Rabbi Kotlarsky’s Farewell Letter to the Shluchim

Before his passing, Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky wrote a personal letter to all shluchim, in which he shares his thoughts, gratitude and wishes. Anash.org brings you the full letter translated into English.

By Anash.org staff

Before his passing, Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky wrote a personal letter to all shluchim, in which he shares his thoughts, gratitude and wishes. Anash.org brings you the full letter translated into English.

The translation was done by Anash.org staff and is a free translation. The Hebrew original is included below.

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My dear brothers and fellow shluchim,

Since a person’s years are limited and no one knows their time, I want to write you, my dear brothers, a farewell letter. If you are reading this, it means my time has come, and I have passed on.

First, I want to thank Hashem and the brachos of our Rebbe, for the great zchus bestowed upon me to work and dedicate myself to the shluchim under the Rebbe’s holy guidance. Together with you, I strived to fulfill the Rebbe’s wishes to elevate and uplift the entire world through our connection to the Tree of Life, spreading “Ufaratzta” in all directions, creating a dwelling place for Hashem in this world, and preparing ourselves and the world for the arrival of Moshiach, may it happen speedily in our days.

I tried my best to fulfill my duties with a full heart and sensitivity to each and every one. However, it is possible that over the years I may have caused pain or distress to any of you, and I want to sincerely ask for your forgiveness and pardon, as the Ramban instructs in his Seder Vidui, to ask forgiveness from those we have wronged.

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Throughout the years, I received various instructions and responses from the Rebbe regarding my holy work, and I endeavored to act accordingly and fulfill his will in all matters related to my shlichus. These instructions always guided me in fulfilling my mission and to bring nachas to the Rebbe.

Over the years, I refrained from publicly responding to accusations and grievances against me and did not use any means to defend myself. Instead, I chose to be among those described by Chazal as those who are insulted but do not insult back, hear their shame and do not respond, act out of love and rejoice in suffering. For such people, the verse says, “But they that love Him shall be as the sun when it goes
forth in its might.” And as Chazal say, the world exists only because of those who restrain themselves during a quarrel.

However, to clarify, my silence and lack of response to grievances should not be interpreted as agreeing with them. Know that there is no truth to their claims, and I acted this way for the sake of peace and tranquility in our midst. May Hashem remove sin from the earth, and may you all know no distress or sorrow.

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My beloved friends and brethren, we live in a unique time in Jewish history. We, the seventh generation, have had the privilege of hearing from our Rebbe about our exalted role in preparing ourselves and the world for the geula. Though we might feel unworthy, we are nevertheless commanded by our Rebbe to complete the work of drawing down the Shechinah into this world.

I ask my dear friends and partners to continue all the activities we established, supporting shluchim everywhere, strengthening the work of shlichus, and bringing Moshiach. Do this with love and unity, to bring nachas to our Rebbe and try to frequently share good news with the Rebbe.

In recent times, we have invested heavily in the Moshiach Campaign and other mivtzoim to raise global awareness of our unique times as we stand at the threshold of the geula. Along with other good activities and campaigns among the shluchim and their communities, as we have been commanded that “the matter depends solely on us – the seventh generation,” we will continue this, with Hashem’s help, until we merit the ultimate redemption speedily.

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I express my heartfelt blessing to each and every one of you and your families, that you succeed in fulfilling your shlichus with abundance, good health, joy, and much Chassidishe nachas from all your families, with peace of mind and heart, and revealed good and brachos.

It is my strong hope that we can continue the Keren Hasmachos I had the merit to establish, at least for the first year, to support shluchim families worldwide, so I can participate in your simchos, with Hashem’s help.

If possible, I ask that you say Tehillim and learn Mishnayos in my memory. I thank you greatly for this and appreciate it deeply.

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I ask my brothers and friends, the shluchim, to support my dear son, Rabbi Mendy, who has stood by my side and helped me greatly for 18 years, successfully advancing the mosdos and strengthening the connections with supporters and donors. I have asked him to continue (in addition to managing the growing shlichus institutions) in the roles I received from the Rebbe and managing the activities and institutions under Merkos, alongside my dear brother, Rabbi Mendel.

I also ask that you support the central institutions for shluchim worldwide, the Merkos administration, and all its branches and departments. Strengthen their holy work and cooperate together for the fulfillment of the Rebbe’s will.

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I am deeply humbled and need to thank Hashem and acknowledge all the brachos from the Rebbe that I merited to be a pipeline for tremendous amounts of money to help Shluchim in their personal lives and for their mosdos, and for being able to establish and open hundreds of mosdos all over the world.

From the depths of my heart, I am grateful to those who stood by my side throughout my life, for their friendship and heartfelt assistance. Special thanks to my dear friends and pillars of Chabad institutions, who generously partnered with us and have a place in the expansion and establishment of Chabad-Lubavitch institutions and shluchim worldwide.

Thanks also to all the dear donors who supported us over the years, many of whom I cannot list here. My gratitude and appreciation for you remain forever in my heart, and may the merit of your support bring you visible blessings.

To the shluchim who brought donors from their communities for the benefit of the public, as Chazal say, “One who enables the act is greater than the one who performs it.” My heartfelt thanks for your great help in the past, and my request to you, dear shluchim, is to continue working together for the central institutions so we can fulfill our mission as per the Rebbe’s will.

I especially want to thank and share my heartfelt appreciation to my colleagues and partners at Merkoz: the Merkos Vaad, the Vaad of the Kinus Hashluchim, the central institutions committee under Merkos, JLI, Suite 302, Chabad on Campus, as well as the executive staff of all the central institutions here in New York. I was privileged to work with you in loyal friendship and brotherhood to spread Torah and mitzvos and spread the wellsprings of Chassidus outward.

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In conclusion, know, my dear friends, that we were granted a wonderful privilege in Hashem’s infinite kindness to be connected to the Tree of Life, the Rebbe. All my days, I strived to help the Rebbe’s shluchim and to bring nachas to the Rebbe.

It’s hard to say that at all times and in every instance, I acted purely l’shem Shamayim, but I tried. I did not take money from the funds I raised, “I did not take a donkey from any one of them,” and whatever I raised for a shliach, I delivered in full to the shliach’s account. If over the years, I mistakenly took from a shliach or anyone else, please contact my office for reimbursement.

If I merit to reach the Rebbe’s holy presence, I will try with all my strength to be a good advocate for each and every one of you, and I strongly hope you live in peace and harmony among yourselves, with good health and joy, and witness the true and complete redemption when the Rebbe will return in a physical body with all the Yidden, and we will meet again.

Signed with tears,
Your faithful friend, yearning for the geula amitis v’hashleima, to be together with the Rebbe, amen, so may it be His will.

Hatomim Moshe Yehuda son of R’ Tzvi Yosef Kotlarsky