By the Grace of G-dDay after Yom Kippur,11th of Tishrei, 5752Brooklyn, New York

Greeting and Blessing:

I was very pleased to see you last Sunday night at the meeting of the Machne Israel Development Fund.

In the Torah portions before Rosh HaShanah we read about the mitzvah of bringing Bikkurim, the offering of the first fruits (Parshas Ki Savo, Deut. 26:1-11). A Jew would select the very best of his early harvest, the first fruits of his hard toil. With all-encompassing joy and gladness of heart he carried them to the Beth HaMikdash, the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, and placed them "there before G-d." This act expressed his recognition that "the earth and all therein is the L-rd's" (Psalms 24:1) and his gratitude to G-d for His bountiful sustenance.

The prophet (Hoshea 9:10) refers to the Jewish people as G-d's Bikkurim, the prime and essential purpose of His creation. A Jew is indeed a veritable "part of G-d." In his life in the world at large, it is his purpose to infuse this G-dliness and holiness into every moment of time and into every aspect of his daily life, in thought, word and act, elevating himself and his environment as "Bikkurim."

Through such conduct, one merits the fulfillment of G-d's promise concluding the verses quoted above: "and you will rejoice in all the good which the L-rd your G-d has given you and your family" (Deut. 26:11).

In this year of 5752, in Hebrew תשנ"ב, whose Hebrew letters form an acronym: תהא שנת נפלאות בכל ("this will be a year of wonders in all things,") may G-d Almighty grant you and all yours a wondrous year of goodness in all matters material and spiritual.

With blessing,

M. Schneerson

P.S. I take this opportunity to enclose an excerpt from my remarks addressed to the participating members¹ שליט"א.