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Dear Friend:
We are pleased to send you herewith our pocket encyclopedia "FROM DAY TO DAY", which we feel sure will be of great interest to you and be your constant companion. It is with this view in mind that we published it in pocket size, and provided in it space for your memoranda also.
We would like to take this occasion to add a few words in connection with your position as chaplain.
It is your sacred privilege and task to serve as spiritual guide and minister to the Jewish servicemen under your influence, both in respect to giving the moral support they need in order to be strong and brave and confident of victory, as well as to encourage them in their faith and observance of our precepts to the utmost possible. We feel sure that you are succeeding well, with G-d’s help.
Our sacred and divine Torah recognized thousands of years ago that faith in G-d is a prerequisite to courage and confidence in victory. "And it shall be when you draw nigh unto battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people and shall say unto them, "Hear O Israel, ye draw nigh this day unto battle against your enemies; let not your heart faint, fear not nor be alarmed, neither be you frightened of them; for it is G-d your G-d who goes with you to fight with you against your enemies, to save you:" (Deut. 20:2-4) and (ibid 23:10-15): When thou goest forth in camp against thine enemies, then thou shalt keep thee from every evil thing.. for G-d thy G-d walketh in the midst of thy camp; therefore shall thy camp be holy".
The heart of every Jew is always awake, and how much more so in such times of stress. It is your privilege to be the one to impress upon the Jewish serviceman our great spiritual heritage and religious obligations, and we trust that he will get the full benefits of this opportunity, so that he may enjoy them later in peace and happiness.
With all good wishes for your success and complete victory of the United Nations; May we merit G-d‘s gracious mercy and the complete Redemption of our people Israel.
Yours very sincerely
Rabbi M. Schneerson
Chairman, Executive Committee
Notes and sources
The above letter was sent to chaplains in the armed forces. This letter is printed in Hebrew (from the Rebbe’s handwritten draft to be translated into English) in Igros Kodesh, vol. 1, letter 124 (pp. 220-221).
Source: Secretarial Carbon Copy
Published: Rebbe Responsa Exclusive