By the Grace of G-d 3rd of Adar, 5734 Brooklyn, N.Y.

Greeting and Blessing:

I am in receipt of your letter and will remember you in prayer for the fulfillment of your heart's desires for good.

On the basis of your writing, it is surely unnecessary to emphasize to you at length that there is always room for strengthening adherence to the will of G-d in the daily life and conduct, in accordance with the Torah and mitzvot.

It is well to bear in mind that when a Jew finds himself in a situation where there are particular difficulties and problems, it is certain that G-d has provided the ability to overcome them. This is especially true in the case of obstacles in the way of Yiddishkeit, for G-d would never place a Jew in a position where he could not carry out G-d's will. Of course, if there are certain problems which require a Torah ruling, it is necessary to consult a Rov for advice and guidance in the particular instances.

I have had occasion to mention before, that the setup of army life and discipline is particularly conducive to bring the Jewish serviceman psychologically closer to Yiddishkeit in the fulfillment of the mitzvot in the daily life. For, as you know the military establishment must be based on strict discipline and, above all, obedience to command. A soldier must carry out a command or order promptly and to the best of his ability. Moreover, carrying out a command is not only a private matter that concerns the soldier personally, but affects his entire unit, division, or even the whole army.

A Jew's obedience to G-d’s commandments, mitzvot, can surely be no less. Indeed, this was the principle on which our Jewish people accepted the Torah at Mt. Sinai, namely, Naaseh v'Nishma, meaning that the actual performance of the mitzvot must come first and unconditionally, and only then may one inquire into their deeper significance etc..

As we are now approaching the highlight of this month of Adar — Purim, it is well to note how our Sages of blessed memory formulated in one brief sentence the concept of the essence of the Jew’s life. I refer to the well known verse in the Megillah — “For the Jews there was Light, Joy, Gladness and Honor,” to which our Sages add the comment and explanation: “Light — this is Torah... Honor — this is Tefillin.” In other words, insofar as a Jew is concerned, “Light,” etc., in the plain sense of true happiness, is connected with and dependent upon Torah and mitzvot in daily life. You surely need no further elaboration on this.

Wishing you a happy and inspiring Purim,

With blessing,