By the Grace of G‑d
10 Kislev, 5712 [1951]
Brooklyn

To my relative, [...],

Blessings and Greetings!114

I1 received your undated letter of a few lines, and, as you request, I will mention your name when I visit the holy resting place of my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe [Rayatz], of blessed memory.

I was surprised to read in your letter that “if, G‑d forbid, an unpleasant incident were to occur, and so on....” There is no need for lengthy explanations as to how vital is the attribute of placing one’s trust in G‑d. This is especially true today, when all of us, the surviving remnant,2 are living testimony to manifest miracles by the very fact that we are alive. But [this does need to be said]: This very thought — as to what will happen if, G‑d forbid, a misfortune occurs — is itself a misfortune.

In our days, when there is such broad scope for great work in every single field, and when one can clearly see that there is much work to be done and the time is short,3 it is a pity that mental energy and vigor are used and wasted on such thoughts, when they are so desperately needed for the labors of foundation and construction. In particular does this apply to all those who have been invested with capacities bequeathed to them by many generations of men of stature. For them, every moment during which they do not exploit those capacities for the above goal is a grievous sin. And if this is true of people of advanced years, how much more is it true of those [young] people who have only recently set up their Jewish homes. Clearly, they have no license to calculate “what will be if...,” and so on, when the Master is pressing. True, “you are not obligated to complete the work”; at the same time, “nor are you free to desist from it.”4

You no doubt participate in an appropriate manner in the work of kosher education in the Holy Land (May it be built up!), for this is a field whose situation is severe, extremely dangerous, and in vital need.

I conclude with regards to your husband, though I do not know him, and with blessings that you should actively fulfill [the verse83 which serves as] the motto of the Baal Shem Tov — “Serve G‑d with joy” — in accordance with the requirement of our faith, that every moment of life is a moment of Divine service.

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