8518 —עידוד, בטחון בסדר אלוקי, ושיפור צעד אחר צעד

B"H, 19 Elul, 5722.

Brooklyn.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

In response to your letter with the attached summary of your life’s events: There is no need to ask forgiveness for writing, and in the future you may write whenever necessary. May it be G‑d’s will—He who is the essence of good and whose nature is to do good—that your letters will contain joyful and positive news that is visibly good.

Regarding your letter’s content and with hope that by the time you receive this reply your mood has already improved: Since a person must do what is within his natural means—and many similar cases have stumbled in our times—it is certain you are consulting an expert in the field and following his instructions. Most importantly, you should reflect on the existence of the Creator and Ruler of the world. It is clearly evident that the world is not ownerless; there is a Master to this palace. The order found in the realm of the inanimate—which makes up most of our surrounding world—compels us to conclude there must be order even in its smallest part, up to man himself. One cannot say there is no order or that disorder prevails.

This is also science’s approach: If laws govern 99% of a phenomenon, surely order rules over the remaining percent not yet examined or visible. The immediate conclusion from this is that ultimately order and goodness prevail. This gives confidence and encouragement—that even if goodness seems hidden by some occurrence or ailment for now, certainly a person has been given the strength to overcome it if he so desires. However, by nature’s design, change comes step by step—not all at once from one extreme to another.

Reflecting on this—especially as you wrote about your education and involvement in science—should bring encouragement and increased self-confidence and optimism overall. Through all this there will also be increased energy and improvement in your situation—but as mentioned above, step by step.

If we always need the blessing of He who created and guides man—how much more so in such cases where extra blessing and a special blessing are needed. The channel and vessel for this is conduct in daily life according to our Torah—the Torah of life—and fulfillment of its mitzvos about which it says "and you shall live by them." It makes no difference whether one understands the connection between conduct and blessing or not; just as with improving bodily health through medicine—it does not matter much whether the patient understands how medicine heals (especially when healing comes after some time)—as long as he takes it.

Certainly for someone like yourself there is no need for lengthy elaboration on these matters. I await good news regarding all of the above.

These are days of favor—the days of Elul, month of mercy and favor.

With blessings for a good inscription and sealing [in the Book of Life] and for good news.

Summary

The Rebbe encourages turning to both practical help and faith in G‑d’s order when facing challenges. Improvement comes gradually; living according to Torah brings blessing even if we do not always see or understand how it works.