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 […]

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 […]

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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 […]

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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, […]

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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 […]

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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), […]