6633 —טיול נוער שלא בימי הפסח, ואהבת ישראל ככלי לאהבת ה' בהפצת השיחות לנוער

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

The venerable Chassid, a G‑d-fearing man, distinguished and honored, of great accomplishments, engaged in communal needs^[1], Reb Naftali, may he live long^[2]

Shalom u'Vrachah!

In reply to your letter of the 3rd of Teves. It is surprising that you do not mention receiving my letter of reply to your previous letter.

In it you write about organizing another trip during Chol HaMoed of the coming Pesach^[3], which according to the plan would last about two days, but which you hope will help to spread Sichos LaNoar^[4] and to spread the matter in general.

Now, in general, in my opinion a trip during the days of Pesach involves very great difficulties, because of the special care required in matters of Pesach^[5]. And since you hope that a large number of young people will take part, this^[6] makes it even harder, and especially in the Shemitah year^[7]. Therefore, if it is decided to arrange another trip, one should see to it that it not be during the days of Pesach.

As to the question itself: surely there are already summaries of the results of the previous trip, or at least^[8] such a summary should be made; surely you will inform me, and then there will be room to express an opinion on it.

Regarding what you wrote about Sichos LaNoar, I believe a letter about it has already been sent to you from Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch^[9].

Fortunate is your lot that you stand at the head of this undertaking, which undoubtedly brings the hearts of a great many Jews^[10] close to our Father in Heaven, to His Torah and to His mitzvos. The greatness of this cannot be sufficiently described, especially in light of the saying of the Alter Rebbe that "You shall love your fellow as yourself" is a vessel for "You shall love the L‑rd your G‑d"^[11] [for the love of G‑d is the foundation and root of all the mitzvos, since love is the foundation and root of all the 248 positive commandments, among them also the mitzvah of fearing G‑d, which is the foundation and root of the 365 prohibitions^[12]].

I repeat my blessing that you and your wife, may she live long^[13], raise your daughter, may she live long, to Torah, to marriage and to good deeds^[14], in proper health and with abundance in all your affairs.

With blessings for good news^[15].

Publisher's notes

Reb Naftali, may he live long (מו"ה נפתלי שי'): Kraus, Tel Aviv. Further letters to him: above, vol. 16, letter 6075, and the references in the notes there.

Notes

1. The venerable Chassid… of great accomplishments, engaged in communal needs (הוו"ח אי"א נו"נ רב פעלים עוסק בצ"צ): הוו"ח = הוותיק וחסיד, "the venerable Chassid"; אי"א = איש ירא אלקים, "a G‑d-fearing man"; נו"נ = נעלה ונכבד, "distinguished and honored"; רב פעלים, "of great accomplishments", from the verse II Shmuel 23:20: "Benayahu son of Yehoyada, son of a valiant man, of great accomplishments"; עוסק בצ"צ = עוסק בצרכי ציבור, "engaged in communal needs".

2. Reb Naftali, may he live long (מו"ה נפתלי שי'): Kraus, Tel Aviv. R. Naftali Kraus of Tel Aviv (earlier of Bnei Brak), whom G‑d had graced "with the ability to influence others through writing, and his words are printed, that is, they reach a wide circle of our Jewish brethren" (vol. 14, letter 5283, 16 Adar II 5717). He was active in spreading Sichos LaNoar in the Holy Land; the year before this letter he wrote to the Rebbe about how they should be translated for youth, and the Rebbe agreed with him "that a literal translation is not suitable for youth" (vol. 16, letter 6075, 24 Shevat 5718). See also below, vol. 19, letter 7338 (18 Sivan 5720), and vol. 20, letter 7565 (12 Shevat 5721, to him and R. Yosef Yehuda Marton, about the booklet "Shiron Chassidi").

3. Another trip during Chol HaMoed of the coming Pesach (עוה"פ בחוה"פ הבע"ל): עוה"פ = עוד הפעם, "once again"; חוה"פ = חול המועד פסח, the intermediate days of Pesach; הבע"ל = הבא עלינו לטובה, "may it come upon us for good", i.e. the coming Pesach (5719). Another trip for the youth; one had already been held before (see below, "summaries of the results of the previous trip").

