6787 —ביסוס והרחבת ישיבת קרית גת, סניף תומכי תמימים דלוד

B"H, 27 Adar II^[1], 5719
Brooklyn.

The administration of the Kiryat Gat Yeshivah^[2],
affiliated with Yeshivas Tomchei Temimim of Lod^[3],
may G‑d be with them, may they live

Shalom u'Vrachah!

I acknowledge receipt of your letter of 19 Adar II and the one before it, with the enclosure^[4].

"And I am prayer"^[5] that "the desire of G‑d will succeed in their hand"^[6] to establish the yeshivah firmly and to expand it, both in quantity (the number of students) and in quality (the level of studies).

For at all times and in every place we have been commanded concerning Torah study with fear of Heaven, and (great is) study that leads to action^[7], learning in order "to learn and to teach, to observe, to do and to fulfill", etc.^[8] All the more so in this generation of ours, the generation of the "footsteps of Moshiach"^[9], a darkness doubled and redoubled^[10], which increases ever more the necessity of "a mitzvah is a lamp and the Torah is light"^[11], and of the luminary in the Torah, which is the inner dimension of the Torah^[12]. And although in our holy land is "a land upon which the eyes of G‑d your G‑d are, from the beginning of the year until the end of the year"^[13],

our Sages have assured us that "according to the camel is its load"^[14]: the Giver of the Torah and Commander of the mitzvah watches over each and every one with individual Divine providence, and gives the ability, the strength and the means to fulfill His commands – and not only that, but also "with joy and gladness of heart"^[15], as our Sages say, "and so for a matter of halachah" (Shabbos 30b).

May it be G‑d's will that, as at the beginning of the tosefta there^[16], the Shechinah rest upon the work of their hands^[17] out of the joy of this mitzvah, and that G‑d's blessing and success increase in all the affairs of this yeshivah. And this will also serve as a channel and vessel for the blessing and success of G‑d, blessed be He, in all matters, also the personal ones, of the students, the Roshei Mesivta, the Rosh Yeshivah^[18], the administration and the supporters of the Torah^[19], they and their households, may they live.

With respect and with blessing for good news of your outstanding success in all the above,

M. Schneersohn

It was pleasant for me to read in the minutes^[20] about the first activities of the office of Yeshivas Tomchei Temimim of Lod in the affairs of this branch, the Kiryat Gat Yeshivah, and I am confident of its success. Enclosed is a check from the office here – as a first participation^[21].

Publisher's notes

Printed in Likkutei Sichos, vol. 24, p. 487.

The Kiryat Gat Yeshivah (ישיבת קרית גת): See above, letter 6729, and the references in the notes there.

The Kiryat Gat Yeshivah (ישיבת קרית גת): See also above, letter 6696 (to R. Yaakov Peles, 23 Shevat 5719, on his proposal to found a yeshivah in Kiryat Gat as a branch of Yeshivas Tomchei Temimim of Lod).

The Kiryat Gat Yeshivah (ישיבת קרית גת): See also above, letter 6773 (to Mr. Yitzchak Koren, 17 Adar II, asking his help for the immigrants' yeshivah in Kiryat Gat).

Notes

1. 27 Adar II (כ"ז אדר ב'): Monday, 6 April 1959.

2. The Kiryat Gat Yeshivah (ישיבת קרית גת): This yeshivah was founded in the winter of 5719 in Kiryat Gat, among the immigrants from Romania and Bessarabia who had settled there. R. Yaakov Peles of Tel Aviv proposed founding it "as part of the project to perpetuate the students of the Kishinev yeshivah… and they will also state explicitly that it is a branch affiliated with Yeshivas Tomchei Temimim of Lod", and the Rebbe set out what had to be clarified first (letter 6696, 23 Shevat). On 22 Adar I he answered him that the established wording "affiliated with the yeshivah in Lod" should not be changed, and that there was no room for a permanent allocation but only for one-time help, "perhaps it would also be proper for it to be received in several installments and not all at once", adding: "I am waiting with the answer to the letter of the yeshivah's administration enclosed with your letter" (letter 6729). On 17 Adar II he wrote to Mr. Yitzchak Koren, chairman of the immigrants from Bessarabia: "the immigrants from Romania and Bessarabia set up a yeshivah in Kiryat Gat, and with the help of descendants of Chabad and Chabad people who are there in significant number the yeshivah became a branch of Yeshivas Tomchei Temimim of Lod" (letter 6773). This letter is to the yeshivah's administration itself. Later, on 27 Menachem Av 5719, the Rebbe rejoiced at the news "of the progress of the students in their studies… and that they will also begin to pray in the yeshivah's premises" (letter 6984).

3. Yeshivas Tomchei Temimim of Lod (ישיבת תו"ת דלוד): תו"ת = תומכי תמימים. The Kiryat Gat yeshivah is a branch of Yeshivas Tomchei Temimim in Lod.

4. 19 Adar II… the one before it… the enclosure (מי"ט אדר שני והקודמו עם המצו"ב): 19 Adar II was Sunday, 29 March 1959. והקודמו = "and the one before it", their previous letter. המצו"ב = המצורף בזה, "enclosed herewith".

5. And I am prayer (ואני תפלה): The words of the verse [Tehillim 109:4]: "ואני תפלה"; Rashi: "and I pray to You always".

6. The desire of G‑d will succeed in their hand (חפץ ה' בידם יצליח): From the verse [Yeshayahu 53:10]: "וחפץ ה' בידו יצלח", "and the desire of G‑d will succeed in his hand".

