Letters 81–85 פ"א–פ"ה

Letter 81 (Meron, Parashas Vayikra, 5725): Written from Meron — R' Shmuel now lives between Jerusalem and Meron. A check for 20 dollars was returned because the sender had insufficient funds — causing great distress and a forced loan. R' Shmuel writes a Torah letter about Purim, the month of Adar, and the nature of joy. The Parasha Zachor reading — the obligation to hear the erasure of Amalek — is explored: Amalek's root is the evil inclination, and its primary manifestation is sadness and laziness. The erasure of Amalek is through joy and strengthening in Hashem. Purim's joy and intoxication — reaching the level of ad d'lo yada — is the healing of the bris. Purim prepares for Pesach — the exodus from chametz, the elevation of speech from exile, and the counting of the Omer as preparation for receiving the Torah.

Letter 82 (Jerusalem, Parashas Shelach, 5725): A wedding and hachnasas kallah fund — R' Shmuel's daughter is getting married in the coming month of Elul; the situation is very pressed financially. R' Shmuel then teaches an extensive Torah based on Likutay Moharan Torah 21 (Atika Tamira V'Satima — "The Ancient, Hidden and Concealed One") — about the Seven Lamps of the Menorah and their correspondence to the seven senses of the body. Each sense — eyes, ears, nose, mouth — must be guarded from its corresponding evil and sanctified for holiness. The highest sanctification of all is through the true Tzadik — in the aspect of Moshe Rabbainu — who is the Western Lamp, the light of divine presence in Israel. The sin of Miriam and Aharon — speaking against Moshe — damaged all seven lamps even for the greatest of the great. The lesson: even the slightest disrespect to the true Tzadik damages all the spiritual lamps. And conversely: connection to the true Tzadik illuminates them all.

Letter 83 (Jerusalem, Parashas Chukas, 5725): Financial distress continues — livelihood is extremely tight, though R' Shmuel does not elaborate. A profound Torah letter exploring love of companions (אהבת החברים) as the foundation of all holiness, from R' Akiva's teaching, the Ari's warnings, the Baal Shem Tov's teaching, and Rabbainu's final instructions: "Hold yourselves together" — and his promise that if the fellowship maintains unity, no level of holiness will be beyond their reach. Three points of connection: (1) the Tzadik himself — the source; (2) love of companions — who arouse each other toward the Tzadik; (3) one's own inner core — one's hisbodidus and service. These correspond to the tefillin of the hand, the strap and knot of the head, and the tefillin of the head respectively. Torah 84 and 93 in Likutay Moharan are cited at length. And Torah 22 — "one who prays for his companion while in need of the same thing" — attains humility and thereby is included in the ayin (nothingness) — the highest level.

Letter 84 (Jerusalem, Parashas Chayyei Sarah, 5726): Written to R' Meir Rokach. R' Shmuel's wife is ill — more than four months bedridden — and they are staying with their daughter and son-in-law (R' Elazar Rozenfeld). Great medical expenses. מינדיל בת הענדיל — Mendil daughter of Hendel — his wife's full Hebrew name, for the first time in the collection, given here for prayer purposes. A profound Torah letter on the month of Nissan as lev rishon (the first heart) — the initial divine arousal — followed by the Sefira as the period of human effort — and Shavuos as the ultimate goal. The metaphor of Parashas Bamidbar — Nissan as Pesach, the Sefira as the wilderness wandering, and Shavuos as the receiving of the Torah — "then one is called adam." The teaching: the essential of all a person's years and days is to count the Sefira — to do what one can — to hold on through ascents and descents — and never abandon one's place. And quoting Rabbainu: "The essential is how one holds on." The ultimate end is always Shavuos — but meanwhile: "seize and eat Torah, seize and drink prayer."

Letter 85 — The Final Letter (Jerusalem, Isru Chag Pesach, 5727 / April 1967): Written to R' Meir Rokach — the final letter preserved in the collection. R' Shmuel is grateful for a Pesach gift that "gave life to us." His wife is ill. His son R' Tzvi Siltzki has informed him. He learns from this week's parasha Bechukosai and from R' Shimon bar Yochai at Meron. The letter is a profound teaching on Pesach and the Sefira: Now that we have merited to receive Pesach — with the lights received in it — in the aspect of awakening from above — in each year there are made the rectifications of the month of Nissan, the redemption and salvation of Israel. The Sefira is now the awakening from below — the preparation for receiving the Torah at Shavuos. The metaphor: the first heart — the woman who conceives and gives birth to a male [אשה כי תזריע וילדה זכר — Leviticus 12:2; Parashas Tazria] — the initial arousal of Pesach is taken away — and what remains is only the impression — and one longs for Shavuos. The entire work of the Sefira is this: to endure what passes over one — from ascent to descent — seven times seven — forty-nine days of purification — without abandoning one's place. And in the end: the sanctity of Shavuos — where one merits the Kether (Crown) — the light of Pesach that could not be reached on Pesach night — comes through the fiftieth gate, through the morning immersion. May Hashem grant us all these sanctities. Amen.