6782 —הודאה נעלית יותר: העזר בהפצת היהדות וקירוב הלבבות

B"H, 22 Adar II^[1], 5719
Brooklyn.

Blessing and peace!

In reply to your letter of 3/31^[2] with its enclosure, which has been handed over to Lishkas Chashaim^[3] (the "Chamber of Secret Giving") – which is among the very highest levels^[4] of the mitzvah of tzedakah, which "is equal to all the mitzvos"^[5].

You conclude your letter by saying that the above is a kind of expression of thanks to me,

and it is in your power to express thanks in a form that is higher still: by helping in my work. That is truly the task of every Jewish man and woman – to spread Judaism and strengthen it by drawing the hearts of those Jews whom you influence^[6] closer to our Father in Heaven. This drawing close of the heart comes about by arousing them and making them recognize how great is the necessity of a way of life, in everyday life, in keeping with the instruction of our Torah, the Torah of life^[7], and doing so in a heartfelt manner and in ways of pleasantness^[8]. For then "words that come from the heart enter the heart of the listener"^[9], and of this too it is said, "Nothing stands in the way of the will"^[10].

With blessings for good news in all the above,

In the name of the Rebbe shlita^[11],

Secretary

Notes

1. 22 Adar II (כ"ב אד"ש): אד"ש = אדר שני, Adar II (5719 was a leap year). 22 Adar II 5719 was Wednesday, 1 April 1959.

2. 3/31 (3/31): 31 March 1959 (American order: month/day), which was Tuesday, 21 Adar II 5719 – the day before this letter.

3. Lishkas Chashaim (לשכת חשאין): A fund for secret charity that the Previous Rebbe founded and ran personally; from it help is given to individuals and institutions without publicity. As the secretariat wrote in vol. 4, letter 778 (Erev Yom Kippur 5711): "The work of Lishkas Chashaim, which was founded and personally directed by my father-in-law, the Rebbe, is to give help to individuals and institutions in certain cases where the help must be given without publicity, which is one of the highest forms of tzedakah" (see also vol. 4, letter 1100; vol. 10, letter 3239). It is named after the Chamber of Secret Giving in the Beis HaMikdash, as the Mishnah says [Shekalim 5:6]: "There were two chambers in the Mikdash, the chamber of secret giving and the chamber of vessels. Into the chamber of secret giving, sin-fearing people would give in secret, and poor people of good families would be supported from it in secret." (The Mishnah spells it חשאים, the letter חשאין.)

4. Among the very highest levels (מהמדרגות הכי נעלות): See Rambam, Laws of Gifts to the Poor 10:8, in his list of the levels of tzedakah: "פחות מזה הנותן צדקה לעניים ולא ידע למי נתן ולא ידע העני ממי לקח, שהרי זו מצוה לשמה, כגון לשכת חשאים שהיתה במקדש" – "Below this is one who gives tzedakah to the poor without knowing to whom he gave, and the poor person does not know from whom he took, for this is a mitzvah for its own sake, like the Chamber of Secret Giving that was in the Mikdash, where the righteous would give in secret and poor people of good families were supported from it in secret."

5. Is equal to all the mitzvos (השקולה כנגד כל המצות): From the Gemara [Bava Basra 9a]: "ואמר רב אסי שקולה צדקה כנגד כל המצות" – "Rav Assi said: Tzedakah is equal to all the mitzvos."

6. Those Jews whom you influence (לבן של בני ישראל, שהשפעתה עליהן): The Hebrew uses feminine forms (לבן... עליהן): the hearts of those Jews – the women – whom the recipient influences.

7. The Torah of life (תורת חיים): From the prayer Sim Shalom: "תורת חיים ואהבת חסד", "a Torah of life and love of kindness".

8. Ways of pleasantness (דרכי נועם): From the verse [Mishlei 3:17] about the Torah: "דרכיה דרכי נעם וכל נתיבותיה שלום", "Its ways are ways of pleasantness, and all its paths are peace."

9. Words that come from the heart enter the heart of the listener (דברים היוצאים מן הלב נכנסים ללב השומע): Compare Sefer HaYashar (attributed to Rabbeinu Tam), Gate 13: "כי כל דבר שיצא מן הלב ייכנס בלב", "for everything that comes from the heart will enter the heart."

10. Nothing stands in the way of the will (אין לך דבר העומד בפני הרצון): A well-known saying: when the will is genuine it overcomes every obstacle; so when the work is done out of heartfelt will, it will surely succeed.

11. The Rebbe shlita (כ"ק אדמו"ר שליט"א): כ"ק אדמו"ר שליט"א = כבוד קדושת אדונינו מורנו ורבנו, שיחיה לאורך ימים טובים אמן. The letter was written and signed by the secretary in the Rebbe's name.

Summary

Acknowledging a woman's contribution, which was given to Lishkas Chashaim, the fund for secret charity, the secretary writes in the Rebbe's name that she can express her thanks in a higher way: by helping in the Rebbe's work of spreading Judaism, drawing the hearts of the Jewish women she influences closer to G‑d through heartfelt words and ways of pleasantness.