Letter 13
10 Shevat, Tav-Reish-Peh-Hey, January 25, 1926, Warsaw
To my dear ... may his candle burn forever:
I received your words with a heart full of longing, for you hide yourself from me. Still, you could speak to me in writing.
What you wrote, letting me know the exile in Egypt, I wonder; it is common knowledge. “They cried, and their cry went up to God from the work.” Then “And God knew.” If there is no knowledge of the Creator in the exile, redemption is impossible. And knowing the exile is itself the reason for redemption, so how do you intend to let me know at the time of redemption?
Truth will show its way, that one who regrets makes his regret known. He cannot withhold himself or hide. Indeed, I feel all of you together, that today has been replaced for you with tomorrow, and instead of “now,” you say “later.” There is no cure for this but to exert to understand that mistake and distortion—that one who is saved by the Creator is saved only if he needs salvation today. One who can wait for tomorrow will obtain his salvation after his years, God forbid.
This happened to you due to negligence in my request to exert in love of friends, as I have explained to you in every possible way that this cure is enough to recompense for all your faults. And if you cannot rise to heaven, then I have given you moves on earth. So why have you not added anything in that work?
Besides the great remedy that lies within it, which I cannot interpret, you should know that there are many sparks of holiness in each one in the group. When you assemble all the sparks of holiness to one place, as brothers, with love and friendship, you will certainly have a very high level of holiness for a while, from the light of life, and I have already elaborated on that in all my letters to the friends.
I also asked that each one will show his letter to his friend, and so should you. Test me from this day forth to understand and to hear me, at least with what you can do, for then “The Lord will open to you His good treasure.”
Tell ... that he should think for himself. What would he lose by corresponding with me? Why is he hiding himself from me? I do ask of him to make an effort to see the merits of the friends and not their faults at all, and connect in true love, together, until “Love will cover all crimes.” Have him look in all the letters I send to the friends, so as to learn, “And let him eat no more the bread of idleness.”
Where are ... and ... ? I have not heard a word from them so far. Do tell them to nevertheless hold on to their friends’ gowns and read their letters as much as they need, and not to forget that the first question is, “Did you expect salvation?”
If they expect salvation, can it be that they will say, “Is this the work that the Creator wants from them?” And if I had to save the lives of one of them, of the friends, I would certainly toil and labor more than you, much less the life of the King, so to speak.
Therefore, give much dowry and gifts to the King of the world, and you will be rewarded with the King’s daughter, and the salvation of the Lord is as the blink of an eye.
Yehuda