Six letters by R. Yosef Yitzchak Schneerson, the Rebbe Rayatz of Lubavitch. Otwock and Brooklyn, 1938-1948. Hebrew and Yiddish.

The letters are typewritten on official stationery, without the Rebbe Rayatz's signature (three are signed in typewriting).

• Letter of the Rebbe Rayatz (2 leaves), signed in typewriting "Yosef Yitzchak". 13 Elul, 1937. Sent to Chabad students everywhere: preparation and practices for Elul and Tishrei; a teaching of the Alter Rebbe which he heard from the Maggid of Mezeritch in the name of the Baal Shem Tov; not to smoke on the two days of Rosh Hashanah, to sleep less and recite more Tehillim and prayer; blessings for the new year (printed in Igrot Kodesh of the Rayatz, IV, 943).

• Letter of a secretary of the Rebbe Rayatz, sending a copy of a discourse and expressing the Rebbe’s wish that the recipient study it. Otwock, 28 Iyar, 1938.

Addressee not indicated. Not printed in Igrot Kodesh of the Rayatz.

• Letter of the Rebbe Rayatz (2 leaves), signed in typewriting "Yosef Yitzchak". Brooklyn, New York, 1942. Yiddish. Sent to the Assembly for Shabbat, with encouragement and admonishment regarding observing Shabbat. [The Assembly took place under the auspices of the Mizrachi Party in the United States on 21-22 Shevat, 1942. Due to the affiliation of the Assembly, the Rayatz refused the invitation, but sent the present letter to be read to the audience. See at length: Levin, History of Chabad in the United States, pp. 347-348 (Hebrew). The letter is printed in Igrot Kodesh of the Rayatz, VI, 1705.

• Letter of the Rebbe Rayatz. Brooklyn, New York, Rosh Chodesh Sivan, 1942. Three handwritten words added to the letter (possibly in the handwriting of the Rebbe Rayatz). The letter was sent to R. Shlomo Yehudah Leib Eliezerov regarding Chabad institutions in Eretz Israel – Kollel Chabad, Torat Emet yeshiva, Agudas Chassidei Chabad and the International Tehillim Society. The end of the letter is missing [the letter is printed in Igrot Kodesh of the Rayatz, VI, 1799, where the end of the letter is supplied from a copy, which may also be incomplete].

• Letter of the Rebbe Rayatz. Brooklyn, New York, Erev Rosh HaShanah 1943. Sent to students of the Tzemach Tzedek Kollel in Jerusalem, headed by the mashpia R. Nisan Horowitz, wishing them a Shanah Tovah and inquiring about their studies, along with a gift of 100 pounds [the letter is printed in Igrot Kodesh of the Rayatz, VII, 2150, from a secretary's copy].

• Letter of the Rebbe Rayatz, signed in typewriting "Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn". Brooklyn, New York, May 1948. Sent to Chabad Chassidim and students everywhere, upon the breakout of the War of Independence, about a week after the declaration of independence and establishment of the State of Israel. The Rayatz offers lengthy guidance as to how to regard this event: "…We did not go into exile of our own accord, and we will not be rescued from exile by our own strength… Everyone must help their dear brothers and sisters protect their souls and their bodies… We must constantly remember that physical protection is impossible without spiritual protection… We must constantly remember that the means for receiving God's help is our religion, our Torah and its mitzvot…" [the letter is printed in Igrot Kodesh of the Rayatz, IX, 3231].

[6] letters. Varying size and condition. Overall good to fair condition. Tears and damage to some letters.