Volume One • Letter 11

Peace and blessing and all good things, forever — and a joyous Purim and a kosher and joyous Passover — to his honor, my beloved, my friend, my dear, with heart and soul, [בלב ונפש — "with heart and soul." A formula of complete inner devotion — the heart (seat of feeling and will) and the soul (the deepest inner being) together — expressing that the friendship involves the whole person, not merely the surface.] who yearns for the service of Hashem in truth — his honor, his splendor, and his glory, our master and teacher Rabbi Avraham Yakovitch, may his light shine, may he live long, may G-d protect him and guard him. After inquiring after your precious wellbeing with great love. As for our own wellbeing — thanks be to Hashem.

Practical Matters I have indeed received his letter from Parshas Bo, and from Parshas Yisro, and from Parshas Terumah — together with the money that you sent. And I will write you a reply on everything. Regarding the cheques: it makes no practical difference [אין נפקא מינה — "it makes no practical difference / there is no distinction in outcome." An Aramaic-Hebrew Talmudic legal phrase meaning: the matter has no practical consequence — either way the result is the same. Used here in its everyday sense: the specific type of cheque doesn't matter.] which cheques his honor sends — for all of them I exchange for money at the government bank, which accepts all types of cheques — for which I personally take responsibility [שאני מקבל אחריותי — "for which I accept / take upon myself personal responsibility." Achrayus (אחריות) — responsibility, guarantee, accountability. The author personally guarantees to the bank that these cheques will be honored — he puts his own name and credit behind each one, making himself the guarantor.] that they will be paid.

And regarding the Rabbeinu Tam tefillin — it has been about two weeks since they were already sent. And there was much laboring exertion and toil for my son, may his light shine, with the maker of the housings of the tefillin — who pressed him and urged him on every single time. And the essential thing — you should know: you have no cause to worry that you might have been able to obtain more distinguished tefillin. You should know: even if you had sent double the money you sent — you would not have obtained more distinguished tefillin. Counsel on the Question of Aliyah And regarding his honor's question about coming to the Land of Israel — behold, according to my understanding and my opinion: his honor should not leave his livelihood and his dwelling place, and should not act hastily [בחיפזון — b'chipazon — "in haste / hastily / in a rush." The same word used for Israel's hasty departure from Egypt (Exodus 12:11) — that urgency born of sudden compulsion. Here it describes the dangerous rush of making an irreversible life decision too quickly, before the ground is properly prepared.] — for perhaps he will greatly regret it afterward, G-d forbid. And my counsel is: that his honor should see to revive himself through the longing with which he longs for the Land of Israel [בהחשק שחושק לא"י — "through the longing with which he longs for the Land of Israel." The Hebrew uses both the noun cheshek (longing/desire) and the verb chokayk (longs/desires) from the same root — a grammatical intensification: the longing itself as longing, the desire in its fullest quality. This emphasis conveys: not a mild wish but a deep, saturating yearning.] — for through this one draws [ממשיכין — "draws / pulls down." From the root משך — the same verb of flowing-forward used in Letter 9. Through longing one actively draws — pulls downward toward oneself — the spiritual atmosphere of the Land of Israel, making it present wherever one is.] the air of the Land of Israel and the holiness of the Land of Israel to the diaspora. And likewise he should give life to himself through the charity that he sends to the Land of Israel — for through this he is considered before Hashem literally as if he is in the Land of Israel — as brought in the holy books and in the books of Kabbalah. And also in Likutay Moharan, Part 1, Section 37: "Through charity for the Land of Israel — include yourself in the atmosphere of the Land of Israel — and your breath will be the breath of the Land of Israel — and the breath of the children of the school-house who have no sin." [The precise Aramaic words of Likutay Moharan I, §37: תכלול עצמיך באוירא דא"י — "include yourself / incorporate yourself in the avira (atmosphere / air-spirit) of the Land of Israel." אוירא (avira) is the Aramaic for the spiritual atmosphere — the distinctive spiritual quality that permeates the very air of the Land. והבל שלך יהי' הבל דא"י — "and your hevel (breath / vapor) will be the hevel of the Land of Israel." Hevel — the same word used by Kohelet for "vanity" — here means breath, the physical and spiritual breath of life. והבל תינוקות של בית רבן שאין בו חטא — "and the hevel of the tinokos shel beis raban (the young children of the Torah school-house) who have no sin." The breath of young Torah-learning children — unstained by any sin — is considered the purest, most spiritually potent breath in the world (Shabbos 119b). Through charity for Israel, one's own breath is elevated to this level of purity.] See