By the Grace of G‑d
27 Teves, 5720 [1960]
Brooklyn

Greetings and Blessings!

This1 is in reply to your letter of 22 Teves, in which you write that you are bothered by a stammer and that you have consulted a doctor but this did not help.

This is a little surprising, for specialists in this field have a variety of techniques for treatment, and they will no doubt also find one that will be suitable for you.

Let me add an essential point. This matter generally depends, at least to a great extent, on one’s self-confidence and on the state of one’s nerves. The classic counsel in any case, even when treatments are undertaken, is therefore to fortify oneself in the attribute of bitachon. This is the foundation of our faith — trust in G‑d, Who is the Creator of the world and directs it, and Who focuses His supervision upon every single individual.162 Moreover, He is the very essence of good. From this it follows, in the words of the “sweet singer of Israel,” I.e., King David (II Shmuel 23:1). that “G‑d is with me; I shall not fear.” Tehillim 118:6. This rules out bashfulness in the presence of others, and [lends] a strong hope that G‑d will guide the person in question along a good path before Him. And as it becomes increasingly engraved in one’s understanding that one is standing before the King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He, there will be a corresponding decrease in one’s anxiety about what others will say about the manner of one’s speech. Your speech will then show an automatic improvement, particularly when accompanied by treatment.

Another point: When you come to a word and doubt whether you will be able to articulate it properly, don’t battle with yourself in an endeavor to say that word specifically: replace it by some other expression.

And since for everything one needs help from Above,2 it goes without saying that you should increase your diligence and assiduity in Torah study and your conscientiousness in the fulfillment of its mitzvos — and “nothing stands in the way of the will.”3

With blessings for good news in all the above,

[Signed by a secretary on behalf of the Rebbe]4