7. (Great is) study that leads to action ((גדול) תלמוד שמביא לידי מעשה): From the Gemara [Kiddushin 40b]: "This question was asked before them: Is study greater or is action greater?… They all answered and said: Study is greater, for study leads to action." The Rebbe put the word "great" in parentheses.

8. To learn and to teach, to observe, to do and to fulfill (ללמוד וללמד לשמור ולעשות ולקיים): From the Mishnah [Avos 4:5]: "One who learns in order to do is granted the means to learn and to teach, to observe and to do"; and the blessing Ahavah Rabbah: "and place in our hearts… to learn and to teach, to observe, to do and to fulfill all the words of the study of Your Torah" (as cited by Rashi, Berachos 11b).

9. The "footsteps of Moshiach" (עקבתא דמשיחא): The generation before Moshiach's coming, from the Mishnah [Sotah 49b]: "בעקבות משיחא חוצפא יסגא", "In the footsteps of Moshiach, insolence will increase"; Rashi: "at the end of the exile, before Moshiach's coming".

10. A darkness doubled and redoubled (חושך כפול ומכופל): From the Tanya [ch. 36] on this world: "It is the lowest in degree; there is none lower than it in terms of the concealment of His light, and a darkness doubled and redoubled".

11. A mitzvah is a lamp and the Torah is light (נר מצוה ותורה אור): The words of the verse [Mishlei 6:23]: "כי נר מצוה ותורה אור".

12. The luminary in the Torah… the inner dimension of the Torah (מאור שבתורה זו פנימיות התורה): From the saying of our Sages on "and they forsook Me and did not keep My Torah": "Would that they had forsaken Me and kept My Torah, for the luminary in it brings them back to the good" (so worded in Mesillas Yesharim, ch. 5; the Jerusalem Talmud, Chagigah 1:7, reads: "for had they forsaken Me and kept My Torah, the leaven in it would have brought them close to Me"). The Rebbe explains: "the luminary in the Torah is the inner dimension of the Torah".

13. A land upon which the eyes of G‑d your G‑d are… (ארץ אשר עיני הוי' אלקיך בה...): The verse [Devarim 11:12]: "A land which G‑d your G‑d seeks out; the eyes of G‑d your G‑d are always upon it, from the beginning of the year until the end of the year."

14. According to the camel is its load (לפום גמלא שיחנא): [Sotah 13b]: "תנא דבי ר' ישמעאל, לפום גמלא, שיחנא", and Rashi: "לפי כח הגמל מרבין במשאו. אף כאן לפי צדקתו, מדקדק אחריו" ("According to the camel's strength its load is increased; here too, according to his righteousness He is exacting with him"); likewise [Kesubos 67a]: "as people say, according to the camel is its load". In the Gemara the saying speaks of the burden placed on a person according to his strength. The Rebbe explains it here in the words that follow: the Giver of the Torah "gives the ability, the strength and the means to fulfill His commands".

15. With joy and gladness of heart (בשמחה ובטוב לבב): From the verse [Devarim 28:47]: "תחת אשר לא עבדת את ה' אלהיך בשמחה ובטוב לבב", "because you did not serve G‑d your G‑d with joy and gladness of heart".

16. As at the beginning of the tosefta there (כתחילת התוספתא שם): The Gemara there: "to teach you that the Shechinah does not rest out of sadness, nor out of laziness… but out of a matter of the joy of a mitzvah, as it is said (Melachim II 3:15), 'And now bring me a musician; and when the musician played, the hand of G‑d came upon him.' Rav Yehudah said: And so for a matter of halachah." Hence the Rebbe's blessing: "that the Shechinah rest upon the work of their hands out of the joy of this mitzvah".

17. The Shechinah rest upon the work of their hands (תשרה שכינה במעשה ידיהם): From Moshe's blessing to the builders of the Mishkan, as Rashi explains [Shemos 39:43]: "And Moshe blessed them – he said to them: May it be His will that the Shechinah rest upon the work of your hands." השי"ת (below) = השם יתברך.

18. The Roshei Mesivta, the Rosh Yeshivah (הר"מים הר"י): הר"מים = הראשי מתיבתא; הר"י = הראש ישיבה.

19. The supporters of the Torah (התמכין דאורייתא): Those who support the Torah and its students; from the Zohar (Introduction, I 8a): "הנאמנים תמכין אורייתא. ואנון דתמכין אורייתא כביכול אנון עבדין" – "the faithful ones who support the Torah; and those who support the Torah, as it were, make it."

20. The minutes (הפרטי-כל): The protocol, the written record of proceedings.

21. Enclosed is a check… as a first participation (ומוסג"ב המחאה... בתור השתתפות ראשונה): מוסג"ב = מוסגר בזה. As the Rebbe had written in letter 6729: "As to support: for the time being there seems to be no room to commit to a permanent allocation; this is not so regarding one-time help"; "perhaps it would also be proper for it to be received in several installments and not all at once".

Summary

The Rebbe prays that the new yeshivah in Kiryat Gat, a branch of Tomchei Temimim of Lod, grow in number of students and level of study, stressing Torah with fear of Heaven that leads to action and the light of Chassidus in this dark time. G‑d gives the strength to fulfill His will with joy. He encloses a check from his office as a first participation.