volunteer

17th of Teves, 5734 (1974)
Greeting and Blessing:

It was good to see you at the recent Farbrengen [gathering], and now I have received your welcome letter of the 3rd of Teves.

To begin with your good wishes at the conclusion of your letter, the acknowledgment has already been made in the Torah, when G-d assured Abraham, "I will bless those who bless you," and G-d's blessings are, of course, much more generous than those of a human being can be. These Divine blessings will surely include a special blessing for your wife to complete her pregnancy and give birth to a healthy offspring in a happy and auspicious hour, and that together with your wife you should bring up all your children to a life of Torah, Chuppah [marriage] and Good Deeds, in good health and ample sustenance.

Needless to say, I was indeed gratified to read about your readiness to "volunteer," as you express it. The reason for the quotation marks is not, G-d forbid, to minimize in any way your dedicated resolve to do your utmost, but rather to emphasize that insofar as a Jew is concerned, while he is given the opportunity to be a "volunteer" out of his free volition, and as it is written [in translation] "Before you I have placed life. . . the blessing. . . Therefore, choose life, so that you and your descendants will live" (Devarim [Deut.] 30:19) - the Torah tells us at the same time that every Jew is indeed conscripted into Tzivos Hashem [G-d's Army]. Clearly, one who has the qualification to influence others is not to consider himself an ordinary draftee, but rather a Commanding Officer in G-d's Army, and one who has even greater qualifications to lead and inspire such "Officers," should consider himself a General. It is, therefore, in this elite corps that you have been "drafted," and the fact that you are at the same time a "volunteer," makes it certain that you will discharge your duties and privileges with the highest degree of dedication, which also ensures the utmost Zechus [merit] for you and all yours.

May G-d grant that you should always have good news to report about yourself and your family, as well as about your good works.