6605 —בטחון בה' לקראת טיפול רפואי בזאת חנוכה, והעבודה באגודת נשי ובנות חב"ד

B"H, 18th of Kislev, 5719
Brooklyn.

Mrs. Tzipporah, may she live^[1]

Blessing and Shalom!

In reply to your letter of the 12th of Kislev, in which you write that the medical treatment has been set for the auspicious day, Zos Chanukah^[2].

May it be G‑d's will that it be successful; and in the days until then too, be confident in G‑d^[3], "Who heals all flesh and does wonders"^[4], that "He will send His word and heal"^[5] you through such-and-such a treatment and such-and-such a doctor, and you will return to your full strength^[6], and add courage in spreading Judaism and its matters, and in the central point^[7] — education in the purity of holiness — in which Divine Providence has given you the ability and the possibility to accomplish great things, together with your husband shlita.

As for what you write at the end of your letter, that you are ready to take on any additional task:

It is understood that the above is a most important task, which demands an investment of great strength. Nevertheless, since you wrote those lines, which is surely also by individual Providence, I wish to emphasize the great importance of working in Agudas Neshei U'Bnos Chabad and in the affairs of Kfar Chabad. This for several reasons, one of them being that, after all^[8], this is the source from which your husband was hewn^[9], may he live; and the home, that is^[10], the mainstay of the home and the members of the household, must be a living example of a Chabad home, one of whose foundations is spreading the wellsprings of Chabad wherever their hand reaches. And the tradition from our Rebbeim is known, that when one does this in truth, one succeeds beyond the natural order^[11].

With blessing for good tidings^[12] in all the above,

M. Schneerson

P.S.

At your request, the reply is being sent without waiting its turn^[13].

Your husband, may he live, has surely received my letter of reply long ago.

[Publisher's notes: Printed in Likkutei Sichos vol. 21, p. 462, and completed from a photocopy of the letter. Mrs. Tzipporah: Bunin, Raanana. Her husband: our teacher Reb Alexander Zisl. "My letter of reply": above, vol. 17, letter 6490. "The medical treatment": see also below, letter 6668 (29 Teves 5719, to her husband), in which the Rebbe writes: "You do not mention your wife's health; I hope it has improved."]

Notes

1. Mrs. Tzipporah (מרת צפורה תחי'): Bunin, of Raanana.

2. Zos Chanukah (זאת חנוכה): The eighth day of Chanukah, so called after its Torah reading, Bamidbar 7:84: "This was the dedication of the altar." It is an auspicious day, as it is known that on it the whole matter of Chanukah is sealed and completed.

3. G‑d (השי"ת): השם יתברך.

4. "Who heals all flesh and does wonders" (הרופא כל בשר ומפליא לעשות): The closing of the blessing "Asher Yatzar", Berachos 60b: "Rav Pappa said: Therefore let us say both: Who heals all flesh and does wonders."

5. "He will send His word and heal" (ישלח דברו וירפאה): After the pasuk, Tehillim 107:20: "He sends His word and heals them." The meaning: healing is from G‑d, and the treatment and doctor are only the channel through which it comes.

6. Return to your full strength (ותחזור לאיתנה): To her original strength and vigor; after the pasuk, Shemos 14:27: "and the sea returned toward morning to its strength (le'eisano)", Rashi: "to its original strength."

7. The central point (הנקודה התיכונה): The essence and center. That is: within her overall work spreading Judaism, her main task is in the field of kosher education.

8. After all (סו"ס): סוף סוף.

9. The source from which your husband was hewn (מקור מחצבתו): His root and origin; after the pasuk, Yeshayahu 51:1: "Look to the rock from which you were hewn." That is: Chabad — including Agudas Neshei U'Bnos Chabad and Kfar Chabad — is her husband's root and source.

10. That is (ז.א.): זאת אומרת.

11. One succeeds beyond the natural order (מצליחים למעלה מדרך הטבע): See also above, letter 6576, that occupation with spreading Judaism and Chassidus "is what brings into being the blessing Above" also in a person's private affairs.

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

13. Without waiting its turn (מבלי לחכות על התור): The reply was sent at once, not in the usual order in which letters are answered in turn as received, since she asked for this because of the coming treatment.

Summary

To a woman whose medical treatment has been set for Zos Chanukah, the Rebbe sends his blessing for success, urging her to trust in G‑d, Who heals through the doctor and treatment, so that she return to full strength and add courage in her work in pure Torah education alongside her husband. Since she offered to take on any further task, he stresses the importance of work in Agudas Neshei U'Bnos Chabad and for Kfar Chabad, her husband's roots: their home should be a living example of a Chabad home that spreads the wellsprings, and one who does this in truth succeeds beyond nature.