3855 —הצלת הנוער לחינוך כשר כתפקיד העיקרי

B"H, 4 MarCheshvan, 5716

Brooklyn.

Greetings and blessing!

In reply to your letter of Erev Shabbos Kodesh, in which you write that you did not understand what I meant with regard to the work of … whether to refrain, etc.

Now, it is obvious that my concern is not to keep anyone from good activities, especially in what concerns the education of the young generation. Rather, I wrote that they neglect their main work and task because of this. For in my opinion their main task, as has been written several times, is to save the youth from falling into the hands of the side opposed to holiness, and to set them on a footing where they receive a kosher education. As for all the other matters that come their way — only if they can be done in a way that does not detract from fulfilling their main task — more power to them, and fortunate is their lot.

And although in general it is hard to decide, and to act on one's own, to refrain from a good activity, even one that does not rest directly on one's own shoulders, this too is demanded of us (provided only that, as said above, the reason is that one is occupied at that very time, and also before it, with a mitzvah that is his own and is not done by others)…

I was pleased by what you write about the activities of your wife, may she live. May it be His will that both of you fulfill the saying of our Sages מעלין בקדש, "one ascends in holiness" (Berachos 28a), in proper health and with true peace of mind.

With blessing.