By the Grace of G-d 18th of Adar, 5723 Brooklyn, N.Y.

Greeting and Blessing:

I send greetings and prayerful wishes to all participants in this combined annual event, coupled with the sincere hope that it will fulfill its expectations, financially and spiritually.

We are now reading a series of Sidras in the Torah relating to the construction of the Sanctuary. In this connection the initial general directive was given: "To accept contributions from every man, out of the generosity of his heart."¹ Every Jew had to have a share in the Sanctuary, yet contributions were accepted only from those who gave with a generous heart. At first glance there seems to be a contradiction here. Actually, however, there is no contradiction, for all Jews give generously to a holy cause; it is only necessary to find the proper approach to each and every Jew. Then the response is certain to be according to the means: One who can give "gold", gives gold; one who can give "silver," gives silver; one who can only give "copper," gives copper. And when a Jew gives out of the fullness of his heart, he surely wishes he could give even more, and G-d accepts also this generosity of the heart in lieu of Tzedoko, and sends His blessing of "Asser bishvil shetis’asher"² (riches as reward for Tzedoko) in order to make this wishful Tzedoko - a reality. Thus, the one who can presently afford only "copper", is blessed to be able to contribute "silver," and the one whose means are limited to "silver," is blessed with the ability to contribute "gold," and the one who is already in the "gold bracket," is blessed with the ability to contribute "onyx stones and other precious stones for setting."³

Our Sages, of blessed memory, have often emphasized that the status of the Sanctuary has, in our times passed to the sacred institutions of Torah, as the Sages expressed it "Since the Beth Hamikdosh was destroyed the Shechina (Divine Presence) dwells within the four cubits of the Halachah."⁴ Every Jew should have a share in our present day Sanctuaries.

There is a well-known saying of the Old Rebbe, author of the Tanya and Shulchan Aruch. the founder of Chabad, whose 150th Yahrzeit anniversary was observed this last 24th of Teveth: "G-d gives material blessings to Jews and the Jews convert the material into the spiritual."⁵ The Tzedoko which the supporters of the Lubavitcher Institutions contribute is the best method of converting the material into the spiritual, and thereby meriting material blessings in a growing measure - from copper to silver, and from silver to gold, and so on, to be spent on good healthful and Joyous things, in good health, and with true Yiddish Nachas from blessed children.

 With esteem and blessing for success and happy tidings

M. Schneerson