הִסְתַּלְּקוּת אַדְמוּ"ר מַהֲרַ"שׁ — תּרמ"ג — וּמְנוּחָתוֹ כָּבוֹד בְּליוּבַּאוִויטְשׁ.

תְּחִלַּת אִגֶּרֶת סִימָּן כב וְסוֹפָהּ — לֹא בָּא בִּדְפוּס בְּאִגֶּרֶת הַקּוֹדֶשׁ. (נִדְפַּס בְּקוֹבֶץ הַתָּמִים חוֹבֶרֶת שְׁנִיָּה).

[This date is] the anniversary of the passing1 of the Rebbe Maharash in 5643 (1882). His resting place is in Lubavitch.

The beginning and end of Epistle 22 were not published in Iggeres HaKodesh [in the Tanya]. (They were, however, printed in the journal entitled HaTamim, Issue 2.)

A Faithful Shepherd

In Epistle 22 in Tanya — Iggeres HaKodesh, the Alter Rebbe reproves his followers for preoccupying him with their material concerns.2 The beginning and end of the letter even set restrictions on their visits, so that he would not be continually overburdened with their questions about mundane issues.

Reading this letter makes one marvel at the openness and accessibility of the Rebbe, who was available to countless people during yechidus, while distributing dollars, and by responding to the phenomenal avalanche of letters and faxes that were sent to him. Throughout the annals of Jewish spiritual leadership, rarely can one find a sage who was in contact with so many people.

Moreover, people would consult the Rebbe not only about the spiritual content and direction of their lives. They also turned to him concerning practical, mundane matters, such as business dealings and health questions. Out of his great love for every member of our people, there was no issue for which the Rebbe would not exert himself, even though throughout the long era that preceded the marvels of split-second communications technology, tens of thousands of his responses had to be handwritten or typewritten, and mailed.