By the Grace of G-d Rosh Chodesh Iyar, 5743 Brooklyn, N.Y.

Greeting and Blessing:

Your (undated) letter has reached me with some delay and my acknowledgment has been further delayed because of accumulated matters in the wake of Yom Tov. In it you write about the unfavorable turn in business. But I trust that since then there has been a noticeable improvement, and may G-d grant that it should be a good beginning.

I have often had occasion to point out that it is not surprising that a human being finds G-d’s ways inscrutable, especially when one finds himself, temporarily, in distressing situation. But how can a created being understand the Creator? However, it is certain that G-d is good and just, and all that He does is for the good.

Knowing of your good efforts to please HaShem and to spread His Torah and Mitzvos, I am certain that G-d will fulfil your heart’s desires for good and you will see a substantial improvement in your business. But though it is impossible, of course, to pinpoint the time, it is certain that strengthening your Bitochon in HaShem will hasten it.

Every period in the course of the year in Jewish life has its specific aspects in regard to serving HaShem. The period of Sefira – Counting the Omer – at the end of which we have the Festival of Shovuos, the Festival of Mattan-Torah, reflects the eagerness and yearning of our ancestors to receive the Torah; hence immediately on the day after the Exodus from Egypt they began counting the days and weeks to that great event.¹ This period is therefore especially timely to increase one’s Torah learning schedule, which is also one of the reasons why we learn Pirkei Ovos ("Ethic of Our Fathers”) during this period. Incidentally, one of the teachings of these Mishnayos is the assurance that the Jew who upholds the Torah in a time of hardship will eventually uphold in a situation of affluence.² May G-d grant that this should be so in your case, and sooner than expected, and you should continue your good work for Yiddishkeit with real joy and gladness of heart.

With esteem and blessing,

M. Schneerson