1662 —לקחים מהנדסה וגעאמעטריע לתורה ולחיים היומיומיים

B"H, 25 Sivan, 5712.

Brooklyn.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

I was pleased to receive your letter from the 13th of Sivan, in which you write a summary of your life's story and your current situation, being now in the city of Milan and meeting there with Haraha"g vavac"h iy"a nu"n etc. Moreinu HaRav Mordechai Hakohen Perlow and with Haraha"ch vavac"h iy"a nu"n Moreinu HaRav Yaakov Ganzburg.

Since you mention only your parents in your letter, it seems you are still single. It would be appropriate—since you earn enough for yourself and a family—to diligently seek a match. Our Sages say that this search should be like searching for a lost object: one does not sit idly by waiting for someone to return it but actively seeks it out.

I was pleased to read that you studied Chabad teachings with Anash while in Eretz HaKodesh, and that even now you have a set study schedule. I am interested to know how your learning is structured on Shabbat as well as weekdays—for weekday learning is also essential, perhaps even more so than on Shabbat, since then both body and animal soul (and thus also the G‑dly soul within them) are invested in mundane matters—matters of Kelipat Noga, which mediates between holiness and the three completely impure kelipot.

It is known the Baal Shem Tov's saying (which we heard from my father-in-law the Rebbe) that everything a Jew sees or hears contains a lesson for his service—whether between man and G‑d specifically or between man and fellow (and even those matters are ultimately between man and G‑d). As explained in Chassidus, fulfilling interpersonal laws must be with the same acceptance of Divine authority as ritual laws—not just because reason dictates it. In our times we have seen clearly that precisely those who prided themselves on rationality and scientific order committed terrible acts justified by 'reason and science.'

The Baal Shem Tov's teaching is also understandable rationally: since Hashem is Master of the world, nothing happens without purpose. Since every person exists only to serve his Creator (as per our Sages at the end of Kiddushin), if he sees or hears something it is not random; he must use it to fulfill his purpose—to serve his Creator—which may be through positive action or refraining from wrongdoing.

I see from your letter that you are an engineer, though it's not clear whether your field is building construction or measurement (such as surveying). In any case, all these are based on engineering—geometry. What lesson can be learned from this field?

Engineering combines aspects of exact science (mathematics) with practical science—and thus is not entirely exact. By contrast—infinitely so—is our holy Torah: though it is G‑d's wisdom, ultimate truth and precision beyond human grasp, its purpose—as its name implies—is instruction for daily life in this physical world. The essential difference between Torah ('your wisdom... before all nations') and secular wisdom—even that of an Israelite's animal soul—is this:

Human intellect—even so-called exact sciences—is founded on assumptions unsupported by proof; science accepts only what can be demonstrated, yet its foundations lack proof and can be accepted or rejected at will. This is especially evident in geometry: there are three main systems each based on different axioms which contradict each other.

In other words: science cannot give absolute directives; only conditional ones—if you accept certain premises, certain results follow. Thus: (a) It depends on one's will whether to accept these premises; (b) Even if accepted, one need not act accordingly—science merely says what will result if one acts a certain way but cannot compel action if one doesn't care about consequences.

In sum: science does not instruct how to live but merely describes outcomes based on chosen premises—a kind of forecast based on current experience and assumptions we choose to accept as true.

This contrasts completely with our holy Torah: being G‑d's wisdom—the ultimate reality—it is absolute truth; both its premises and methods are Divinely determined. Since this is G‑d's wisdom and will—the Creator of all—it follows that all conclusions obligate us to act accordingly without exception.

This point should be engraved in an engineer's mind: no question from science can challenge Torah because Torah is absolute truth while science itself admits it is conditional upon human will—and allows contradictory systems to coexist by human choice (as with Euclid's, Lobachevsky's, Riemann's geometries).

I hope what I wrote above is clear; certainly if you have comments I would appreciate hearing them in detail—for our Sages rejoiced when their words were questioned since this shows interest and helps clarify matters through discussion.

Certainly you strengthen yourself in keeping the three daily study portions instituted by my father-in-law the Rebbe: Tehillim (as divided for each day after Shacharit), Chumash with Rashi (one section per day), Tanya as divided throughout the year.

I am also interested to know about your fixed times for studying Nigleh (revealed Torah) and Chassidus—and about your good efforts to influence your environment generally, especially family members—to draw their hearts closer to our Father in Heaven thereby bringing eternal blessing materially and spiritually.

Summary

The Rebbe teaches that while secular sciences like geometry rely on human assumptions and offer only conditional guidance, Torah provides absolute truth that obligates action. This perspective should guide both spiritual growth and practical life choices.