The name of the recipient of this letter was not released.

B”H, 28 MarCheshvan, 5711
Brooklyn

Greetings and blessings,

Enclosed is a copy of my letters to Mr. David Bubis. It would be proper to find an opportunity to speak to him about his visit here and to strengthen his [resolve] to actually do everything that we had spoken about here and, in general, to motivate him to influence his surroundings. I hope to hear good news regarding your success in this [endeavor].

Pursuant to the two letters1 that I wrote you before the holidays: Because of the preoccupations of the month of Tishrei, an inclusive month, I was not able to continue [writing] about the matter. Even though no reply was made to my two letters, I will continue my remarks (regarding [attending] college).

[Regarding what was said:] You could answer: “It appears to me (contrary to Rambam’s ruling at the conclusion of ch. 2 in Hilchos Gerushin)2 that I desire to attend and study at a college. Nevertheless, there is someone who says that this is not appropriate for my standing and status as a whole. It is, [after all,] not appropriate for one [who fits] the image of a tomim3 and the image of a student of the Rebbe. For the Rebbe is accompanying him on all of his paths. If so, when going to college, he is forced to accompany me there, as our Sages ruled (Makkos 10a): ‘When a student is exiled, his teacher is exiled with him.’”

[You might then think:] “Why must I be involved in all this? Let me stop temporarily [fitting] the image of a chassid of the Rebbe, and then there will no longer be any demands on me.”

This is no longer possible. [To cite a parallel:] As is well known even in the realm of revealed Torah Law (Nigleh), once a person converts [to Judaism], he can never undo the conversion, Heaven forbid. Even if he sins afterwards, he is still a Jew because he converted once. Similar concepts apply with regard to [phases in the establishment of one’s identity] in the realm of holiness itself. When a person became a chassid once, and when he became bonded to a Rebbe — and as a result, “as water reflects a face,”4 the Rebbe became bonded with him — it is no longer within his capacity to cease the connection. For that is also dependent on the Rebbe, and because of [the Rebbe’s] abundant goodness and kindness, he is bound to him with shackles. [To cite a similar concept, Tanya,] Iggeres HaTeshuvah, ch. 7, describes [G‑d] as “‘a King bound with tresses,’5 [i.e.,] tresses of the mind.” Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, is called “a humiliated King.” Parallels to all these concepts exist with regard to tzaddikim, and, in particular, to the Nesi’im of the generation, and most particularly, to the Nesi’im of the teachings of the Torah’s hidden [mystic secrets], as indicated by the well-known statement of the Zohar (Vol. II, p. 38a): “What is meant by the phrase6 ‘the face of the Master, G‑d,’? This refers to Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai.”

The explanation given there by the gloss Nitzutzei Oros, in the name of Rav Yaakov Emden, is that this concept can be derived from [the Talmud’s interpretation7 of the addition of the word את in the charge8 to “fear G‑d your L‑rd”]: “את includes Torah Sages.” In Chassidus (the maamarim entitled S’eu Marom, 5688; Lo Avo, 5699, et al.), the opposite explanation is given, that [the concept is] derived from the name Havayah. The commentaries to the Zohar have already cited several similar statements: e.g., Bava Basra 75b;9 the Talmud Yerushalmi, Bikkurim 3:3;10 Midrash Shmuel, ch. 7; Zohar, Vol. II, pp. 124b, 163b, Vol. III, p. 79b; Rabbeinu Bachaye, commentary to Shmos 33:7. Consult those sources.

I do not want to elaborate on this because I am certain that “A staff that is thrown into the air will land on its base,”11 and there will be a revelation of your root and source, i.e., the connection to my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe, הכ"מ, through proceeding “in the straight course that he has shown us, following his paths,”12 and you will give me good news regarding the above. It is self-understood that the earlier this is done, the more praiseworthy. For as is well known, [as explained with regard to the verse]13 “days were created,” every person was given a number of days to refine his portion of the world. If so, it is regretful that a day, an hour, or a moment [passes] without being filled in a manner appropriate to the mission of one’s soul in this world.

With the hope of receiving good news and with greetings to your household,14

Menachem Schneerson