Sefer HaToldos Admur Maharash: In Lieu Of Introduction: A Letter By The Rebbe

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B"H, 27 Tammuz 5707

To the veteran G-d-fearing and wise intellectual chassid, etc., Moreinu HaRav Shmuel[1] She'yichye Shu"v

Shalom and blessing!

I am happy to inform you that we have already received from the bookbinder Sefer Toldos Admur Maharash - the sefer for which you took upon yourself to underwrite the cost of printing.

"Additional merit is bestowed upon the meritorious," in that the sefer was delivered to us on the day of 12 Tammuz, the festival of liberation of my father-in-law the Rebbe Shlita, on the twentieth anniversary of his liberation. I presented it to my father-in-law the Rebbe on the same day.

On p. 71 of this sefer the Alter Rebbe's statement is quoted, that Shmuel means Shemo E-l [his name is G-d] (see Shaloh, beginning of Parshas Toldos; glosses of Chida on Zohar, Vol. 2, p. 148b, printed with minor differences in the Vilna Zohar).

Perhaps we could explain this in light of what the namesake himself - the Rebbe Maharash Nshmoso Eden - wrote (in the hemshech VeKachah 5637, sec. 10) that the saying of the Sages, "the Holy One called Yaakov E-l" means that He gave him a taste of the World to Come, where in the future He will give [each tzaddik] 310 worlds as an inheritance. [Yaakov received] a tenth part of this in the name E-l.[2] (We might say that this is the reason why the Rebbe Maharash was also wealthy in material possessions. Although when tzaddikim seek to dwell in peace in this world, the Satan usually objects, saying that the World to Come is prepared for them (Bereishis Rabbah, beginning of Ch. 84). This is also the simple meaning of "He gave them a taste of the World to Come," end of first Ch. of Bava Basra.)

There is certainly no need to explain to you and people like you how great the merit is of publishing this sefer. I will merely emphasize the fact that - by hashgachah pratis - it was finished on the day of liberation and on the birthday (when "his star reigns"; Yerushalmi, Rosh HaShanah 3:8) of my father-in-law the Rebbe Shlita.

May it be G-d's will that the blessings which my father-in-law the Rebbe bestowed upon you (whether in person when you were here, or in writing) shall be fulfilled.

I close with a wish for all good things, always.

HaRav Menachem Schneerson

I herewith enclose a copy and - under separate cover - another five. Please let me know how many more should be sent, and to what address.

Notes:

(Back to text) Reb Shmuel Karakovsky. In the original edition the following appeared on the reverse of the Title page:
This sefer was printed by Reb Shmuel She'yichye Shu"v Karakovsky for the benefit of the soul of his father Nachum Meir ben Yosef Kaufman Alav Hasholom (passed away 6 Tishrei 5701).

(Back to text) [The numeric value of E-l is 31.]