Igrot Kodesh · Letter 1916 — Faith & Bitachon

By the grace of Hashem,

25 Marcheshvan 5713,

Brooklyn,

Greetings and blessings,

A) I was happy to learn, from the great Rav, distinguished chassid* who fears Hashem, Rav C. Z. Hecht[1], of the rescue of your daughter. I hope that, from now on, you will conceive from her, in all tranquility, a Jewish satisfaction, the true satisfaction that a Jew can have from his children.

It has always been so, but how much more is it the case in this troubled period, with multiple vicissitudes. In such a case, one can only answer for one's children by binding them to the Creator of the world, Who is its Master and directs all that takes place in it.

How does one attach oneself to Hashem? By filling one's life with Torah and mitzvos*. May Hashem grant that it be so for you, in joy and in largesse.

B) I was satisfied that you recognized the intervention of divine Providence in what happened to your daughter. You must draw from it an increased awareness of the fact that Hashem protects you, as well as all the members of your family.

When one understands, a first time, the lesson that Hashem delivers in an allusive manner, one can subsequently keep it for a long time and even indefinitely, so that it becomes unnecessary to recall it in the same manner[2], since one has kept the memory of it.

C) From all that a Jew sees, he can also draw a teaching for his personal existence. My father-in-law, the Rebbe, explained it many times, citing the holy Baal Shem Tov.

Moreover, your professional activity also permits drawing this same teaching.

D) The great Rav Hecht writes me that you do business in automobiles.

A car is a vehicle, conceived to move from one place to another. In order for it to roll, one must give it a starting impulse, which will condition the manner in which it functions afterward. By contrast, it is not good that this impulse be given to it too often, or even at each movement of the vehicle.

Now, it is the same for a man, in particular for a Jew. His finality is to serve Hashem. He must do so with all the forces that the Holy One blessed be He has breathed into his divine soul and into his animal soul.

At first, or even from time to time, this man must therefore receive an impulse which sets in motion a new process. By contrast, it is not good to do so too often. For this, one must hold to the first impulse, to the first allusion that one has received, and serve Hashem with all the forces that He grants.

E) Each morning, you doubtless read Tehillim*, after the prayer. It would be good for you to also give a few coins to tzedakah*, on Mondays and Thursdays. May Hashem grant you success.

With my blessing,

[1] See the two preceding letters.
[2] By an unfortunate event.