אך בזאת יאות לנו

Rather, this [approach] shall be befitting us —

להיות כל עסקינו במילי דעלמא לא לגרמייהו

that19 all our involvement with mundane affairs should be [conducted] not for its own sake,

כי אם להחיות נפשות, חלקי אלוה

but in order to animate souls, (i.e., to provide sustenance for fellow Jews, whose souls are veritably, so to speak,) portions of G‑d,

ולמלאות מחסוריהם בחסד חנם

and to supply what they lack, out of gratuitous kindness.

שבזה אנו מדמין הצורה ליוצרה, ה׳ אחד

In this way we make the form (the soul) resemble Him Who formed it, viz., “G‑d [Who] is One”;

אשר חסד אל כל היום, חסד של אמת

for20 “the Chesed of G‑d endures throughout the day,” i.e., at all times — a21 true Chesed, without thought of reward,

להחיות העולם ומלואו בכל רגע ורגע

that animates the universe and all that fills it, at every single moment.

In imitation of G‑d, Who thus dispenses kindness and ani-mates all created beings, man too should act kindly toward others and sustain those in need. Indeed, this should be his ultimate purpose when engaging in his work or in commerce: to be able to provide sustenance for the souls of his fellow Jews.

According to the above, however, one should provide for the needs of others to the very same degree that he provides for his own family. Why, then, should the needs of one’s own family take precedence over the needs of others? The Alter Rebbe answers this by saying:

רק שאשתו ובניו של אדם קודמין לכל, על פי התורה

It is only that according to the Torah22 a man’s wife and children take precedence over all others,

The Alter Rebbe wrote this Epistle in connection with the tzaddikim, R. Mendele Vitebsker and R. Avraham Kalisker, as well as their colleagues and disciples, who at the time of writing had already left the diaspora and were living in the Holy Land. The Alter Rebbe therefore goes on to say:

חוץ מצדיקים שבדור, שהן קודמין לבניו

except23 for the tzaddikim of the generation, who take precedence over one’s children;

וצדיקים שבארץ ישראל קודמין לצדיקים שבחוץ לארץ

moreover, the tzaddikim in the Land of Israel take precedence over the tzaddikim in the diaspora,

לבד מזאת שלא הניחו כמותם בחוץ לארץ

apart from the fact that they did not leave anyone in the diaspora comparable to themselves.

ודי למבין

This will suffice for the discerning.