The Rebbe's input in publishing the Previous Rebbe's sichos

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Sending Kehot texts without prior solicitation

No. 115

This letter is addressed to R. Avraham Feigelstock, an active community leader in Montevideo, Uruguay.

B"H, 10 Kislev, 5704

Greetings and blessings,

We are happy to hear that you are active in strengthening [identification with] the Torah and with Yiddishkeit in your new surroundings. Certainly you have heard - to a greater or lesser degree - about the work of Machne Isroel and Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch in general, and in particular about the books and reading materials circulated by our publishing house, Kehot.

We sent you samples of several of our different pamphlets before Pesach of last year, and, to our surprise, we have not received notice of their receipt from you.

We are including a catalogue of our publications so that you can choose what you need. When you notify us of the quantities that you desire, we will - with G-d's help - send them to you.

Institutions involved in Jewish education which desire to spread our literature can receive a discount of 10% and free postage to their country (which can be a large sum) or a discount of 25% in which instance they are responsible for the postage.

To conclude with [a discussion of] the mitzvah of this month, the Chanukah lamps. There are three mitzvos which involve [kindling] lights: the lamps of the Beis HaMikdash, the Shabbos lamps, and the Chanukah lamps. Among the differences between them: The lamps of the Beis HaMikdash would shine light in the Sanctuary of the Beis HaMikdash. Once the Beis HaMikdash was destroyed, however, they were nullified. The mitzvah of the Shabbos lamps applies also in the present era. Its purpose, however, is to illumine the house of a Jew. The mitzvah of the Chanukah lamps is more encompassing. Not only does it apply at all times (see the commentary of the Ramban to the beginning of Parshas Behaalos'cha), but it is also intended to spread light outward, into the public domain. (The implications are obvious.)

And we are required to publicize the [Chanukah] miracle, [making known that] ultimately the Holy One, blessed be He, will "deliver the impure into the hands of the pure and the wicked into the hands of those occupied with Your Torah."[1]

The ruling has been issued that even a person who lives on an upper storey [must kindle Chanukah lights]. (The allusion we can derive from this with regard to our Divine service [can be explained as follows]: [Dwelling in an upper storey can be interpreted as a reference] to people whose Divine service is on a lofty rung. As Sukkah 45b states: "I have seen the men of ascendancy and they are few.") Even though such a person does not have an entrance to the public domain (i.e., he has no connection to business or other worldly matters), he is still obligated to shine light outward by placing a Chanukah lamp in his window, at least.

[I conclude with] the hope of remaining in constant connection with you and with the blessing, "Immediately to teshuvah, immediately to Redemption,"

Rabbi Menachem Schneerson

Chairman of the Executive Committee

   

Notes:

1. (Back to text) The text of the VeAl HaNissim prayer.

The Rebbe's input in publishing the Previous Rebbe's sichos

Table of contents

Search this book:

Sending Kehot texts without prior solicitation