2953 —השגחה פרטית, שליחות אישית, ועשיית דירה לה'

B"H, 24 Elul, 5714. Brooklyn.

Haraha"ch vavaha"ch iy"a nu"n oseik b'tzt"z Moreinu HaRav Yosef Goldshtein

Shalom u'Vrachah!

I acknowledge receipt of your letter from the first day of Selichos with the enclosed pan (pidyon nefesh), and may it be G‑d's will that it be fulfilled in actuality the saying of my father-in-law, the Rebbe, of righteous memory: "One good deed is worth more than a thousand sighs." And since the Holy One, blessed be He, does not make unreasonable demands of His creations and Divine Providence has specifically brought you to your present place, it is certain that you have been given the abilities so that precisely there you will fulfill your role in making a dwelling for Him, may He be blessed, in the lower realms. As explained in Chassidus, the point here is that just as a person in his own home is present with all his essence revealed, so too it is understood that this cannot be without knowledge of G‑d—even though nothing can grasp Him except when He is grasped and enclothed in Torah and mitzvos—but it is also understood that afterwards one's intellectual faculties must also be filled with this through study, understanding, and deep contemplation in knowledge of Hashem.

As we approach the new year coming upon us and all Israel for good and blessing, I hereby express my blessing to you and all yours: may you be inscribed and sealed for a good and sweet year both materially and spiritually.

With blessing.

P.S. You have surely heard that in Cincinnati lives the son of one of the elder chassidim—mentioned several times in talks by my father-in-law, the Rebbe—and his name is Michael, known as Dr. Wilensky. His address is listed below. He has manuscripts he wishes to send here; however, due to his health situation it is difficult for him to handle this effort. It would be good if you visit him—of course after arranging with him about the time—and take upon yourself or through those who act on your behalf all the necessary effort involved. Naturally, any financial expenses are on my account. Thank you in advance for your effort regarding this.

Summary

The Rebbe teaches that where Divine Providence places us is where our unique mission lies; we are empowered to make our environment a dwelling place for Hashem through action and deepening our knowledge of G‑d.