213 —משוב ותיקונים על הביוגרפיה של אדמו"ר הזקן

B"H, Monday, 17th of Adar I, 5706.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

To Haraha"g vavac"h iy"a nu"m etc. Mahar"sh Galitzenshtein

Shalom u'Vrachah!

I will begin by apologizing for not acknowledging receipt of your gift—your book "HaRav" (the biography of the Alter Rebbe)—sooner. Due to the many preoccupations with printing the tzt"z, in addition to other printing matters and daily work at Merkaz L'Inyanei Chinuch and Machane Yisrael, I have only responded during this time to the most urgent letters. Especially regarding your book, I wanted to review it in its entirety and note what, in my opinion, needs correction; therefore, I postponed this until a freer time without these distractions. I hope you will judge me favorably both regarding the delay in my letter and regarding my comments.

I will begin by thanking you for your book which you honored me with. I was pleased to see it, as there has long been a lack of a booklet written in an accessible style about the biography of the Alter Rebbe that also gives a non-superficial sense of his personality and inspires readers to want to learn more details about his teachings, approach, and accomplishments. After asking your forgiveness, while your book meets the first requirement well, I did not find anything aimed at the second goal. To clarify: if there were a special chapter about the books of the Alter Rebbe with a brief description (two or three lines) of each book's content—when a reader sees such a list including: precise wording of the Siddur (every word), Luach Birkat HaNehenin (in laws relevant to all and written in an appropriate style), Shulchan Aruch (especially Hilchot Niddah and Kuntres Acharon), Tanya (whose first and third parts can serve as models for mussar works; part two is an example for philosophical inquiry; part four is about Ahavas Yisrael), Torah Or and Likkutei Torah (his Chabad approach), Kuntres Acharon in Tanya and his own language in Torah Or (Kabbalah)—such a list with brief explanations would declare: here is a wondrous man. Also missing from your book is a list of sources upon which you relied; aside from other reasons, this too would serve that second goal.

But what troubles me most are the errors within it. I do not know if it makes any difference for a second edition or another correction method; nonetheless, I am copying here most—but not all—of my notes on details that need correction in my opinion, hoping you will not take offense.

I will write according to page numbers:

Page 5: "Shneur...the sun and moon." This phrase is not at all Chassidic style; if it is received from a reliable source we accept it, but elsewhere it appears differently—see tzt"z's letter printed in the introduction to Derech Mitzvosecha and what is written in Beit Rabbi quoting R. Menachem Nachum of Chernobyl. For general information about the birth of the Alter Rebbe see Kuntres Chicago Sicha D.

Page 8: Mathematical riddle—it is unclear what riddle belongs here; rather it's an issue of calculation.

Page 15: That the Baal Shem Tov had a cheder...and Sefer HaKuzari etc.—very puzzling and does not fit at all with the Baal Shem Tov's conduct or his approach to gathering students; I do not know any source for this (with the Alter Rebbe there was such an order—see Sicha Yud-Tes Kislev 93 section 22).

Page 19: That they offered the Alter Rebbe to fill HaMagid's place—incorrect considering the relationship between the Alter Rebbe and all students toward R. Avraham HaMalach and R. Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk as known from letters and pidyonot nefesh; see also HaTamim vol. II p.45.

Page 20: That Baal Shem Tov sent his brother-in-law instead to Eretz Yisrael—it requires clarification from Ginzei Nistarot where it seems evident from letters between Baal Shem Tov and his brother-in-law that he was already in Eretz Yisrael when Baal Shem Tov wanted to travel there.

Page 34: The wedding in Zhlobin in 5547 (1787) was then also the first debate! (- It was actually his daughter's wedding; at that time he was only thirteen!) See Mekhtav Avot HaChassidut (HaTamim vol IV) and Kuntres Chicago Sicha G regarding the great debate in Minsk in 5543 (1783).

Page 36: Because those who reveal secrets etc.—perhaps it's worth adding that according to halacha one reverses excommunication etc. (also on p.23).

Page 40: That Admor HaZaken traveled to meet Vilna Gaon in 5552–3—see letter printed in Beit Rabbi ch.12 showing he traveled together with RMM—not afterward—so this was before 5538—and Vilna Gaon refused to meet them etc.

Page 47: Under leadership of RMM of Vitebsk—he passed away about ten years earlier.

Page 50: Close to passing away—see Sicha Chaf Kislev 93 sections v–t that it was several hours before passing away; explanation is brought there too.

Page 69: When "the Rav returned home..."—in HaTamim vol.I p.37 this happened while still in Piena.

Page 71: Where does it say one must say "V'Shamru"? It is written—in several places including AriZal's writings etc.; see also Piskei Hasiddur sec.266.

Page 73: On Motzaei Shabbat—they traveled on Friday as Admor HaEmtza'i wrote in his letter printed at end of Beit Rabbi vol.I.

Page 78: Left Russia...time came at start of Tevet...needs correction per Admor HaEmtza'i's letter above.

I repeat that I write all this hoping you will not take offense, relying on what our sages said—as quoted by tzt"z in his letter now printed in Kuntres tzt"z vehaHaskalah (most also printed in Beit Rabbi): Love scholars—and truth more than all.

Summary

The Rebbe values scholarly work but stresses accuracy when writing biographies about tzaddikim like the Alter Rebbe. Constructive feedback helps ensure future editions are both readable and true to their subject’s greatness.