Recent efforts of the yetzer hara to undermine tznius indicates its urgent priority; Jewish daughters have capacity to resist trending alien fashions.
By the Grace of G-d
5th of Adar I, 5730
Brooklyn, N.Y.
Miss ...
Detroit, Mich. 48221
Blessing and Greeting:
I am in receipt of your letter in which you write that you have been elected President of the General Organization of the Bais Yaakov.
Inasmuch as everything is by hashgacha protis, and G-d does not expect the impossible, it is certain that you have the capacity to carry out your new function in a satisfactory way.
Knowing your family, it is surely unnecessary for me to emphasize that the first and foremost objective must always be to strengthen and spread true Yiddishkeit in its observance in the daily life, as our Sages said — “The essential thing is the deed.” This is particularly true in the case of young people and students.
With regard to girls, there is also the additional aspect, based on the verse, “All the pride of the king’s daughter is inward,” (Tehillim 45:14). This means the great need to emphasize all aspects of tznius in dress, conduct, etc. Moreover, it has often been pointed out in our holy sources that if one is in doubt as to what activity should have priority, it is sometimes only necessary to consider which one is under the greatest pressure of the yetzer hara. And inasmuch as we have seen recently how busy the yetzer hara has been to undermine tznius in regard to women and girls, this in itself is an indication that this area requires the most urgent effort. To be sure, it is not easy to fight the latest fashions, whatever they may be. Moreover, as mentioned above, G-d does not require the impossible and since he has laid down the rule of “All the pride of the King’s daughter is inward,” it is clear that every Jewish daughter, being a daughter of our Mothers Sarah, Rivkah, Rochel and Leah, has the capacity of not being influenced by alien ideas, alien not only to Yiddishkeit but also to the basic concepts of decency and morality. Strangely enough some mistakenly consider this to be their “freedom” whereas actually it is slavishness.
May G-d grant that you should have good news to report in all above, and that you should be successful in your practical efforts in this area, both within the immediate sphere of your influence as well as beyond.
With blessing,
By, (secretary)
