6758 —קבלת ספר תורה בבית הכנסת, ולימוד התורה המביא לידי מעשה

B"H, 10 Adar II, 5719^[1]
Brooklyn.

The veteran Chassid, a G‑d-fearing man, distinguished and honored^[2], etc., Reb Eliezer Yitzchak, may he live long, shochet and bodek^[3]

Shalom u'Vrachah!

I was pleased to receive your letter of Sunday of the week of the portion "When a man among you brings an offering to G‑d"^[4], bringing good news, on behalf of the congregation and on behalf of the Talmud Torah, of the receiving of the Sefer Torah in their synagogue.

May it be G‑d's will that the Torah shall not depart from the mouth of all the members of the synagogue, from the mouth of their offspring and of their offspring's offspring^[5]. And in the manner of what is said: "Set your hearts to all the words… to observe, to do… for it is your life, and through this thing you shall prolong your days on the land… to possess it"^[6].

In keeping with the teaching of our Sages, of blessed memory: great is study that leads to action^[7] – in everyday life.

Well known are the words of the Rosh, ruled as halachah in the Shulchan Aruch, siman 270^[8], that nowadays the mitzvah applies not only to the books of the Chumash but also to Mishnah and Gemara and their commentaries.

With respect and with blessings for success in all the above, and for good news – and there is no good but Torah^[9] and its mitzvos, good to Heaven and good to people, good that bears fruit^[10] – the one who awaits good news^[11], in general and in particular.

Publisher's notes

Reb Eliezer Yitzchak (מו"ה אליעזר יצחק): Miller, Ashkelon.

Notes

1. 10 Adar II (יו"ד אד"ש): The tenth of Adar II (5719 was a leap year): Friday, 20 March 1959.

2. The veteran Chassid, a G‑d-fearing man, distinguished and honored (הוו"ח אי"א נו"נ): הוו"ח = הוותיק וחסיד; אי"א = איש ירא אלקים; נו"נ = נעלה ונכבד.

3. Reb Eliezer Yitzchak… shochet and bodek (מו"ה אליעזר יצחק שי' שו"ב): מו"ה = מורנו הרב; שו"ב = שוחט ובודק, a ritual slaughterer and inspector. Miller, Ashkelon (per the publisher's note). On behalf of the congregation and of the Talmud Torah in Ashkelon, he wrote the good news that a Sefer Torah had been received in their synagogue; this letter is the Rebbe's answer.

4. The portion "When a man among you brings an offering to G‑d" (לסדר אדם כי יקריב מכם קרבן לה'): Sunday of the week of Parshas Vayikra, in which it is said (Vayikra 1:2): "When a man among you brings an offering to G‑d". That Sunday was 5 Adar II 5719 (15 March 1959).

5. Shall not depart from the mouth… of their offspring's offspring (לא תמוש התורה מפי… זרעם וזרע זרעם): Based on Yeshayahu 59:21: ואני זאת בריתי אותם אמר ה' רוחי אשר עליך ודברי אשר שמתי בפיך לא ימושו מפיך ומפי זרעך ומפי זרע זרעך אמר ה' מעתה ועד עולם – "And as for Me, this is My covenant with them, says G‑d: My spirit that is upon you and My words that I have placed in your mouth shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your offspring, nor from the mouth of your offspring's offspring, says G‑d, from now and forever." Rashi there: "With this I made My covenant with them, and I will keep it, that even in their exile My Torah will not be forgotten by them." The Rebbe blesses that this promise be fulfilled in the members of the synagogue and their descendants.

6. Set your hearts to all the words… (שימו לבבכם לכל הדברים וגו'): Devarim 32:46–47: "Set your hearts to all the words that I testify against you this day, that you may command your children to observe, to do all the words of this Torah. For it is not an empty thing for you, for it is your life, and through this thing you shall prolong your days on the land to which you are crossing the Jordan, to possess it." These verses speak of the children ("that you may command your children") and of a Torah that is "to observe, to do" – which leads into the Rebbe's next words: great is study that leads to action.

7. Great is study that leads to action (גדול תלמוד שמביא לידי מעשה): Based on Kiddushin 40b: נשאלה שאילה זו בפניהם: תלמוד גדול או מעשה גדול? נענה רבי טרפון ואמר: מעשה גדול. נענה ר"ע ואמר: תלמוד גדול. נענו כולם ואמרו: תלמוד גדול, שהתלמוד מביא לידי מעשה – "This question was asked before them: Is study greater, or action? Rabbi Tarfon answered: Action is greater. Rabbi Akiva answered: Study is greater. They all answered: Study is greater, for study leads to action." The Rebbe adds "in everyday life": the study should bring to action in every day's life.

8. The Rosh… Shulchan Aruch, siman 270 (הרא"ש… שו"ע סי' ע"ר): The Rosh = R. Asher ben Yechiel; the Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De'ah 270. The Rosh's words are cited in the Tur, Yoreh De'ah 270: "My father the Rosh wrote that this was said only of the early generations, who would write a Sefer Torah and study from it; but nowadays, when a Sefer Torah is written and placed in the synagogue to be read in public, it is a positive mitzvah for every Jew who can afford it to write the books of the Chumash, Mishnah and Gemara and their commentaries, to study them, he and his children." It is ruled in the Shulchan Aruch there, 270:2: האידנא מצוה לכתוב חומשי תורה ומשנה וגמרא ופירושיהן – "Nowadays it is a mitzvah to write the books of the Chumash, Mishnah and Gemara and their commentaries." That is: nowadays, when the Sefer Torah is kept in the synagogue for public reading, the mitzvah extends to the books of study, in order to learn from them.

9. There is no good but Torah (ואין טוב אלא תורה): Based on Avos 6:3: ואין טוב אלא תורה, שנאמר כי לקח טוב נתתי לכם תורתי אל תעזובו – "And there is no good but Torah, as it is said: For I have given you a good teaching; do not forsake My Torah."

10. Good to Heaven and good to people, good that bears fruit (טוב לשמים וטוב לבריות טוב העושה פירות): Based on Kiddushin 40a: אמרו צדיק כי טוב, כי פרי מעלליהם יאכלו. וכי יש צדיק טוב, ויש צדיק שאינו טוב? אלא טוב לשמים ולבריות, זהו צדיק טוב – "Say of the righteous that he is good, for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds. Is there a righteous man who is good and one who is not good? Rather, one who is good to Heaven and to people is a good righteous man." Rashi there: "People benefit from him, so he is good to Heaven and good to people, and of him it is written: they shall eat the fruit of their deeds." Good that is also good to people is "good that bears fruit".

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

Summary

The Rebbe responds to the good news that a congregation in Ashkelon and its Talmud Torah received a Sefer Torah, blessing that the Torah never depart from them and their descendants. He stresses study that leads to action in daily life, and cites the Rosh, ruled in the Shulchan Aruch, that nowadays the mitzvah extends to the books of Mishnah, Gemara and their commentaries.