O thou handmaid of God! In this day, to thank God for His bounties
consisteth in possessing a radiant heart, and a soul open to the
promptings of the spirit. This is the essence of thanksgiving.
As for offering thanks by speaking out or writing, although this is indeed
acceptable, yet when compared with that other thanksgiving, it is only a
semblance and unreal; for the essential thing is these intimations of the
spirit, these emanations from the deep recess of the heart. It is my hope
that thou wilt be favoured therewith.
Regarding one's lack of capacity and one's undeserving on the Day of
Resurrection, this does not cause one to be shut out from gifts and
bounties; for this is not the Day of Justice but the Day of Grace, while
justice is allotting to each whatever is his due. Then look thou not at
the degree of thy capacity, look thou at the boundless favour of
Baha'u'llah; all-encompassing is His bounty, and consummate His grace.
I ask of God that with His assistance and strong support thou mayest teach
the inner meanings of the Torah with eloquence, understanding, vigour and
skill. Turn thy face toward the Kingdom of God, ask for the bestowals of
the Holy Spirit, speak, and the confirmations of the Spirit will come.
As for that mighty solar orb which thou didst behold in thy dream, that
was the Promised One, and its spreading rays were His bounties, and the
translucent surface of the mass of water signifieth hearts that are
undefiled and pure, while the surging waves denote the great excitement of
those hearts and the fact that they were shaken and deeply moved, that is,
the waves are the stirrings of the spirit and holy intimations of the
soul. Praise thou God that in the world of the dream thou hast witnessed
such disclosures.
With reference to what is meant by an individual becoming entirely
forgetful of self: the intent is that he should rise up and sacrifice
himself in the true sense, that is, he should obliterate the promptings of
the human condition, and rid himself of such characteristics as are worthy
of blame and constitute the gloomy darkness of this life on earth--not that
he should allow his physical health to deteriorate and his body to become
infirm.
I do earnestly and humbly supplicate at the Holy Threshold that heavenly
blessings and divine forgiveness will encompass thy dear mother, as well
as thy loving sisters and relatives. Especially do I pray on behalf of thy
betrothed, who hath suddenly hastened away from this world into the next.