3019 —מחלה, זמן בבית הבראה, והשראת יהודים אחרים

B"H, 12 MarCheshvan, 5715.

Brooklyn

Greetings and blessing!

In reply to your letter of the second day of Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan: I was pleased to read in it of the improvement in your health. Since you have already entered a convalescent home, you will surely follow the instructions of an expert doctor in this, for the Torah has given permission to the physician to heal. As for what you write, that you are distressed over the time, this is surprising, for you are among Jews who, there is no doubt, will with suitable outreach be brought closer to Torah and its mitzvos.

If for the sake of one favor to one Jew, materially or spiritually, it is worthwhile for the soul to descend below for 70–80 years, as in the well-known saying of the Baal Shem Tov, how much more so if you truly wish it, you will succeed in your outreach among those in the convalescent home with you, so that they too will become healthy spiritually. Great is this merit, to increase the help of Heaven in your own service, "avodah" from the term "oros avudim," worked hides, as explained in several places in Chassidus.

With blessing for success in all the above and for good news of your health, which is steadily improving.

Publisher's notes

As in the saying (וכפתגם): See also above, letter 2985, and the references in the notes there.

As explained in Chassidus (כמבואר בדא"ח): See also above, letter 2996.