This letter was addressed to R. A. Tz. Braile.

B”H, 23 Teves, 5711,
Brooklyn

Greetings and blessings,

.. Certainly you have heard the adage of my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe, הכ"מ ,זצוקללה"ה, נבג"ם, זי"ע, who repeated several times in his holy talks:“A shochet is not a butcher, ‘a man with a knife in his hand.’”1 Instead, his mission is to influence [the people of] the city in which he is located [by] drawing them away from the concerns of the body and the animal soul and to draw them close to G‑d through the love of G‑d, the love of the Torah, and the love of one’s fellow Jew, as [intimated by] our Sages’ statement:2 “The term veshochat (‘And he slaughtered’) means solely u’mashach (‘And he drew after’).”

In a simple sense, slaughter makes it possible to partake of the flesh of an animal or a fowl, enabling it to be [assimilated into one’s body] and become human flesh and blood. [This is an elevated level, because] אדם, the term for man, derives from the phrase אדמה לעליון, “I resemble the One Above.”3 [This is particularly true with regard to the Jews, about whom it is said:]4 “Cherished is Israel who are called ‘children of G‑d’.... It was an even greater endearment that it was made known to them that they are called ‘children of G‑d.’” Fortunate is the person who can bring about closeness between a father and his children. This is particularly true when speaking about such cherished children and such a cherished Father. This merit is so great that it will bring you all types of good in everything that you need both materially and spiritually.

With blessing,

Menachem Schneerson

Enclosed is a publication for the 24th of Teves [Printed in Likkutei Dibburim, Vol. 4, p. 583a ff.] and a letter relevant to it. [Letter No. 869.]