Igrot Kodesh · Letter 7940 — Health

By the grace of Hashem,

Two Shevat* (note 1: The Rebbe notes at the bottom of the page: "The Megillas Taanis* says, in chapter 11: 'The second of Shevat* is a festival day'") 5713,

Brooklyn, New York,

To all those who gather and take part in

the thirteenth annual celebration, in the United States, of the

center of the Yeshivos* Tomchei Temimim* Lubavitch*,

may Hashem grant you long life,

I greet you and bless you,

I warmly greet all those who have gathered and who take part in this annual celebration of the center of the Yeshivos* Tomchei Temimim* Lubavitch*. I address each of them with the words of the blessing that has been sanctified by Jewish custom (note 2: The Rebbe notes at the bottom of the page: "See tractate Pesachim* 119a and the commentary of the Maharsha*, the commentary of Rabbi Avraham Ibn Ezra and of the Metzudas Dovid* on the verse Tehillim* 118:26, as well as the Midrash* Tehillim* on this verse"), an integral part of the Torah*: "Welcome (note 3: The Rebbe notes at the bottom of the page: "The word Baruch*, welcome, is constituted of the initial letters of a phrase meaning: 'head and source of all blessings,' according to the Tikkunei Zohar*, Tikkun no. 70, page 120b"), in the Name of Hashem."

The Jews of America must praise and glorify Hashem, Who granted them the merit of the arrival of my father-in-law, the Rebbe, whose merit protects us, thirteen years ago. He immediately planted "the vineyard of Hashem of hosts," the Yeshivos* Tomchei Temimim* Lubavitch*, also on the American continent. Nowadays, one can draw up a balance sheet of these thirteen years of action, with profound self-sacrifice, of the Yeshivos* Tomchei Temimim* in this country. Those who observe them and measure them at their exact and true value, according to their own content, will immediately note the immense divine blessing of the Yeshivos* Tomchei Temimim* Lubavitch*, numbering several hundred students, who fear Hashem, are upright, zealous, and devoted to Hashem and to His holy Torah*. They have introduced into American Jewish life the model of self-sacrifice, characteristic of people who have received such an education and who thus exercise a profound influence on Jewish life, public and also private. This established fact is recognized by all.

We can all observe how there is being realized before our eyes, each day more clearly, the immense divine accomplishment that my father-in-law, the Rebbe, whose merit protects us, set as his objective upon his arrival in America and that he proclaimed on many occasions: "To make America a place of Torah* and fear of Hashem." The Yeshivos* Tomchei Temimim* Lubavitch* have a considerable and important share in the accomplishment and realization of this objective.

Consequently, when the center of the Yeshivos* Tomchei Temimim* Lubavitch* is experiencing a particularly heavy financial crisis, which endangers the continuity of the existing institutions and, obviously, prevents the development and expansion of the number of Yeshivos*, so much needed, American Jews, in particular those who have gathered, must be aware that they have a sacred duty to make the greatest efforts, in order to bring maximum aid to the Yeshivos* Tomchei Temimim* Lubavitch*. In this way, their significant deficit will be filled and these institutions will receive the means to continue their action of disseminating the Torah* with fear of Hashem. Then, America will be a place of Torah* with fear of Hashem.

I hope that all those who have gathered, that each of them will strengthen himself, at this gathering, in order to bring the largest contribution and to see to it that the necessary amount is collected immediately, in accordance with the expectations of the administration of the center of the Yeshivos* Tomchei Temimim* Lubavitch*. The merit of Tzedakah*, in general, of that which is linked to good education, in particular, to the strengthening of Judaism, of the Torah*, and of the fear of Hashem, will arouse and bring to the participants, together with the members of their families, the blessing and success in all their needs — children, health, and material prosperity, in abundance. With my respects and my blessing,

Menachem Schneerson,