אחרי דרישת שלומם כמשפט לאוהבי שמו Having first duly inquired after the welfare of those who love [G‑d’s] Name, This pastoral letter was written by the Alter Rebbe to rouse those of his followers who had pledged an annual contribution to Kollel Chabad. This fund supported their fellow chassidim who had settled in the Land […]

The reason given until this point for dividing one’s annual pledges into weekly or at least monthly payments, was the quality of alacrity in performing a mitzvah. The Alter Rebbe now adds two further reasons for not deferring frequent payments to one consolidated contribution at the end of the year: (a) every single act of […]

Part (a) In the present letter the Alter Rebbe bemoans the fact that his chassidim trouble him by seeking advice on physical matters, such as their livelihood s. Such advice, he argues, is within the province of prophets, not of Torah scholars. In conclusion he explains how one should accept physical suffering in such a […]

וכמו אב רחמן חכם וצדיק, המכה את בנו, שאין לבן חכם להפוך עורף לנוס למצוא לו עזרה, או אפילו מליץ יושר לפני אביו הרחמן והצדיק וחסיד This is analogous to a compassionate, wise and righteous father who hits his son. Surely a wise son should not turn his back to escape and find himself help, […]

וכמים הפנים אל פנים Then,28 “as in water face reflects face,” The verse goes on to say, “…so is the heart of man to man.” And the same is true of the heart of mortal man to Supernal Man: תתעורר האהבה בלב כל משכיל ומבין יקר מהות אהבת ה׳ אל התחתונים there will be an […]

Part (b) The following letter was placed here by the compilers of Iggeret HaKodesh — “after the first editions (see list) had been published,” as the Rebbe points out — as an addendum to Epistle XXII, Part (a). The connection, however, is not immedi-ately apparent. Perhaps it lies in the opening passage of Part (a), […]

ועוד זאת אדרוש ממעלתכם Furthermore, I earnestly ask of my esteemed listeners On the above matters between man and G‑d, the Alter Rebbe referred to himself as merely “repeating reminders.” Here, however, as he begins to speak of the relationship between man and man, he uses stronger terms. שלא להשליך דברי אחריכם, אשר ערכתי שיח […]

In the letter that follows, the Alter Rebbe urges chassidim to devote the daily interval between Minchah and Maariv to the group study of Ein Yaakov, and to the laws in the Shulchan Aruch that have frequent and practical application. He introduces this appeal by explaining how sublime is the Divine Presence that dwells within […]

אבל ההשראה Indwelling, however, i.e., that degree of indwelling of which it is written that “the Shechinah dwells among them,” היא הארה עצומה מאור ה׳, המאיר בה בלי גבול ותכלית is an intense radiation from the light of G‑d, that radiates in it — within the soul itself, and not within its inherently limited faculties […]

על כן, אהובי אחיי ורעיי, אל נא תרעו הרעה הגדולה הזאת Therefore, my beloved ones, my brethren and friends: do not commit this great evil — of turning a gathering of worshipers before or after prayers into a “company of scoffers,” ותנו כבוד לה׳ אלקיכם בטרם יחשך, דהיינו בין מנחה למעריב כל ימות החול and58 […]