370 —מחלוקת על אפיית לחם הפנים בשבת, ועידוד להדפסת ספרי חסידות

B"H, 25 Sivan, 5708.

Vehavach iy"a num etc. Mehoramam Margalit

Shalom u'Vrachah!

In response to your question regarding what is written in the Rosh's commentary on Tamid (31b) that there is an opinion that baking the Lechem HaPanim overrides Shabbos, and you ask who holds this view. The dispute is found in Menachos (95b), and as explained in Tosafos s.v. "Ela deTavra," one who taught that baking the Lechem HaPanim is done inside (the Temple) did not teach that its baking overrides Shabbos. According to this explanation, there are three opinions: (a) Even baking does not override Shabbos (as in the plain Mishnah after the dispute there, 100b); (b) Baking overrides Shabbos but not kneading and shaping—and both these opinions are brought anonymously in the Mishnah; (c) All acts of preparing Lechem HaPanim override Shabbos—this is Rabbi Yehuda's opinion there.

However, according to Rambam (Hilchos Temidin uMusafin 5:7, Yad), who rules that baking Lechem HaPanim is done inside and does not override Shabbos, it can be said that there is no Tannaic dispute here; all agree that baking does not override Shabbos, as in the plain Mishnah there (see Lechem Mishneh on Rambam there and Tosefos Yom Tov Menachos ch.11 mishna 2). But this is not Tosafos' view as mentioned above. Similarly, Radak (Shmuel I, ch.21) writes that according to Rabbi Yehuda, baking does override Shabbos. See also Radak and Yalkut Shimoni there, where Doeg and David disagreed about this (and according to the Jerusalem Talmud Sanhedrin ch.10 halacha 2—further investigation needed).

It would seem difficult: for those who say baking Lechem HaPanim overrides Shabbos, it must be baked specifically on Shabbos—otherwise it would become invalid by being left overnight; for those who disagree, it must be baked before Shabbos. So how could there be uncertainty about this law when it was a weekly occurrence since Moshe Rabbeinu's days? As asked elsewhere (Jerusalem Talmud Pesachim 86a; see Yesod HaMishnah by R. Margaliot). It can be said that there was always a dispute about this and in each generation they ruled according to the Sanhedrin of their time (as our Sages said—Rosh Hashanah 25: you have only the judge of your days). Doeg was head of Beis Din—as Rashi explains on I Samuel 14: "the mighty among shepherds." David's halachah was accepted everywhere (Sanhedrin 93b). Therefore when both were together in Nov, the question arose again whether baking Lechem HaPanim overrides Shabbos or not.

The reason this dispute is not counted among those before Beis Shammai and Beis Hillel (Jerusalem Talmud Chagigah ch.2 halacha 2) is because each time it was decided by majority rule; unlike other disputes which remained unresolved. And that's sufficient for now.

On this occasion I express my confidence that just as you yourself were inspired to print one unique book from our holy Rebbeim at your own expense, so too without doubt you will generously encourage your acquaintances and friends also to print books from our Rebbeim at their own expense to benefit many people. The great merit of those who do such things certainly needs no explanation. My intent here is only to further encourage you in this campaign as much as possible.

If you make proper efforts in this matter, surely your efforts will bear fruit and you will succeed in finding suitable donors worthy of such a great merit.

I hope to hear good news from you regarding all of the above in actual practice and wish you all blessings.

Summary

The Rebbe analyzes a complex halachic debate about baking Lechem HaPanim on Shabbos and uses it as an opportunity to encourage printing Chassidic texts for public benefit—a deed with immense spiritual merit.