By the Grace of G-d 2nd of Tammuz, 5723Brooklyn, N.Y.

Blessing and Greeting:

I am in receipt of your letter of June 22nd. I can well understand your feelings as the date of your visit to the Holy Land draws near, for even the non-Jew regards it as the "Holy Land" and would approach it with a certain trepidation. To the Jew it represents the "Palace" of the Supreme King, the Holy One, blessed be He. It is therefore not surprising that you should have a feeling of awe as one would feel in the presence of an exalted majesty. This, at any rate, is how I interpret your feeling.

However, it is explained in Chassidus that this feeling of awe and reverence ("Yiras ho-romemus") is associated with an inner feeling of joy at the privilege of being in the presence of the Exalted and partaking of the Sublime.

I wish you again a very pleasant and successful trip, especially as we have now entered the auspicious month of Tammuz, the month of Liberation of my father-in-law of saintly memory, as you surely well know the history of the 12th-13th of Tammuz.

With blessing

M. Schneerson