By the Grace of G-d5th of Tishrei, 5718Brooklyn, N.Y.

Greeting and Blessing:

I received your letter of Erev Rosh Hashanah, in which you write about the suggestion of your settling in the Holy Land, and you ask my opinion.

I must say, frankly, that I am not in favor of it, for many reasons, of which I will mention only two – one material and the other spiritual.

The spiritual reason is that, inasmuch as Eretz Yisroel is the Holy Land, which even non-Jews acknowledge as such, it is necessary to have special preparations before taking up permanent residence there. Even a brief visit to the Royal Palace of a human king requires special preparations, how much more so before one can take up permanent residence there; and our Holy Land has been called the Palace of the Divine King of Kings.

You have only just recently been married and started a new life, which has yet to be solidly established on the foundations of the Torah and Mizvoth, in the maximum possible way. When this has been done, then you could reconsider the question of settling in the Holy Land.

On economic grounds, one reason is that marriage imposes new obligations and increased expenses, etc. It would be too much of a task and strain for you to try to set up a home, and establish yourself economically in the Holy Land at present, where conditions, language, etc., are entirely different from those in England.

As mentioned above, these are only two out of many reasons. At any rate, if, G-d forbid, the Moshiach will not come within the next year or two, it is my considered opinion that you will do well to set up for at least that period of time your home in England, on the foundations of Torah and Mitzvoth.

Wishing you Chasimo ugmar chasimo toivo,

With blessing,

By Nissan Mindel