4. Sichos LaNoar (השיחות לנוער): Sichos LaNoar ("Talks for Youth"), a monthly for young people published by Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch, based on the teachings of the Previous Rebbe, and distributed in the United States, the Holy Land and elsewhere (see below, letter 6795, about the design of its cover). On the first booklet to appear in the Holy Land the Rebbe wrote: "May it be a good beginning to conquer the literature in the Holy Land, and especially the literature for youth, through the teachings of our holy leader" (vol. 13, letter 4689).

5. The special care required in matters of Pesach (ההידורים דעניני הפסח): The extra stringencies and care observed on Pesach regarding food and utensils, which are hard to keep properly on a trip away from home, all the more so with many participants.

6. This (ה"ז): ה"ז = הרי זה.

7. Especially in the Shemitah year (ובפרט בשנת השמיטה): 5719 was a Shemitah year, and Pesach 5719 fell within it. In such a year there are further difficulties regarding fruit and vegetables (the sanctity of the Sabbatical year and more), and a trip away from home makes such care still harder.

8. At least (עכ"פ): עכ"פ = על כל פנים.

9. Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch (המל"ח): במ"ש = במה שכתב, "regarding what you wrote"; המל"ח = המרכז לעניני חנוך, Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch, the Chabad educational organization that published Sichos LaNoar. The Rebbe had already written to the recipient the year before: "I acknowledge receipt of your letter regarding Sichos LaNoar, and it has been passed to Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch to answer it in detail" (vol. 16, letter 6075).

10. Many Jews (כו"כ מבנ"י): כו"כ = כמה וכמה, "a great many"; בנ"י = בני ישראל.

11. The saying of the Alter Rebbe that "You shall love your fellow as yourself" is a vessel for "You shall love the L‑rd your G‑d" (פתגם רבנו הזקן אשר ואהבת לרעך כמוך הוא כלי לואהבת את ה' אלקיך): "You shall love your fellow as yourself" – Vayikra 19:18; "You shall love the L‑rd your G‑d" – Devarim 6:5. The Previous Rebbe quoted this saying in the name of the Alter Rebbe in his letter printed in HaTamim vol. 4, p. 44 (his Igros Kodesh vol. 3, p. 425), and the Rebbe cited it in the maamar Basi LeGani 5713 (Maamarim Melukatim vol. 2): "On Ahavas Yisrael, my father-in-law the Rebbe adds in the name of the Alter Rebbe that 'You shall love your fellow as yourself' is a vessel for 'You shall love the L‑rd your G‑d'". Love of one's fellow Jew is the vessel that receives the love of G‑d; hence the great merit of one who heads an undertaking that brings young people's hearts close.

12. The root of all 248 positive commandments… the 365 prohibitions (רמ"ח מ"ע... שס"ה מל"ת): רמ"ח מ"ע = the 248 positive commandments; שס"ה מל"ת = the 365 prohibitions. After Tanya ch. 4: "For love is the root of all the 248 positive commandments; they all derive from it and without it they have no true existence… and fear is the root of the 365 prohibitions". The Rebbe adds that the mitzvah of fearing G‑d is itself one of the 248 positive commandments, so love is also the root of fear, which is the root of the prohibitions; hence "love of G‑d is the foundation and root of all the mitzvos". The conclusion: if love of one's fellow is the vessel for love of G‑d, it is the vessel for all the mitzvos.

13. May she live long (תחי'): תחי' = תחיה, "may she live".

14. To Torah, to marriage and to good deeds (לתורה ולחופה ולמעשים טובים): From the blessing said at a bris, Shabbos 137b: "Those standing by say: Just as he has entered the covenant, so may he enter into Torah, marriage and good deeds".

15. Good news (בשו"ט): בשו"ט = בשורות טובות.

Summary

The Rebbe advises that a youth trip planned to help spread Sichos LaNoar not be held during Pesach, because of the special care Pesach requires, the number of participants and the Shemitah year, and asks for a summary of the previous trip's results. He praises the recipient for heading this work, citing the Alter Rebbe's saying that love of one's fellow is a vessel for love of G‑d, the root of all the mitzvos.