The Asufa Auction House advertised the sale of a rare letter Rav Aharon Leib Shteinman wrote in 1941 to his close friend, Rav Moshe Soloveichik. At the time, he was concerned that he might be returned to a Swiss work camp after spending time in a sanatorium with a lung infection.
“At any rate, “many are the thoughts [in a man’s heart],”and whatever happens will be suitable and good,” he wrote. “Do not be concerned for me, for as you know, it is my nature not to be bothered by such things.”
Rav Shteinman then discussed whether such bitachon might be wrong. Perhaps he should examine his deeds in order not to contravene the posuk, “You shall cut out the blockage of your hearts and no longer harden your necks (Devorim10:16).”According to the Smak (SeferMitzvosKoton), this is a mitzvas asei, he noted.
Rav Shteinman continued the letter in another town with good tidings.
“In the meanwhile, many new good things have happened,” he wrote. “I just received a letter from the central management saying that because I was in [the sanatorium at] Lezin, I may be sick.Therefore, they want me to send them a doctor’s certificate regarding my health. How can I thank Hashem for His many kindnesses? I never mentioned anything about my health and they asked about it of their own initiative. I hope to get a certificate and may Hashem help save me.”
{Matzav.com Israel News Bureau}