By the Grace of G-d Chanukah, 5737 Brooklyn, N.Y.

Greeting and Blessing:

I duly received your letter in which you write about your study plans for the next year, although it is not quite clear why you should already be making plans so far ahead of time.

However, inasmuch as you are thinking about your future, I want to call your attention to a very important point, which is particularly important for a teenager, since this is the age for every Jewish boy to lay the foundation for his entire future life. It is even more important in the present day and age, when negative influences are very strong and assimilation is rampant, etc. Therefore, it is of vital importance to take advantage of the first opportunity to dedicate at least two years to exclusive Torah study in a Yeshivah which is permeated with Yirat Shamayim.

And as in the case of an ordinary foundation upon which any building or structure is built, where it is not important what a neighbor might say about the external looks of the foundation, but the important thing is that it should be made of solid and tested material which can withstand the elements of erosion etc., so it is with the foundation which a Jew has to prepare for his entire life, to be able to withstand all possible changes and vicissitudes. This foundation is, of course, the daily life based on Torah and mitzvos. So long as a boy attends a high school, his attention and efforts are to a considerable extent distracted by secular subjects. Only after graduating high school, the first opportunity presents itself to devote oneself exclusively to Torah and to develop the inner powers of the soul without distraction. For this reason a minimum of two years, and preferably more, should be dedicated to exclusive Torah study in a proper atmosphere, as mentioned above.

Surely this is not less important than having to be drafted for several years of military service, as is the case in many countries. Indeed, all Jews are “soldiers” of G-d, whose unique duty and privilege is to serve G-d through studying His Torah and fulfilling His mitzvos and spreading the light of the Torah and mitzvos all around.

I trust there is no need to elaborate to you further on this obvious matter.

Wishing you a bright and inspiring Chanukah,

With blessing,