This letter was addressed to R. Avraham Friedman of Jerusalem.

ב"ה,
11 Tammuz, 5711,
Brooklyn, N.Y.

Greetings and blessings,

I received your letters from Tuesday of Parshas Behaalos’cha and Monday of Parshas Chukas, and the pan1 for the child… and the woman…. When I visit the gravesite of my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe זצוקללה"ה, נבג"ם, זי"ע, I will recall them for a speedy recovery. I hope that you will share good news with me about this.

Surely, the child wears a tallis katan.2 If not, I would suggest that from today onward, he wear a tallis katan. The woman should habituate herself to give charity [at least] twice a week. The amount she gives is not important, but that her giving — without committing herself by vow — should become a fixed practice. It is desirable for her to choose that one of the two times should be on the day before Shabbos and the day before festivals when she lights candles.

In your letter, you write that you saw a Torah scroll written by R. Nissim Gaon3 and that you are traveling again to see an ancient Torah scroll written by R. Yitzchak Abuhav.4

My desire and my request is that you take a picture of the column containing the verse:5 “A petzua daka should not enter….” As is well known, there is a ruling regarding this matter from the Alter Rebbe. A Torah scroll which, according to tradition, was written by Ezra the Scribe, was seen and it conforms to the Alter Rebbe’s ruling. Thanking you in advance if you could send me the picture of this column in both of those Torah scrolls. See what is written in the notes to the responsa of the Tzemach Tzedek, the conclusion of Shaar HaMiluim, p. 50b.

With blessing,