By the Grace of G‑dErev Shovuos, 5733Brooklyn, N.Y.

Greeting and Blessing:

I trust you received my letter of condolence,¹ and may G-d grant that henceforth our correspondence will be exclusively in matters of Simcha.

It is quite a long time since I heard from you directly, though, of course, I have been inquiring and receiving reports from our mutual friends, including Prof. Yirmyohu Branower.

Needless to say, I am disappointed at the delay in acquisition of a center in Jerusalem for the activities which are so vital and urgent. I hope and pray that the delay will also be for the good, in that it will be instrumental in acquiring an extra special place.²

As we had occasion to mention it in one of our conversations, when something is expected of a Jew it is certain that he has been given the capacity to carry it out. And as in all matters of Torah and Mitzvoth, a Jew is given the capacity not only to live up to them in the fullest measure, but also to live up to the principle³ of מעלין בקודש - to advance in all matters of holiness, for growth is the sign of life in all living things.

It is surely unnecessary to emphasize at length the urgency of the project under discussion, for it concerns new Olim from a certain country,⁴ who arrive in the Holy Land with a great deal of enthusiasm and receptiveness. But unless they be contacted soon after arrival and given the opportunity and facility to translate their inspiration into concrete and tangible experience in the daily life, they are in danger of being swept away by undesirable forces. With the result that their enthusiasm might quickly evaporate and give way to disenchantment, which would then make it much more difficult to set them on the right track. And although these "derailed" Olim must also not be given up, and as our Sages of the Mlshnah declare,⁵ "To save even one Jewish soul is to save a whole world,” nevertheless, it requires far less effort to do the job at the right time and thus being able to use the excess effort in saving so many more souls. I need not elaborate to you on the importance of conservation and the most efficient utilization of resources.

Now that we are about to celebrate the festival of Mattan Torah, we are once again reminded that the first word of our accepting the Torah was Na'aseh - we will do - and then V'nishma, emphasizing the principle of immediate action in all matters of Torah and Mitzvoth.

May G‑d grant that you should have good news to report in all above.

Wishing you and yours a joyous and inspiring Yom Tov of Kabolas haTorah, and to receive the Torah with Simcha and Pnimius – joy and inwardness –

With blessing,

M. Schneerson