Igrot Kodesh · Letter 742 — Faith & Bitachon

By the grace of Hashem,
17 Elul 5710,

To Madame ...,

I bless and greet you,

I reply to your letter of the 9th of this month, in which you describe your situation. You say that you wrote about this to my father-in-law, the Rebbe, who replied to you.

You must know that the Rebbe has always kept his word, and how much more so is it the case at the present hour, during the year of the histalkus. As the Alter Rebbe emphasizes, all the barriers that existed previously have now fallen. You must therefore be certain, firm in your emunah*, for the promise of the Rebbe will be realized in any case. Obviously, this is only a question of time.

You speak to me of your daughter, and I recall that at the time, when I was in Paris, she herself transmitted your request to me. I had then sent her a Siddur. Having been educated at Beth Rivkah, I am sure that she uses it often. I have therefore asked that a new one be sent to her. May Hashem grant that the prayers she will say with it be answered by the Master of the world.

We are in the month of Elul, and we will soon begin to say the Selichos. There will then be the Days of Awe, then the joyous days of Sukkos and Shemini Atzeres. One must therefore know that it is the same for every Jew, man or woman. When one asks Hashem to show mercy and kindness, one arouses the deep aspect of the Jewish heart that is intact in each one.

Then, even if one has had a behavior that was not irreproachable, Hashem pardons and permits one to be inscribed and sealed for a good year. There then come the joyous moments, and one receives a good and sweet year, materially and spiritually.

You no doubt observe the custom of giving Tzedakah* into a charity box dedicated to Rabbi Meir Baal HaNess, before lighting the candles of Shabbos and the festivals, which favors good health and material prosperity.

When I find myself at the gravesite of my father-in-law, the Rebbe, I will mention your name, that of your husband, and that of your daughter, so that you be inscribed and sealed for a good year. I express the wish that the promise of the Rebbe be realized as quickly as possible, and that you be inscribed and sealed for a good and sweet year.

With my blessing for a good year,

Menachem Schneerson