6599 —החלמה, נסים של כסלו, ואור החנוכה

B"H, 13th of Kislev, 5719
Brooklyn.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

In its time the news reached me about the state of your health and the opinion^[1] of the doctors, and it was pleasant for me to learn afterward that the operation was successful and your health is steadily improving. May it be G‑d's will that there be much and more added in this, with a speedy recovery^[2].

Especially as we are in the days of the month of Kislev, the month of miracles and redemption^[3], before the bright day of Yud-Tes Kislev, the Rosh Hashanah of the teachings of Chassidus and the ways of Chassidus^[4], and after it, and close to it, the days of Chanukah, in which the halachah follows Beis Hillel^[5], who steadily add^[6] in light, up to Zos Chanukah^[7] — the illumination of the essential delight, etc., drawn from the "seven days of Atik"^[8] to the revelation of Malchus, "zos" being Malchus, as is known^[9] (see the maamar beginning^[10] "Baruch She'asah Nissim", which in its foundation is a maamar of the Alter Rebbe^[11], the one whose celebration is Yud-Tes Kislev^[12] — his Chanukah maamar with added notes by the Tzemach Tzedek^[13], printed in 5711).

With respect and with blessing for good tidings^[14] in all the above.

Notes

1. The opinion (חוו"ד): חוות דעת.

2. Much and more, with a speedy recovery (כו"כ ברפו"ק): כהנה וכהנה ברפואה קרובה; that is: that he grow stronger and stronger, to a full recovery soon.

3. The month of miracles and redemption (חדש הנסים והגאולה): In Kislev — the release of the Mitteler Rebbe on 10 Kislev (see Hayom Yom, 10 Kislev), the release of the Alter Rebbe on 19 Kislev, and the miracle of Chanukah on the 25th.

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

5. Beis Hillel (כב"ה): כבית הלל.

6. Who steadily add (שמוסיף והולך): Shabbos 21b: "Beis Hillel say: on the first day one lights one, from then on one steadily adds."

7. Zos Chanukah (זאת חנוכה): The eighth day of Chanukah, so called after its Torah reading (Bamidbar 7:84): "This (zos) was the dedication of the altar."

8. The "seven days of Atik" (שבעה יומין דעתיק): The seven attributes of the level of Atik Yomin, which is above the order of the chain of worlds. That is: an illumination above order and limit, and in that illumination, the essential delight.

9. "Zos" is Malchus, as is known (זאת היא מלכות כנודע): As known in Kabbalah and Chassidus, the word zos alludes to the sefirah of Malchus. Hence "Zos Chanukah" is the revelation of the loftiest light in the last and lowest level, and from it to the world — along the lines of "the Chanukah lamp is to be placed at the entrance of one's house, outside" (Shabbos 21b).

10. The maamar beginning (ד"ה): דיבור המתחיל.

11. The Alter Rebbe (אדמו"ר הזקן): אדמו"ר = אדוננו מורנו ורבנו.

12. The one whose celebration is Yud-Tes Kislev (בעל השמחה די"ט כסלו): The one whose redemption and celebration Yud-Tes Kislev is — the Alter Rebbe, who on that day was released from imprisonment. The Alter Rebbe's maamar "Baruch She'asah Nissim" with the glosses of the Tzemach Tzedek was published (by Kehot) in 5711, as the letter states.

13. The Tzemach Tzedek (הצ"צ): הצמח צדק.

14. Good tidings (לבשו"ט): בשורות טובות.

Summary

The Rebbe is glad to hear that the recipient's operation succeeded and his health is improving, and blesses him with continued recovery — all the more in Kislev, the month of miracles and redemption, approaching Yud-Tes Kislev and Chanukah, whose light grows each night up to Zos Chanukah, when the loftiest light is revealed in Malchus, as explained in the Alter Rebbe's Chanukah maamar "Baruch She'asah Nissim".