6767 —הזכרה על הציון, ניצול השיחה לתועלת הרבים, ו"קרא לשמש ויזרח אור": השמש מאיר את ביהכ"נ

B"H, 13 Adar II^[1], 5719
Brooklyn.

The veteran Chassid, a G‑d-fearing man, distinguished and honored, engaged in communal needs,^[2]
Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchak, may he live long^[3]

Shalom u'Vrachah!

In reply to your letter of the third day of the week, on which "that it was good" was said twice^[4], and the pidyon nefesh^[5] that followed it:

At an auspicious time, all those about whom you write will be mentioned at the holy resting place of my father-in-law, the Rebbe, of sainted memory, whose soul is in the hidden treasuries on High, may his merit protect us^[6], each one^[7] for what he needs, in accordance with the content of your letter.

And surely you will find suitable words to explain to them that the more they add in matters of Torah and mitzvos, the more will be added in the blessings of G‑d^[8] in whatever they need; and however good the situation in this may be, in matters of goodness and holiness there is always room to add still more, since they are bound up with the Holy One, blessed be He, Who is infinite.

As to what you write about the length of time of our conversation: I strongly hope that you will make full use of what was discussed during that time, for the benefit of the many, in keeping with your holy office in the holy congregation^[9]. Then it will indeed have been a conversation not of one individual with another, but one concerning many, many^[10] Jews. And it is understood that the more you endeavor in this, the greater will be the number of those in whom the effect of the conversation will be felt; and this is easy to understand^[11]. And the merit of the many assists you in this too.

With blessing for good news in all the above, and for a joyous Purim, materially and spiritually^[12].

P.S.^[13]

As to what you write after the signature concerning the shamash in the congregation, etc.: the saying of the Rebbe, the Tzemach Tzedek^[14], is known, in answer to a shamash's request in his matter: "He called to the sun, and light shone forth"^[15]; that is, the shamash must bring light to the synagogue^[16] and the house of study by striving to add in fixed times for Torah study, in proper prayer, etc. And from the wording of the above story it is understood that this is also the channel and the vessel for receiving G‑d's blessings in whatever the shamash and his household, may they live, need; and this is easy to understand^[17].

Publisher's notes

Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchak (הרב יעקב יצחק): Hanik, Oak Park, Michigan.

The saying… is known (ידוע פתגם): See also above, vol. 14, letter 5101, and the references in the notes there.

Notes

1. Adar II (אד"ש): אד"ש = אדר שני, the second Adar (5719 was a leap year). 13 Adar II 5719 was Monday, 23 March 1959, the Fast of Esther.

2. The veteran Chassid… engaged in communal needs (הוו"ח אי"א נו"נ עוסק בצ"צ): הוו"ח = הוותיק וחסיד, "the veteran and Chassid"; אי"א = איש ירא אלקים, "a G‑d-fearing man"; נו"נ = נעלה ונכבד, "distinguished and honored"; עוסק בצ"צ = עוסק בצרכי ציבור, "engaged in communal needs".

3. Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchak (הרב יעקב יצחק): The publisher's note here reads "Hanik, Oak Park, Michigan"; the publisher's note to a later letter to him reads "Hamnik, Oak Park" (below, vol. 19, letter 7083). He is Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchak (Yaakov I.) Homnick, rabbi of the Oak-Woods Young Israel in Oak Park, Michigan. In letter 7083 (21 Cheshvan 5720) the Rebbe answers his question on Tanya, chapter 12: whether teshuvah out of love can make one a "beinoni" who has never sinned.

4. The third day of the week, on which "that it was good" was said twice (יום השלישי שהוכפל בו כי טוב): That is, Tuesday, the day of Creation on which "that it was good" is said twice. As Rashi writes (Bereishis 1:7): "ובשלישי שנגמרה מלאכת המים והתחיל וגמר מלאכה אחרת, כפל בו 'כי טוב' שתי פעמים", "And on the third, when the work of the waters was finished and He began and finished another work, He doubled 'that it was good' twice."

5. Pidyon nefesh (הפ"נ): הפ"נ = הפדיון נפש: the note in which he listed the people for whom he requested a blessing, as below.

6. My father-in-law, the Rebbe… (כ"ק מו"ח אדמו"ר זצוקללה"ה נבג"מ זי"ע): הק' = הקדוש, "holy". כ"ק מו"ח אדמו"ר = כבוד קדושת מורי וחמי אדונינו מורנו ורבנו, the Previous Rebbe, R. Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn; זצוקללה"ה = זכר צדיק וקדוש לברכה לחיי העולם הבא, "may the memory of the righteous and holy one be for a blessing, for the life of the World to Come"; נבג"מ = נשמתו בגנזי מרומים, "his soul is in the hidden treasuries on High"; זי"ע = זכותו יגן עלינו, "may his merit protect us".

7. Each one (כאו"א): כאו"א = כל אחד ואחד.

8. G‑d (השי"ת): השי"ת = השם יתברך, "G‑d, blessed be He".

9. In the holy congregation (בק"ק): בק"ק = בקהלה קדושה. That is, in the congregation where he serves as rabbi (see note 3).

10. But… many, many (כ"א… כו"כ): כ"א = כי אם, "but rather"; כו"כ = כמה וכמה, "many, many".

11. And this is easy to understand (וק"ל): וק"ל = וקל להבין. That is: if he makes use of what was said for the benefit of the many, the time given to the conversation was not for one individual but for many; and the more he does so, the greater the number of those it will influence.

12. Good news… materially and spiritually (לבשו"ט… בגו"ר): לבשו"ט = לבשורות טובות; בגו"ר = בגשמיות וברוחניות.

13. P.S. (נ.ב.): נ.ב. = נכתב בצדו, "written alongside": an addition after the signature.

14. The Rebbe, the Tzemach Tzedek (כ"ק אדמו"ר הצמח צדק): R. Menachem Mendel, author of the Tzemach Tzedek, the third Rebbe of Chabad.

15. He called to the sun, and light shone forth (קרא לשמש - ויזרח אור): The words of the hymn "Keil Adon" in the blessing before the Shema in the Shabbos morning prayers: "קרא לשמש ויזרח אור, ראה והתקין צורת הלבנה", "He called to the sun and light shone forth; He looked and fashioned the form of the moon", there of the sun in the heavens. The Tzemach Tzedek applied it to the shamash of a synagogue (in Hebrew the same word, שמש): the shamash's task is to bring light to the synagogue. The Rebbe cites this saying also above, vol. 13, letter 4692 ("make the shul bright"), and vol. 14, letter 5101 ("to illuminate the synagogue by saying Tehillim, public study, etc.").

16. The synagogue (ביהכ"נ): ביהכ"נ = בית הכנסת.

17. And this is easy to understand (וק"ל): ולב"ב שי' = ולבני ביתו שיחיו, "and his household, may they live"; וק"ל = וקל להבין. That is: from the words of the saying itself, "and light shone forth", it is understood that the shamash's effort to bring light to the synagogue is also the channel for G‑d's blessings to him and his household.

Summary

The Rebbe will mention at the Ohel the people the recipient, a congregational rabbi, wrote about, and asks him to explain to them that adding in Torah and mitzvos adds in G‑d's blessings. He urges him to use their long conversation for the benefit of the many, and, citing the Tzemach Tzedek's reading of "He called to the sun (shemesh) and light shone forth", that a shamash must illuminate the shul with Torah and prayer.