By the Grace of G-d 24th of Teves Yahrzeit of the Alter Rebbe 5729Brooklyn, N. Y.

Greeting and Blessing:

On this auspicious day of the Yahrzeit-Hilulo of the Alter Rebbe, author of the Tanya and Shulchan Aruch and Founder of Chabad, I send greetings and blessings to all participants in the annual celebration of the Central Yeshiva Tomchei Tmimim Lubavitch.

One of the basic principles of the Chabad philosophy and way of life is that the head and the heart (the intellect and emotions) should govern and inspire the daily life of the individual in complete mutual harmony, and in a way that the mind should rule the heart. Where this inner harmony between the intellect and emotions prevails, then all the varied activities of the person, in all details of the daily life, both the mundane and the sacred, the material and the spiritual, are carried out properly, without conflicts, without contradictions, and without vacillations.

There can be no doubt that the fearful confusion and insecurity besetting the young generation of today, in this country and elsewhere, frequently erupting in defiance and open revolt against the very elementary laws of human society, is the result of the inner split and disharmony between reason and emotions, often giving way to unrestrained misconduct. It is also a sad fact that these symptoms have affected some segments of our Jewish youth.

In these critical times there is especially a vital need to strengthen among our Jewish youth their spiritual equilibrium, and the only way to attain this is through Torah and Mitzvoth, with unity and harmony between the intellect and emotions, and the mastery of the mind over the heart.

For us Jews, the said inner unity is more than the secret and foundation of a satisfactory personal life. This subject is treated in depth and breadth in the teachings of Chabad.

The said unity is the key to unity in the world at large, and is intimately correlated with the concept of G-d’s Unity (Monotheism), the realization of which in actual life is the special task of every Jew and the Jewish people as a whole. This is alluded to in the words, "A people one on earth," which the Alter Rebbe explains (Iggeres HaKodesh 9): ”The Jewish people which is one brings into reality the Oneness of G-d, to achieve oneness (in life) on earth."

The Lubavitcher Yeshiva educates its students in Torah and Yiras Shomayim permeated with this unity of head and heart, and mastery of mind over feeling, not only that they should realize this in their own personal life, but that also later, when they go out into the world, they would help others to attain this harmonious state and implement it in their everyday life.

The annual banquet of the Central Lubavitch Yeshiva Tomchei Tmimim offers a special opportunity to the lay leadership and friends of the Yeshiva to become real partners in the said unity. The money, as well as the effort and time, dedicated to the Yeshiva, are converted into Torah, Service and Good Deeds - the three pillars upon which the world rests, the big world as well as the small world of the individual Jew, for each and every Jew is a world in himself and herself. Thereby the Jew’s attachment to G-d is strengthened, and G-d on His part provides all one’s needs: offspring, health and ample sustenance, from "His full, open, sacred, and generous Hand."

With esteem and blessing for Utmost Hatzlocho and happy tidings,

/Signed/ Menachem Schneerson