Summary

To a man who writes that his circumstances leave him unable to join a shiur or look into holy books, the Rebbe replies that this is not so: G‑d demands nothing beyond a person's strength, and one who keeps the Torah in hardship will keep it in plenty. He should learn chapters of Mishnayos and Tanya by heart and review them on the way to and from work, give a coin to tzedakah before Shacharis on weekdays, say the daily Tehillim, and join the Kislev farbrengens, especially on Yud-Tes Kislev.