1189 —ברכה לאפשערעניש והדרכה על אתרוג באוסטרליה

B"H, 12 Elul, 5711.

Brooklyn.

Haraha"g veHaraha"ch vavac"h iy"a nu"n oseik b'tzt"z etc. Asher Abramson

Shalom u'Vrachah!

In response to your notification that on the 8th of Elul your son Mordechai Zev ben Rizel, grandson of Chaim Shneur Zalman, turned three years old, I hereby express my blessing that his parents should raise him to Torah, marriage, and good deeds with abundance.

This is the wording of my father-in-law, the Previous Rebbe, regarding the haircut at age three: "... Regarding cutting the hair—upsherenish—it is a significant matter in Jewish custom. Its main point is in educating to leave the peyos (side locks) of the head. From the day of cutting and leaving the peyos, it is customary to accustom the child to wearing tzitzis and reciting morning blessings, Birkat HaMazon, and Shema before bed. May Hashem help that you raise him to Torah, marriage, and good deeds with ample livelihood and peace of mind both materially and spiritually."

Signed with wishes for a good and sweet year,
M. Schneerson

P.S.: Regarding what you mentioned in your letter about being unsure if one fulfills the mitzvah of Four Species in your country—since the government decreed that any fruit brought into Australia without a health certificate is confiscated, but an official personally allows owners to keep it during the holiday on condition it be returned for destruction after—this has long been permitted there. You are concerned that since by law the fruit is forbidden to eat and must be destroyed, but only due to personal leniency by an official can it be kept temporarily—therefore there is neither ownership nor permission to eat it.

There isn't time now to elaborate fully, but in my opinion there is no reason for concern here; I will mention just two reasons: (a) The prohibition does not apply specifically to the etrog itself but rather to its location. For example: Is one allowed to make a blessing on an etrog in the Beis HaMikdash (Temple), where eating non-sacred food is forbidden? From a straightforward reading of the Mishnah it clearly appears they did bless over etrog and lulav even in the Temple—the reason being that it's not that the etrog itself is forbidden for eating but that non-sacred food may not be eaten there. Similarly here: The etrog does not require burning; rather, in Australia it is forbidden to keep foreign fruit without certification.

(b) It is clear this remains property (ownership) for many purposes—for example: If the owner wanted to leave Australia with his etrog he would certainly be allowed to take it with him; likewise regarding eating: If immediately upon bringing it into Australia someone wished to destroy it by eating (assuming he accepts responsibility for his health), they would likely permit him.

Summary

The Rebbe blesses a child at his upsherenish and shares guidance from previous generations about its importance. He also clarifies that using an etrog under Australian import restrictions remains valid for mitzvah purposes due to technicalities of ownership and local law.