By the Grace of G-d4th of Iyar, 5731Brooklyn, N.Y

Greeting and Blessing:

I was pleased to receive your letter in addition to the regards which I regularly receive from our mutual friend.

Your letters make good reading, and are a source of gratification. May G-d grant that you should always have good news to report along the same lines, both in your personal as well as your general affairs which are of course interrelated in Jewish life.

I was particularly pleased to note from your letter that you do not limit your activities to your immediate environment, but spare no effort and time to make trips to even faraway places in order to further the cause of Yiddishkeit. Indeed, as far as Yiddishkeit is concerned, a Jew does not recognize boundaries, nor do geographical distances exist in the spiritual realm.

I trust that you will not neglect your academic advancement, especially as this too is part of your spiritual arsenal. You surely know the commentary of the Alter Rebbe on the verse: goy echod ba’aretz — “One nation on earth,”² to the effect that the Jewish people bring oneness also in earthly matters, by converting the earthly and material into the heavenly and spiritual.³

It is customary among Jews to connect events with the “Torah-time,” that is, with the Jewish calendar of Torah life.⁴ I have in mind the present period of Sefiras Ha’omer/Counting of the Days of the Omer. As you surely know, this period of counting the days and weeks has special significance in that it connects the historic event of Yetzyias Mitzrayim (liberation from physical bondage in Egypt) with the great event of Mattan Torah (the ultimate in freedom, namely spiritual freedom).

I wonder if you reflected on the fact that this counting is done not by ordinal numbers but by cardinal numbers. Thus we say, for example, “Today is three days of the Omer" (not — the third day), indicating that we have to our credit three days, rather than a “third day.” This means, among other things, that the accomplishments of each day are not merely an increment added to the past accomplishments, but that thereby also the previous accomplishments assume a further dimension and completeness. In other words, the advancement of Torah and mitzvos should be not only in quantity but also in quality, and this has to be a steady progress day after day until one reaches the highest point of Divine Revelation, just as the period of sefira culminates with the Festival of Shovuos, the Day of the Giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai. It is surely unnecessary to elaborate to you on this, especially as I may have already mentioned this to you on a previous occasion.

Returning to your letter, you mention about a possibility of participation in a situation which would offer you investment opportunity. It is not entirely clear to me what you mean by it, and also whether this is simply a contingency or is a practical consideration. My general reaction to this is that since such a situation would undoubtedly demand a certain amount of attention, concentration, etc., it would have to encroach upon the attention and time you have to devote to your scientific research work and especially your work in disseminating Yiddishkeit — an area which is clearly expanding. Thus, both areas are sufficient to take up not only twenty-four hours of your workday but even more if it were possible. As for the opportunity of financial investment, even with the intention to increase tzedoko, etc., it is questionable whether under the circumstances, it would justify the encroachment mentioned above, as well as the personal strain that it might entail. And even if there is still left a margin of unused time and energy, then it would seem that the above areas of your activity should have a priority.

Last but not least in significance, thank you very much for the good news about the activities of Lubavitch in Minnesota. You will surely recall with me our conversation about the anxiety and mortgage problems, expenses, etc., which prevailed at the time. Now that we see the achievements and the present state of affairs, especially in relation to the past, there is truly much reason to be gratified with G-d’s help, which once again emphasizes the truth of the saying of our Sages “He who is determined to purify himself and others,⁵ receives help from On High.”⁶

With blessing,