By the Grace of G-d 10th of Elul, 5728 Brooklyn, N.Y.

Greeting and Blessing:

I was pleased to receive your regards through Dr. Nissan Mindel. He also transmitted to me your thoughts regarding your trip and projects. The literature on the subject had been duly received earlier, with many thanks.

I reiterate my prayerful wishes that the Almighty guide you in the selection of ideas and of the proper words to convey them. If this is always important, it is even more so in relation to our Holy Land - "a land upon which G-d's Eyes are constantly, from the beginning of the year until the end of year." Yet it is a "land," with mundane problems which must be resolved with due consideration to the natural process. However, the solutions - if they are to be true and lasting - must be permeated with spirituality, purity and holiness, so that the material and spiritual blend harmoniously and advance in unison. Indeed, those who need an irreconcilable contradiction between the two are grievously mistaken. For, as every right thinking person realizes, and as the Torah explains at length, there is no such conflict, but a pervasive harmony. In Chabad, the basis for this is the rule that the "mind has intrinsic mastery over the heart," and within the mind itself the spiritual predominates the physical. Ultimately, the material can only gain from its subordination to the spiritual.

To turn to another (not unrelated) point, which I do not hesitate to approach in view of our friendship of long standing. I was particularly gratified to hear that you are putting on Tefillin.¹ I trust you do this every weekday, and that it will bring about the fulfillment of the promise of our Sages - "One Mitzva brings another Mitzva in its train."

Wishing you success, and hoping to bear good news from you, and at this time wishing you also a Kesivo vaChasimo Toivo, for a good and sweet year,

With blessing,

M. Schneerson