This letter was sent to R. Shlomo Zalman Hecht, the Rebbe’s shliach in Chicago.

ב"ה,
25 Iyar, 5711,
Brooklyn, N.Y.

Greetings and blessings,

I duly received the pan1 concerning Mr. ….2 Certainly, he took his tefillin with him and you gave him the message from my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe זצוקללה"ה, נבג"ם, זי"ע.3 He should be warned twice and three times to put on tefillin every day, except of course Shabbos and festivals. If it is impossible for him to put them on in the morning, he should put them on over the course of the day before sunset. In all instances, he should put them on, even for a brief moment, even if he must remove them immediately.

You should explain to him that this mitzvah is specifically associated with long life, as our Sages say:4 “All who put on tefillin live long.” Thus this is not only a religious matter, it serves as protection from danger. He should be careful about [the observance of this mitzvah] regardless of his standing vis-à-vis his observance of the Torah and its mitzvos while at home. You will certainly find the appropriate words for him. If you find it necessary, translate what is written here into English for him….

Awaiting good news,