This letter was sent to Rabbi Shneur Zalman Duchman, one of the active members of the chassidic brotherhood.

B”H, 2 Teves, Zos Chanukah, 5709

Greetings and blessings,

I acknowledge receipt of your fifth and sixth letters. You have no doubt already received Kuntreis Heichaltzu, [5659]. Last week, under separate cover, you were sent the maamar entitled Atem Nitzavim and the letter from 14 Iyar, 5708.1

...We are not in possession of the sichos of 19-20 Kislev, 5673, or any of the sichos of the Rebbe Rashab except those that are printed in Toras Shalom. We would be appreciative if you could also send such material.

I am awaiting the continuation of your memoirs. I will con­clude with what I wrote to someone else concerning the Torah reading of the present day,2 as explained in Likkutei Torah, the conclusion of Parshas Naso. The Torah3 mentions that “the dedication of the altar was on the day oil was poured over it” and also “after oil was poured over it.” [These two phases in the dedication come about because] the anointing oil was a mixture and an intermediary between the inward lights and the encom­passing lights.

It can be explained that within the Torah itself, [the blend­ing of inward and encompassing lights is expressed] in the teachings of Chassidus Chabad, as revealed after [the Alter Rebbe’s imprisonment in] Petersburg. For before [the impris­onment, Chassidus]would burn [the world].4 Note also the connection between Chanukah and Yud-Tes Kislev as explained in the sichos of Yud-Tes Kislev, 5664 (Toras Shalom, p. 42).5

With greetings to all those who seek our welfare,

Rabbi Menachem Schneerson