Appreciation for material sent concerning the Rebbe Rashab and a request for more of such material; clarification regarding the halachic points mentioned in HaYom Yom

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Appreciation for a donation that allowed the publication of Kuntreis Etz HaChayim; the importance of positive speech and how printing sacred texts contributes toward that purpose

No. 236

This letter was addressed to R. Zev Greenglass, one of the leading members of the chassidic community in Montreal.

B"H, Friday, 29 Sivan, 5706, Brooklyn

Greetings and blessings,

In response to your letters:

1. I am amazed that you did not send a positive reply to the request of Rabbi Quint who wrote to you in my name. I am surrounded by pressing concerns and I do not have the time to answer everyone at the time he desires. I assumed that you would desire that it is preferable that the reply to your letters and the like wait so that the publication of printed matter and the preparation for future printings continue, for this is to the benefit of people at large.

2. I do not know Mr. Arlin's[438] address. Therefore I have enclosed a letter to him. Please see that it is delivered to him together with the enclosed kuntreis. Discuss among yourselves, which of you - yourself or R. Leib Kramer - should deliver it to him.

3. I hope that Mr. Arlin will understand all that was written in my letter. If necessary, I am sure you will add explanation with regard to the points that must be clarified. Perhaps it is desirable to hold a small dinner in honor of the occasion so that those who attend will be jealous of [Mr.] Arlin and emulate his example. Rely on your own judgment.

3. I am sure you will endeavor to collect from [Mr.] Arlin everything due us and send it as soon as possible because the printer is pressing. Similarly, send everything that you receive from Mr. Dalfon,[439] what you receive from R. Leib Kramer for his debt, as well as your own debt. Are there any developments with regard to donors for publications?

4. In Shanghai, they already printed Derech Mitzvosecha, Shaar HaCollel, and the Siddur Torah Or. I had desired to include notes and additions to all of the above, but I do not know if they will send [the texts] here unbound as I instructed. [If that is done,] we will print the additions here and bind them together.

5. At present, the following texts are at the printers: Kovetz Lubavitch, Vol. IX, the sichos associated with Mr. Dalfon (the conclusion has not, however, been typeset, so the publication date is still indefinite), Sefer HaMaamarim Yiddish (from Kuntreis 43 and the maamarim printed in HaKeriah VehaKedushah), the first two volumes of Our People, and a collection of stories in English.

6. What progress has been made with regard to having the students subscribe to the Shmuessen?

7. The sichos of Yud-Tes Kislev from this year are still in the possession of my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe Shlita. Therefore I cannot fulfill your request in this regard.

8. The two stories from the records of my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe Shlita, which were not included in Toras Shalom [are] on a separate document. Rav Avraham Paris will copy them together with two other stories for a select group. At present, I have not found the letter concerning [allowing young children to study] in the synagogues.[440] With regard to the manuscript, I will send it in the near future as I promised.

9. Thank you for sending the list of the texts of Chassidus printed in Eretz Yisrael.

10. I hope that in the near future, I will have free time to be involved with preparing the Alter Rebbe's Hilchos Netilas Yodayim and Bircas HaNehenim for print, together with the sources, as is the desire of my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe Shlita. Perhaps some of the notes of R. Avraham David Lavut[441] on this subject are found in your community or perhaps you have some texts that would help in the above. Please notify me in the near future about the above.

To conclude with what I wrote to another person last week:[442]

In the Torah reading, with regard to the verse:[443] "Aharon did so," our Sages comment[444] (as quoted in Rashi's commentary): "This relates the praise of Aharon that he did not deviate [from Moshe's instructions]." In his Likkutei Torah, the AriZal explains why in this instance specifically, the Torah tells us that Aharon did not deviate [from the instructions]. For in fact, it appears that he did deviate. Moshe was commanded:[445] "The seven lamps shall cast light toward the face of the menorah." [This appears to imply even] at the beginning of the kindling of the lamps. And yet with regard to Aharon, it is written:443 "He caused the lamps to rise toward the face of the menorah," i.e., [the verse could be interpreted as meaning that only] after the flame ascended [were they pointed toward the face of the menorah]. Therefore [Rashi] explains that he did not deviate from [Moshe's] instructions and immediately at the outset, the lamps were kindled toward the face of the menorah. He adds that after the flame ascended, [the lamps] continued to burn in this manner. [Making] this addition was praiseworthy. This concludes the [AriZal's] explanation.

