ב"ה. ג' טבת תשל"חברוקלין

שלום וברכה!

במענה על ההודעה מקביעות זמן חתונת בתו מרת טני' יהודית תחי' עם ב"ג האברך הוו"ח אי"א נו"נ וכו' מו"ה שלמה זלמן פסח שי' ליום י"ז טבת הבע"ל,

הנני בזה להביע ברכתי ברכת מזל טוב מזל טוב ושתהא טובה ומוצלחת ויבנו בית בישראל בנין עדי עד על יסודי התורה והמצוה כפי שהם מוארים במאור שבתורה זוהי תורת החסידות.

וכ' וזוג' תי' ירוו מהם ומכל יו"ח שי' רוב נחת יהודי חסידותי.

בכבוד ובברכת מזל טוב מזל טוב

מ. שניאורסאהן

B.H.

Miss T. Y. Kalms

P. S. For understandable reasons I preferred to express my prayerful wishes to you and your Fiancé in the original and traditional text hallowed over generations, especially as it would present no language problem for you.

However, I would like to add some thoughts also in English for the benefit also of those who are more fluent in it, with whom you may wish to share them.

Though what follows is no doubt superfluous in your case, I am prompted by the saying of our Sages, "Encourage the energetic."

As you know, a Jewish marriage is called Binyan adei-ad, "an everlasting edifice." It means that the Jewish home and married life must be built and structured on the foundations of the Torah and Mitzvos, as emphasized by our Sages, whose saintliness was matched by their true wisdom.

The metaphor is meaningful in that when it comes to laying the foundations of a building, it is of no concern what neighbors or passers-by might think of the outer attractiveness of the foundation, much less what scoffers might say about it. What is important is that the foundation be of tested and durable material that can withstand any erosive elements and that it should be strong enough to support the upper floors that will be added to it.

The same is true of the "foundations of Torah and Mitzvos." There is no better test than actual experience, and our Jewish people has the wisdom and conviction of thousands of years of experience, ever since Mattan Torah at Sinai, that it is adherence to the Torah and Mitzvos in the daily life that has preserved our people - both collectively and individually - through all possible crises, and made us the "Eternal People." This is particularly relevant in our day and age, when all sorts of "isms" have brought so much confusion and disturbance into the lives of the young generation. With the Torah and Mitzvos illuminating their way of life, young people starting out on their own can follow this path with a profound feeling of security and confidence, and it is also rewarded with Hatzlocho in terms of peace of mind, good health and general wellbeing, both materially and spiritually.

Since your letter and my reply have been written in proximity to Chanukah, may G-d grant that all the above come to you and your husband to be in a manner of increasing brightness - on your part, by increasing the light of Ner Mitzvah vTorah Or in a steadily growing measure, and on G-d’s part - increasing His blessings to Ner Hashem Nishmas Odom, to the soul and body together, likewise in a manner of increasing brightness.¹