By the Grace of G-d 25th of Adar II, 5741 Brooklyn, N. Y.
Rabbi Yeruchum Rosen
c/o Carmel College
Mongewell Park
Wallingford Oxfordshire OX10 8BT
Berkshire, England
Greeting and Blessing:
After not hearing from you for some time, I was pleased to receive your letter of the 18th of March, and to read the good news about the possibility of *building a new Mikveh at Carmel.1
I appreciate of course, the difficulties connected with this undertaking. But, on the other hand, considering what this means in terms of the purity of Jewish family life and the purity of the Jewish children, and future progeny — of what consideration can any difficulty be! Some may argue that there is no need for a Mikveh there, since one is available elsewhere within traveling range. But there is no need to point to the prayer we all say at the beginning of the Morning Prayer, “Bring us not to temptation,” and having a Mikveh on the spot will preclude the tempting excuse to skip the Mikveh occasionally because of the problem of transportation, etc.
The point that should be underlined is that a Mikveh is a vital necessity to ensure the well-being of children, both physically and spiritually. Parents will regard nothing as too difficult, if it concerned the well-being of their children. Even in these confused times, when some parents may use contraceptives and the like, it nevertheless is explained in our Torah, Toras Emes, that this too has a tremendous impact on the parents and on Jewish family life.2 There is no need to elaborate on this painful subject, nor is it necessary to do so here.
I would only add that in such a matter, time is of the essence, as is obvious, even for the sake of saving one Jewish family for the cause of Taharas Hamishpocho. May G-d grant you Hatzlocho in this important endeavor, and it will also bring you an additional measure of consolation in your recent loss.
May G-d grant you should have good news to report very soon about having actually started to build the Mikveh and that it is progressing satisfactorily and will soon be completed on the highest level of Kashrus and Hiddur, including also external Hiddur, which is especially important in our time in this case.
With blessing,
M. Schneerson
Notes and sources
*) מצו"ב השתתפות סמלית בההוצאות. = Translation: Enclosed is a symbolic participation for the expenses. — original footnote from the Rebbe.
Rabbi Yerucham (Jeremy) Rosen (b. 1942) is a Rabbi, author, lecturer. Rabbi Rosen, was then headmaster at the Carmell College (see following note), where he worked strengthening the Jewish spirit there.
1) Carmel College (1948–1997) was a Jewish boys boarding school, founded by the recipients father, Rabbi Dr. Yaakov Kopul Rosen. The school was modeled on British public schools with its aim to combine the positive features of the English public schools and the passion and commitment of traditional Jewish Orthodoxy. The school was located in Wallingford Oxfordshire, England.
2) See Zohar, Vol. 2, 3b; Likkutei Dibburim, Vol. 2, p. 360b, and Vol. 3, p. 537.
Source: Photocopy of the original.