It is possible to offer an explanation according to Chassidus: At the beginning of one's Divine service ("there is no Divine service like the service of love,"[446] [and Aharon's Divine service is as] a priest, a man of kindness and love), it is still easy to direct it "toward the face of the menorah," [for it to match] the true intent of the mitzvos. After the flame has arisen, i.e., one is in the midst of a powerful yearning and finds several reasons and manners to express this yearning, it is possible to miss the intent[447] and yet think that this is the will of He who commanded [the mitzvos] and not one's own reasoning. Therefore it is necessary for there to be an extra dimension of care and kabbalas ol. This is the praiseworthy quality of Aharon, that he draws down great love to the souls of the Jewish people in a [steady,] unchanging manner.

With the blessing "Immediately to teshuvah; immediately to Redemption,"

Rabbi Menachem Schneerson

Chairman of the Executive Committee

The order of mentioning names in a dedication (first that of the parents [and then that of the donor]), I learned from a hint given by my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe Shlita.

With regard to your questions: With regard to questions that involve actual conduct: It is a great general principle to first clarify if there is an existing tradition concerning the matter. [With regard to the matter at hand,] one must clarify with the elder Chabad chassidim in Eretz Yisrael concerning tefillin and their size. Perhaps when I am able to free myself from the preparation of maamarim of Chassidus for print, I will be able to clarify the matter [through researching some] texts.

With regard to your second question [when to remove tefillin on Rosh Chodesh]: I am sending you a copy (on the condition that you return it) of what I have already answered with regard to this question.[448]

The customs which are printed in HaYom Yom and the Haggadah are directives for people at large according to [the instructions of] my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe Shlita, with the exception of those that explicitly say: "the custom of the Rebbe" or "the custom of the Rebbeim's household." In such instances, every person should clarify how he should conduct himself.

All of the new points in the Siddur Torah Or which was printed here are based on the directives of my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe Shlita. With regard to those matters which were not changed, I did not ask him, with the exception of several points concerning which I had doubts.

   

Notes:

438. (Back to text) [See the following letter which thanks him for sponsoring the publication of Kuntreis Etz HaChayim.]

439. (Back to text) [See Letters No. 208 and 213.]

440. (Back to text) [See Igros Kodesh of the Rebbe Rayatz, Vol. VIII, Letter No. 2281. In that letter, the Previous Rebbe criticizes the gabbaim of certain synagogues for refusing to allow their buildings to be used for outreach activities for Jewish youth.]

441. (Back to text) [The author of Shaar HaCollel and Kav Naki, and the Rebbe's grandfather.]

442. (Back to text) [See Letter No. 232.]

443. (Back to text) [Bamidbar 8:3.]

444. (Back to text) [Sifri to the verse.]

445. (Back to text) [Ibid.:2.]

446. (Back to text) [See Zohar, Vol. II, p. 55b; Vol. III, p. 267a; Likkutei Torah, Bamidbar, p. 42c.]

447. (Back to text) Note that with regard to the sacrifice of an offering ([the Divine service of] yearning), even if one slaughtered the animal with the proper intent, he must also receive the blood with the proper intent.

448. (Back to text) [See Letter No. 195.]

Appreciation for material sent concerning the Rebbe Rashab and a request for more of such material; clarification regarding the halachic points mentioned in HaYom Yom

Table of contents

Search this book:

Appreciation for a donation that allowed the publication of Kuntreis Etz HaChayim; the importance of positive speech and how printing sacred texts contributes toward that purpose