6637 —פתח כחודו של מחט: חוב בגשמיות וברוחניות, ומטרת האדם לשמש את קונו בשמחה

B"H, 11th of Teves, 5719
Brooklyn.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

In reply to your letter of the 5th of Teves.

After all the calculations, "the reckoning of the world"^[1], etc., in the end^[2] you conclude your letter with the matter of the rent, and that you are in debt in dollars^[3], etc.!

Do you really think, too, that one should stir up worlds^[4] over matters such as these? Especially since with a little effort you will clear your material debt, and with a little more effort it is in your hands to clear your spiritual debt as well [for "when a person sanctifies himself a little below, he is sanctified much from Above"]^[5]. If so, everything is as if lying ready in a box^[6]; only you need to open the box. An opening like the point of a needle is enough, and then G‑d, blessed be He, will open "like the opening of the Ulam"^[7].

Regarding what you wrote^[8], that you do not know what your purpose is: our Sages have already made known in their Mishnah that one was created to serve his Maker^[9]; only there are several ways of doing so. What does it matter to you whether you do it by bringing the hearts of your students close to our Father in Heaven, or by being an emissary for the prayers of the Jewish people^[10], etc., so long as you fulfill the task with tranquility, joy and gladness of heart.

May it be G‑d's will that you not wish to talk yourself into believing^[11] that things confuse you; for there is no confusion – they are only waiting for you to open an opening like the point of a needle, and then it will be as above.

I enjoyed the report^[12] of your visit with your students. May it be G‑d's will that, in keeping with the above, you not be content with your present standing, but expand in ways of pleasantness^[13]; and nothing stands in the way of the will^[14].

With blessings for good news^[15] in all the above.

Notes

1. "The reckoning of the world" (חשבונו של עולם): After Bava Basra 78b: "'The rulers' – those who rule over their inclination; 'come to Cheshbon' – come, let us make the reckoning of the world: the loss of a mitzvah against its reward, and the gain of a sin against its loss". The recipient's letter was full of soul-searching and "reckonings of the world", but in the end it emerged that his main worry was a debt for rent; the Rebbe remarks on this with wonder.

2. In the end (סו"ס): סו"ס = סוף סוף, "in the end".

3. In debt in dollars (בע"ח בדאלארען): בע"ח = בעל חוב, "a debtor"; דאלארען (Yiddish), "dollars". He owed money, in dollars, for rent.

4. Stir up worlds (להרעיש עולמות): An idiom: to make a great commotion, as if all the worlds were shaken.

5. "When a person sanctifies himself a little below, he is sanctified much from Above" (כשאדם מקדש עצמו מעט מלמטה מקדשין אותו הרבה מלמעלה): After Yoma 39a: "The Rabbis taught: 'Sanctify yourselves and you shall be holy' – a person sanctifies himself a little, and he is sanctified much; from below, and he is sanctified from Above". The Rebbe joins the two clauses of the Baraisa into one sentence ("a little below… much from Above"). Just as with a little effort he will pay his material debt, so with a little more effort he will pay his spiritual "debt", for he is helped from Above far beyond what he puts in.

6. Everything is as if lying ready in a box (הכל כמונח בקופסא): Everything is ready and waiting, like an object lying in a box; all that is missing is to open it. In the print the word "he" (הוא) is emphasized: the opening depends on him himself.

7. An opening like the point of a needle… like the opening of the Ulam (פתח כחודו של מחט... כפתחו של אולם): השי"ת = השם יתברך, "G‑d, blessed be He". After the saying of the Sages on "Open for Me" (Shir HaShirim 5:2), in Shir HaShirim Rabbah 5:2: "Open for Me one opening of teshuvah like the point of a needle, and I will open for you openings through which wagons and carriages can enter"; and in the language of Chassidus, Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim, the discourse "Ani Yesheinah": "Open for Me like the point of a needle and I will open for you like the opening of the Ulam – alluding to what is taught in Middos ch. 2: all the gates of the Beis HaMikdash had doors, except that of the Ulam". A small opening on man's part suffices, and from Above a wide opening that is never closed is opened for him.

8. Regarding what you wrote (במ"ש): במ"ש = במה שכתב.

9. Our Sages have already made known in their Mishnah that one was created to serve his Maker (כבר הודיעו רז"ל במשנתם, שנברא לשמש את קונו): רז"ל = רבותינו זכרונם לברכה, "our Sages of blessed memory". Mishnah Kiddushin 4:14, Kiddushin 82a: "R. Shimon ben Elazar says: Have you ever seen a beast or bird with a trade, yet they are sustained without trouble? And they were created only to serve me, while I was created to serve my Maker". Man's purpose has been stated explicitly – to serve his Creator; the only question is in what manner.

10. An emissary for the prayers of the Jewish people (שליח לתפלות בנ"י): בנ"י = בני ישראל. That is, as a shliach tzibbur, leading the prayers on behalf of the congregation. By either path – educating students or leading the congregation in prayer – one fulfills one's purpose of serving one's Maker.

11. Talk yourself into believing (איינריידין זיך): Yiddish: "to talk oneself into" something, to persuade oneself until one believes it.

12. The report (הדו"ח): הדו"ח = הדין וחשבון, "the report".

13. Ways of pleasantness (בדרכי נועם): ע"ד = על דרך, "in the manner of". From the verse about the Torah, Mishlei 3:17: "Its ways are ways of pleasantness, and all its paths are peace". He should not be content with his present standing with his students, but expand his activity, in pleasant ways.

14. Nothing stands in the way of the will (אין לך דבר העומד בפני הרצון): A well-known saying: everything depends on his will.

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

Summary

To a teacher whose long letter of soul-searching ended with a worry over a rent debt, the Rebbe writes that a small effort will clear both his material and his spiritual debts, since an opening like the point of a needle below is answered by a wide opening from Above. Man was created to serve his Maker, in whatever way, so long as it is done with tranquility and joy; he should not talk himself into confusion, but expand his work in pleasant ways.