By the Grace of G-d 19th of Tammuz, 5724 Brooklyn, N. Y.

Greeting and Blessing:

I received your letter of the 14th of Tammuz, in which you write some highlights of your life.

I trust that you are making ever growing efforts to advance in the study of the Torah, both Nigleh and Chassidus, with devotion and diligence, and also in regard to the observance of the Mitzvoth with Hiddur. For, everyone of us has to live up to the principle of our Sages that "All matters of holiness should be on the ascendancy."¹ This is, in the final analysis, only a matter of will and determination, as we have the assurance of "Try hard and you will succeed."²

I note that you wrote your letter on the day following the auspicious days of 12th-13th of Tammuz, the anniversary of the liberation of my father-in-law of saintly memory from his near-fatal imprisonment in Soviet Russia. I trust that you know the significance of these days, and that the inspiration will be with you throughout the year.

No doubt you know of, and observe, the three daily Shiurim of Chumash, Tehillim and Tanya. At any rate, from now on I hope you will observe them regularly.

With blessing

By Nissan Mindel

P. S. In reply to your questions -

It³ is to be expected that the learning of Torah in all its parts (whether Nigleh or Chassidus) is in a way that at the beginning the understanding of the topics is necessarily imperfect, sketchy and superficial, but as one continues to study the Torah one understands a little more and a little deeper every time. This is also the case with learning Chumash, Gemoro etc.

With regard to the question of where to continue your studies after graduation, the answer is that when the time comes to make the decision (in a year’s time, I believe?) you should visit those Yeshivos where the Torah study is coupled with Yiras Shomayim (in accordance with the commandments of our Sages, Shabbos 31, at the end of Omud-aleph⁴), and select the one which will appeal to you most, in accordance with the instruction of our Sages "sheliboi chofetz.”⁵

Re tefiloh according to Chabad - it is explained in Kuntres Hatefiloh, note it there.⁶