By the Grace of G-dMotzoei-Shabbos-Kodesh, 15th Shevat First Day of p. Yisro, 5736Brooklyn N.Y.

Blessing and Greeting:

I was pleased to be informed of the arrangements for the forthcoming Convention, and send you prayerful wishes for Hatzlocho in every respect.

It is noteworthy that this year’s Convention is taking place during the weekend of the Shabbos of Mattan Torah. Significantly also, this letter is written at the beginning of the same week.

As has been often emphasized,¹ a Jew is expected to take note of every situation and happening with a view to learn something useful in regard to the daily life and conduct — not just on special occasions or special day since it is the everyday life that makes up a person’s life-span.

You are all surely aware of the very important role which G-d assigned to Jewish women at the time of Mattan Torah in that He commanded to speak first to them about Mattan Torah and then to the men.² Jewish women were thus given a primary responsibility - and with it, an extraordinary privilege - for the preservation of the Torah in each and every generation.

That the Shabbos of Mattan Torah is preceded this year by Shabbos which is Rosh Hashanah Loilonos (New Year For Trees) provides a further lesson about the importance of Chinuch as a necessary preparation for Mattan Torah and as the vital factor in the Torah’s preservation. The analogy between the cultivation of trees and the raising of children is well known from our sacred books of Mussar and Chassidus, based on the verse, "Man is like a tree,"³ As even a little extra care given to a young seedling is greatly amplified and richly rewarded when the tree matures, and could make all the difference, so is extra care in the Chinuch of a young child. This, after all, is the crucial period in a child’s formative years, when the mother at home shares in the responsibility with the teacher at school.

To carry the analogy further, a tree attains fulfilment when it produces good fruit. And good fruit, as it should be, is not merely good in itself - as a food, or more so as an object of a Mitzvah (as an Esrog, for example) - but when it also contains the seed to produce new trees and fruits after its kind, to the end of time. Moreover, the new trees and fruits are of no direct benefit to the original tree, and may be far removed from it in time and place. Nevertheless, because they are the result of the original tree which behaved as it should, they are all credited to the original tree.

This is how every Jewish boy and girl should be raised and educated: To bring forth fruit - certainly, that is the very least; but it is by far not enough, for it is required that their fruits - their good influence - be ultimately felt to the end of the world and to the end of time.

Such an achievement seems rather a lot to expect of a limited human being. But actually it is well within reach, since a Jew works with a Divine soul, a part of G-dliness Above, and works with Torah and Mitzvos given by G-d, and, furthermore, works in a world which, though grossly material, is precisely the place where G-d desires to have His abode. With such a combination of favorable factors - the results can, and should, be without limit.

It is hoped that the Convention will make use of the above points as guidelines for intensified activity in all its programs, projects and objectives, always bearing in mind that the "essential thing is the deed."⁴

Again, wishing you Hatzlocho to carry out the above with Chassidic vitality and joy, and in happy personal circumstances, both materially and spiritually,

With Blessing, 

M. Schneerson