Continuing the holy letters of the Rebbe in Volume 15, this is letter number 5,438. Baruch Hashem, the 9th of Iyar, 5717, Brooklyn. Bracha v’shalom.

This letter was written in response to a woman who had contacted the Rebbe regarding her friend’s mother. The friend’s mother needed a blessing for her health, and she had said that if she would recover, then she would give charity.

The Rebbe writes that she should explain to the mother of that woman that with Hashem one does not conduct oneself in such a manner. In other words, a person should not first place conditions and say that if a certain thing will happen, then charity will be given. A Jew acts in the opposite order.

First one gives tzedakah, and afterwards one asks of Hashem, blessed be He—not as a condition, but as a request. Since He, blessed be He, is the essence of good, one asks that He fulfill the sincere and good requests of the heart.

A person must ask Hashem, not make conditions with Hashem. And when one has strong trust in this, then one can actually see with one’s own eyes, eyes of flesh, literally and very soon, the fulfillment of those requests.

The Rebbe therefore says to tell her to first do the mitzvah, first give tzedakah, and then pray to Hashem, ask Hashem, and trust Hashem that He will fulfill the request.

The Rebbe adds that he hopes she will find the fitting words to explain to her the above-mentioned idea. The Rebbe concludes with a blessing for good news, in the name of the Rebbe, by the secretary.

Although in certain cases there may be situations where charity is connected to a request, that is not the regular order. The proper path is for a person first to give, then to hope, and with trust in Hashem to merit seeing the requests fulfilled in an actual and revealed way, literally.

The Rebbe expresses hope that this woman, who wrote on behalf of her friend’s mother, would indeed find the proper words to convey this message.

Summary – The Rebbe teaches that faith is expressed not through bargaining with Hashem, but through action and trust. First do what is right, then pray sincerely, and believe that Hashem’s goodness will bring blessing in the best and most open way.