By the Grace of G‑d
12 Menachem Av, 5714 [1954]
Brooklyn

Greetings and Blessings!

In1 response to your letter dated Wednesday of the week of Parshas Matos, in which you write that the state of your livelihood is not as it ought to be and that you have many debts, etc. etc.:

The end of your letter, about your lack of joy, contradicts the beginning of your letter that describes what you have been through. To use your words: by means of miracles, literally, you remained among the surviving refugees and built a family, and so on.

Make yourself a calculation.2 If G‑d was able to save you from the events of past years and enabled you to succeed in building a Jewish home based on the foundations of the Torah and the mitzvos, how much more certainly can He, Who “provides nourishment and sustenance for all,”168 see to your livelihood and that of your family. This depends only on bitachon and on the mitzvah of tzedakah, for vis-à-vis Heaven, perfect trust — that G‑d will provide for your needs and the needs of your household — is effective. This is particularly so when this trust is accompanied by contributing to tzedakah. For concerning tzedakah it is written, “Put Me to the test, please, in this,”3 in fulfillment of the teaching, “Tithe in order that you grow rich.”4

May G‑d enable you to give good tidings concerning all the above [...].

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