there, the entire section. And in particular — his honor supports us so that we can serve Hashem in the Land of Israel and produce many innovations in Torah, [לחדש הרבה בתורה — "to produce many innovations / novelties in Torah." Lechadesh — to make new, to renew, to create original Torah insights. Chidushim (חידושים) — Torah novelties or innovations — are original creative interpretations and insights that a scholar generates: they "make new" what was always there but never seen in quite that way before. The author is saying: the recipients' financial support enables him to produce original Torah scholarship in the Land of Israel, specifically in the Rebbe's Torah — a creative and generative activity, not merely repetition.] and in particular in the Torah of our master the Rebbe זצ"ל — which will be a merit for the multitudes for all generations. And in particular — his honor engages in making efforts so that we should be able to print holy books like these that can revive the entire world from beginning to end. For on every single utterance, every single person in the world can say: "Were I not to have come [into the world] except to hear this — it is sufficient." [אלמלא לא אתינא אלא למשמע דא די — Aramaic: "Were I not to have come except to hear this — it is sufficient." A formula found repeatedly in the Zohar when the disciples of R' Shimon hear a wondrous Torah teaching: the experience is so sublime that it alone would have justified their entire existence in the world. The author applies it to each individual teaching in the Rebbe's book: every single utterance is so life-giving that a person could say this about it. Almaley — "were it not / had it not been"; lo asina — "I had come / I entered"; ela — "except"; l'mishma — "to hear"; da — "this"; dai — "it is sufficient."] [As this kind of language is found in the holy Zohar — that the Tzaddikim said this when they heard the secrets of the Torah.] And many, many people will become penitents and complete Tzaddikim through these books. And also his honor draws more people close to the service of Hashem and drawing close to our master the Rebbe זצ"ל — as you drew close R' Moshe Aharon, may his light shine — and so it is possible that more people will draw close. And who knows what satisfaction and pleasure Hashem receives from you — from the place where you are. For if a person says to you: "Where is your G-d?" — say to him: "In the great city that is in Aram [בכרך גדול שבארם — "in the great city that is in Aram / Aramea." A Talmudic teaching (Shabbos 119a): when asked "Where is your G-d?" one can point to the great cities of the gentile world — G-d is found even in the most unlikely places. The author applies this to America / New York — the great city "in Aram" of their generation.] — that is: even in the very depths of the forces of impurity — if one draws close to Hashem from there — one can find G-dliness specifically there, and perform before Him a greater pleasure and satisfaction than from any other holy place. And who knows what holy sparks need to be elevated from there — as is well known from all the holy books, which elaborate at length [שמאריכין — "that elaborate / discuss at length / go on extensively about." From the root ארך — to be long, extended. The holy books devote extensive, lengthy treatment to this topic — it is not a brief aside but a central and recurring theme throughout the Kabbalistic literature.] that this is the secret of the exile. And the truth is: do not let go of your longing for the Land of Israel soon — and through this you will make holy vessels to receive holiness when you will merit afterward to come there, with G-d's help. Therefore — my holy and faithful counsel is: do not leave your livelihood and all your financial matters at all — only to long and request from Hashem about this. And in the meantime — strengthen yourselves to snatch what you can snatch: both in the matter of the printing work — through which you will have a merit for the multitudes for all generations that is incomparable — and in drawing your companion R' Moshe Aharon, may his light shine, close — and perhaps Hashem will help that you will draw more souls close. And also pay off your debts. And within this time — find a way [that will not damage your livelihood or domestic peace, G-d forbid] that you could come yourself to the Holy Land for some period of time by airplane — and merit to fulfill the commandment of "one who walks four cubits in the Land of Israel" — and also to be at the holy sites, and to snatch service of Hashem during this time as much as you can. And you will be able to see the matter and the counsel here regarding livelihood and a dwelling — so that you could establish your residence here with all your household [עם כל ב"ב = עם כל בני ביתו — "with all his household / with all the members of his home." B"B (beis-beis) is the standard abbreviation for bnei beiso — "the people of his house / his family household" — wife and children and all dependents. The dream: to eventually bring the entire family to live permanently in the Land of Israel.] permanently. But for now [לעת עתה — "for now / for the present moment." The phrase appears twice in this paragraph. לע"ע (lamed-ayin-ayin) is the standard abbreviated form of לעת עתה — "for the present