Igrot Kodesh · Letter 5349 — Faith & Bitachon

B"H*

7 Nissan* 5717
Brooklyn

Greetings and blessings,

I am responding to your letter.

I am surprised by its contents. You yourself observe that I asked you to write to me and to let me know that the situation was improving. But this is not what you did. You waited. Then, the improvement ceased and only then did you write to inform me.

As you know, our holy books explain that when one witnesses the miracles of Hashem*, one must recognize them fully and praise Him in the proper manner. This praise must take the form of an increased commitment to the Torah and the mitzvos*. When one is aware of the goodness of Hashem, one does not obstruct His blessings. And moreover, He increases them.

Conversely, if one receives these blessings as if they were self-evident — even if, in other respects, one truly deserves them, and all the more so if one considers them a personal acquisition, the fruit of one's own intelligence, for example — no benefit for the Torah and the mitzvos will result from this. Sometimes, even the opposite occurs. One is sure of oneself, and one should therefore not be surprised that the improvement has been interrupted.

I asked you to notify me of this improvement. Naturally, this was intended to give you the occasion to reflect upon the goodness and compassion of Hashem toward you, in order to strengthen this good.

May Hashem grant that at least from now on, you put into practice what has just been said, all the more so since we are preparing for the festival of Pesach*, the time of our liberation.

You say nothing, in your letter, about the search for a good match for your son. I deduce from this, in accordance with our discussion, that you are attending to it in the proper manner. May Hashem grant that you know success.

With my blessing for a kosher and joyous festival of Pesach,

For the Rebbe Shlita*,
the secretary