By the Grace of G-d 2nd of Elul, 5744Brooklyn, N. Y.

Blessing and Greeting:

This is to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 28th of Av.

I was gratified to read about your advancement in Yiddishkeit, Torah and Mitzvoth. There is surely no need to emphasize to you at length that one of the cardinal principles of our Torah, Toras Chaim, is that "The essential thing is the deed."¹ Hence, I trust that you are utilizing every opportunity to promote the actual fulfillment of Mitzvoth in the everyday life, both in regard to yourself and your immediate surroundings, as well as the fullest extent of your influence.

The present time, having entered the month of Elul, is particularly auspicious for the above, as explained by the Alter Rebbe, author of the Tanya and Shulchan Aruch, and founder of Chabad, by means of the parable of the King in the Field: There is a time when a king goes out to meet his people working in the fields. Then everyone has an opportunity to greet the king personally, and the king receives everyone with a gracious smile and grants everyone’s request.²

Thus, this is the time to strengthen one's attachment to HaShem through strengthened commitment to His Torah and Mitzvoth, and to receive His blessings in the coming year.

Having had Hatzlocho in your advancement in Yiddishkeit in the past, I trust it will stimulate you to even greater advancement in the future, in accordance with the saying of our Sages, "Whoever has 100, desires 200; and having achieved 200, desires (not only 300, but) 400."³ If this is so in relation to material goods, how much more so should it be in relation to the eternal values.

Wishing you and all the members of your family a Kesivo vaChasimo Tovo for a good and sweet year,

With blessing,

P.S. I was rather surprised to read in your letter the remark to the effect that women do not participate in a Minyan, etc.

Although one often hears such expressions, this is not true. For, although a woman cannot be counted to make up a Minyan, she certainly participates in the service of Tefila b’Zibbur. Indeed, it is only when attending an Orthodox Shul that the woman can participate in such prayers like Baruch Hu, Kedusha, responding with Amen, etc. It is a matter of common knowledge that because of the special qualities that the Creator has bestowed upon women, such as gentleness, sensitivity and kindness, in a greater measure than their male counterparts, that a woman is more receptive to all matters of goodness and holiness, Torah and Mitzvoth, and then uses the inspiration to bring in a greater measure of light and warmth into her Jewish home and the upbringing of her children, and so forth.