time / for now." A temporalizing phrase: not "never" but "not yet, for the current moment."] — there is no need to confuse the mind and to study courses at all — and also not to think at all about establishing a residence in America. Only to long specifically for the Holy Land — and in the meantime to do and snatch merits as above as much as you can — and to long until you will be able to bring from potential to actual: to come yourself for some period of time — alone and without leaving your livelihood for now [לע"ע = לעת עתה — "for now / for the present moment." The abbreviation appears again here. The nuance: without leaving the livelihood *for now* — the "for now" softening what might seem like a permanent injunction. Eventually things will change; for now, the livelihood must be maintained.] — until Hashem helps that you merit to establish your residence here. Yiddish Passage — On What Makes the Rebbe's Torah Unique Among All Torah Books [This Yiddish passage is followed immediately by the author's own Hebrew translation in §§16–19. Both are translated in full here.] And after Hashem helped and sent the great light — the Ba'al Shem Tov זצ"ל — into the world, whose holiness and that of his holy disciples continues and extends until today, having increased Chassidus and faith in divine personal providence and trust and joy in Hashem — there is much to speak about this — Hashem had compassion on the generation that is lowly to the utmost lowliness, like ours. [הדור השפל בתכלית השפלות כמונו — "the generation that is lowly to the utmost lowliness, like ours." A striking phrase of collective humility: the author includes himself and his entire generation in this description. Not false modesty but an honest assessment: in comparison to the generations of the great Talmudic sages, the Arizal, and the Ba'al Shem Tov, the current generation stands at the lowest spiritual level — and yet it is precisely for this generation that the Rebbe's path was tailored.] And from within the holy tree of the Ba'al Shem Tov זצ"ל — came forth such a tree of fruits — meaning: from those who went forth from his holy loins — came forth our master the Rebbe זצ"ל — the flowing stream, the source of wisdom — who is a light such as there has never yet been a light like this in the world — that can illuminate the entire world from one end to the other, and revive the entire world from beginning to end. And he is the true compassionate one — who revealed and made known to us the full power of his holy counsels — how we can come and arrive — also we ourselves, and also the entire world — to become complete and great Tzaddikim. "And this we do not find by any Tzaddik from the creation of the world until now — a Tzaddik who would narrate to us his paths: what he did until he came to his levels — so that we too could do likewise and we too could become Tzaddikim." [The sweeping claim: in all of Jewish literature from Adam to the present day, no Tzaddik revealed his inner path — the specific steps he himself took, the struggles he himself overcame — in the way that Rabbi Nachman did. Other works inspire, command, and exhort. Only Rabbi Nachman said in effect: "Here is exactly what I did and how I did it — and you can do the same."] "For in all the holy books one finds essentially only the awakening: that one must do teshuvah, and one must be upright, and one must be saved from sins, and serve Hashem. But how does one get there? And how does one merit this? And what counsel can a person give himself against the evil inclination? And when the evil inclination has already strengthened itself — how does one turn and extract oneself from it? And when the service of Hashem — the study and prayer — is not going as it should — how does one revive and strengthen oneself? And counsels for all of this — one sees only by the holy Rebbe." "Who gives us such paths in the service of Hashem — that even the very lowest and worst person in the world — if he walks with these paths — can become a great and awesome Tzaddik beyond all estimation." [דער נדריגסטר ערגסטער מענטש — "the very lowest and worst person." Nidrigster (lowest, most lowly) + ergster (worst, most bad) — the Yiddish superlatives of both dimensions: the most spiritually sunken and the most morally broken. The Rebbe's path reaches even this person — and promises that even he can become a great and awesome Tzaddik.] "And he gives great specific strengthening for every single matter — on every single thing — that if one only observes his words in wholeness and simplicity — without cleverness and distorting contortions — one can come to the very highest level in the world." "Only: the evil inclination gives itself a counsel — through dispute and opposition against such a holy Rebbe and such holy books. And even his people — those who already truly and indeed believe in him [וואס גלייבין שוין יָאה אין איהם — "those who already truly and indeed believe in him." The Yiddish yoh (יָאה) is an emphatic affirmative — "yes / indeed / truly." The phrase says: not those who are uncertain or half-believing, but those who already genuinely and wholeheartedly believe in the Rebbe — even they are vulnerable to the evil inclination's mind-twisting.] — even them the evil inclination twists their mind — [so that they] not