ב"ה February 28, 1949
Mr. Julius Stulman:
171 West Stret,
Brooklyn, N.Y.
My dear Mr. Stulman:
The kind help which you now extended to the Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch was never timelier or more urgent. It has given the Merkos a new lease on its program which had been gravely threatened by the emergency. I therefore cannot thank you enough both on behalf of the Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch and in my own name for having proved again a friend in need.
It is superfluous to recall the Divine promise of which our Sages of blessed memory have assured us, that money donated for a good cause, far from diminishing one's treasury, replenishes it over and over again in extraordinary ways, and is a source of blessing and good fortune and an ever growing ability to continue to do good.1
I believe that the best wish that I can make to you is one which is based on the blessing of my venerable father-in-law שליט"א when he quoted: כה תברכו את בני ישראל (Thus shall ye bless the children of Israel).2 It is a blessing of a double nature: a) The numerical equivalent of the Hebrew word כ"ה (thus) is 25 - the quarter of a century of your successful business which G-d grant that they be the forerunners of the next 25 years and more of ever growing success, and b) that you will be instrumental, to the best of your total ability, in bringing blessings to the children of Israel through far reaching deeds of kindness and personal effort.
With kindest personal regards and best wishes,
Very sincerely yours,
M. Schneerson
Chairman, Executive Committee
RECEIPT ENCLOSED
Notes and sources
A few days earlier, on February 24, the Rebbe met with Julius Stulman (see letter dated February 25). Shortly afterward, Mr. Stulman, through the Stulman Foundation, sent a large check towards the work of Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch. Mr. Alexander Cowen was very instrumental in the friendship of Mr. Stulman towards Lubavitch in general, and in this case in particular.
1) See Taanis 9a; Tanchuma, Re'ei 18. See also Tur, Yoreh De'ah, 247.
2) Bamidbar 6:23. The Previous Rebbe had an audience with Mr. Julius Stulman on February 24 (see note to the previous letter). The Previous Rebbe later wrote down the contents of that audience which is presented here (from a phonetic transcription from then):
אלעס וואס איהר ליעבער דזוליוס האט מיר דערציילט איז מיר זעהר אינטערעסאנט צו העהרען, און איך בין זעהר צופרידן, און אללעס פיעהרט צו דעם ריכטיגן גרויסן גליק פאר אייך און פאר אייער פאמיליע, נאר איהר מוזט האבבען א ריכטיגן גרויסן פערטרייליכער הויפמאן וואס ער זאל זיין א גרויסער געהילף צו אייך.
מיר ווייסען אז פאר א גרויסן גליק מוז זיין געוויסע דורכפאלען, איהר האט גליק.
25 יאהר ביסטו געווען א גביר - וועסטו זיין און דיינע קינדער גבירים, נאר זאלט וויסען וואס א גביר דארף טאן. "כה תברכו את בני ישראל"
In addition to the transliterated copy, a freely translated copy of this audience was sent to Julius Stulman. It is worth noting that in the translation there are details that apparently were omitted from the transliterated copy:
All that you have told me, dear Julius, I was much interested to hear and I am quite satisfied, because, all of it leads to the right great ”Glick” [loosely translated as happiness or luck - ed.] for you and your family. But you must have a really competent And trustworthy “chief“ to be of great help to you.
We know that certain disappointed must come prior to a great “Glick” - and you have “Glick.” The following said by the great founder of Chabad to one of his Chassidim - applies to you:
Twenty-five years you were rich. You will be rich and your children too, but you should know what a rich man should do. ”Thus shall you bless the children of Israel." (Numbers 6-23)
Source: Photocopy of Original
Published: Rebbe Responsa Exclusive