2050 —בריאות, ברכות, והקשר בין גשמיות לרוחניות

B"H, 12 Adar, 5713.

Brooklyn.

Machatunim Haraha"ch vavac"h iy"a nu"n etc. Shneor Zalman Bazpallov

Shalom u'Vrachah!

I was very happy to receive your letter from the 9th of Adar written in your own handwriting. As our Sages say (Megillah 16a), "When they ascend, they ascend to the stars," so certainly your health will continue to improve and thank you for sharing this good news.

It is well known that our holy Rebbeim have a custom that their blessings are meant as guidance for daily life, and their language refers to both material and spiritual matters. That is, they connect and prioritize materiality before spirituality; therefore, improvement in physical health is necessary because it immediately causes improvement in spiritual health—especially since this is also important in its own right, as ruled by the Rambam (Hilchos Deos ch. 4): maintaining a healthy body is one of the ways of serving Hashem.

As you approach your birthday on the upcoming 18th of Adar, may it be G‑d's will that you have long days and years. As my father-in-law the Rebbe said in the name of his father (the Rebbe Maharash): "Good things with all their meanings."

You asked about your wife through her husband—please convey my regards to your wife; may you both have long and pleasant days and years together in goodness and pleasantness both materially and spiritually.

With blessing.

Summary

The Rebbe teaches that physical health is not only valuable on its own but also leads directly to spiritual wellbeing. Blessings for material matters are intertwined with spiritual growth; caring for one's body is part of serving Hashem.