observe the counsels in wholeness and simplicity and joy. And this is the essential [path] to arrive at all good and to feel the holy paths as they should be felt." "The people of his — those who observed his words in wholeness and simplicity and joy — exactly as he commanded — they merited to become great Tzaddikim — as we know from them. May their merit protect us." "And in any case — whoever merely touches the matter of the holy Rebbe — and the name of the Rebbe is called upon him — he already merits greatly. Even in this world it can be seen and felt — by himself and by other people upon him — what one earns every single moment. And all the more so in the World to Come — no eye has seen — for then especially will one feel the drawing close to the Rebbe of which there is nothing greater." Purim Blessing The holy Purim is approaching — such an awesome and elevated holiness, higher than all the festivals — the holiness of Mordecai, the like of which there is none in all the days of the year. And through the joy of Purim one can merit to be saved from even a trace of chametz on Pesach — and a kosher Pesach. Regards [א גריס — a gris — Yiddish: "regards / greetings." The standard Yiddish formula for sending warm greetings to a third party.] to our companion R' Aharon Moshe, may his light shine. [Note the reversed name order: throughout the correspondence the friend has been "R' Moshe Aharon." Here in the informal Yiddish closing the author writes "R' Aharon Moshe" — a natural slip in the warmth of the informal close, or perhaps the author's preferred familiar form of address.] Your friend who wishes you well [אייעהר פריינד ווינטשט אייך — Yiddish: "your friend wishes you" — the object of the wishing left implicit but clearly understood as "all good / blessings / well-being."] Shmuel Horovitz Author's Note [The following — enclosed in parentheses in the original — is the author's own Hebrew translation of the Yiddish passage above. It is an integral part of the letter and is translated here in full.] [That this we do not find by any Tzaddik from the creation of the world until now — a Tzaddik who would narrate to us his paths: what he did until he came to his levels — so that we too could do thus and we too could become Tzaddikim. Because in all the holy books one finds essentially the awakening: that one must repent and one must be an upright person and one must be saved from sins and serve Hashem — but how does one arrive at this? And how does one merit this? And what counsel can a person give himself against the evil inclination? And when the evil inclination has strengthened itself — how does one extricate oneself from it? And when the service of Hashem — the study and the prayer — is not going as it should — how does one revive and strengthen oneself? And counsels for everything — this one sees only by the Rebbe — who gives us such paths in the service of Hashem that even the lowest and worst person in the world, if he walks in these paths, can become a very great and awesome Tzaddik beyond all estimation.] [And he gives specific strengthening for every single thing — on every single matter — that if one only observes his words in wholeness and simplicity, without cleverness and confusions — one can come to the very highest level in the world. Only: the evil inclination [arranges itself] [[מסתדר] — in square brackets in the original. This word appears in editorial brackets — the author's signal that the word מסתדר was apparently in the Yiddish original but may have been accidentally omitted from the Hebrew translation, and is being supplied to complete the sense. Mistadar means "arranges itself / manages to find a way / organizes a plan for itself." The full sense: "the evil inclination arranges a plan for itself" — it is an active, organizing intelligence that strategically plans its opposition.] gives itself a counsel — through dispute and opposition against such a great Rebbe and such holy books. And even his people — those who already indeed believe in him — even them the evil inclination confuses their mind — [so that they] not observe his counsels in wholeness and simplicity and joy — which is the essential [path] to arrive at all good and to feel the holy paths as they should be felt.] [The people of his who observed his words in wholeness and simplicity and joy — exactly as he commanded — they merited to become great Tzaddikim — as we indeed know from them. May their merit protect us. And in any case — whoever merely touches the matter of the Rebbe, and the Rebbe's name is called upon him — he already merits greatly. Even in this world it is possible to see and feel — the person himself, and other people upon him — what one earns every single moment. And all the more so in the World to Come — no eye has seen — for then especially will one feel the drawing close to the Rebbe, of which there is nothing greater.] The holy Purim is approaching — such an awesome holiness, higher than all the festivals — the holiness of Mordecai, the like of which there is none in all the days of the year. And through the joy of Purim one can merit to be saved from even a trace of chametz on Pesach, and a kosher Pesach. Regards to our companion R' Aharon Moshe, may his light shine. Your friends who wish you well — Shmuel Horovitz.