59 —השפעה על חייל יהודי והמצאת מאכל כשר לחיילים

Shalom u'Vrachah! [3 Adar Sheni, 5703] Honorable... elevated etc. from Horiy"a, may he live, we have inherited the privilege to turn to you with the following request: In Washington, there is currently serving in the army a young man named... The father of this young man is G‑d-fearing, and the young man himself is soft-hearted and receptive to positive influence. Every day he also has some free time from his work; it is possible to influence him, with G‑d's help, that he should put on tefillin and eat kosher even at his place of work. This young man will visit your honor; therefore, please draw him close both materially and spiritually, and also inform us about the results of your influence. Thank you very much in advance.

And since we are speaking about an individual soldier, perhaps your honor can also speak with other people whose hearts have been touched by fear of G‑d, and establish a committee to provide kosher food for Jewish soldiers in your city. In several large cities such committees have already been established for themselves, and with G‑d's help they have succeeded in saving several Jews from eating non-kosher food. It is understood that we stand ready to assist you with G‑d's help as much as possible.

To conclude with a matter related to this week's Torah portion: I wish to quote something that has puzzled me these days. There are two opinions as to when Parshas Terumah-Tetzaveh was said—whether before the incident of the Golden Calf (Zohar II 165a) or after it (Tanchuma Parshas Terumah and Rashi's commentary), which follows the dispute between Rabbi Yossi HaGalili and Rabbi Akiva in Zevachim (115b). But in Zohar II (224a) it appears that even the bringing of donations for the Mishkan was before the incident of the Golden Calf, which requires further study.

With blessings for immediate teshuvah and immediate redemption,
Rabbi Menachem Schneerson

Summary

The Rebbe encourages efforts to inspire Jewish soldiers toward mitzvah observance—especially tefillin and kosher—and suggests organizing communal support for providing kosher food. He also shares a Torah insight about differing views on when Parshas Terumah-Tetzaveh was given.