506 —נטילת ידיים בט"ב ויוהכ"פ, הפסקות בפסוקי דזמרה

B"H, 23 Tammuz, 5709.

Vavac"h iy"a nu"m etc. Nachum Labkowski

Shalom u'Vrachah!

In response to your letter (my reply was delayed for a reason; please forgive me):

a) Regarding Reb Y. Lipsker — On the day I received your letter I met him, and he said that just a few days ago he wrote to us about everything happening with him and his family for good. His address is at the bottom of the letter.

b) What is the measure for Netilas Yadayim in the morning on Tisha B'Av and Yom Kippur? Although Admor HaZaken rules in his Shulchan Aruch (Siman 613:2) that one washes up to the knuckles on Yom Kippur, it seems you are uncertain about practical halacha since our Rebbe in his Siddur was stringent that Netilas Yadayim in the morning should reach up to where the hand joins "the bone of the arm," as that's where impurity spreads. If so, it would seem that even on Tisha B'Av and Yom Kippur one should wash up to the bone of the arm. The proof from Tisha B'Av and Yom Kippur regarding this measure has already been hinted at by Magen Avraham (Siman 4:27; see also Mishnah Berurah 4:9). Therefore, they differentiated regarding Netilas Yadayim throughout the year between ideal circumstances and pressing situations (see Shulchan Aruch Admor HaZaken there; Shaarei Teshuvah quoting Shalmei Tzibur; Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 2:3; Mishnah Berurah 4:9; see also Pri Megadim). But in writings cited by Magen Avraham and Ba'er Hetev, it is simply written that one should wash up to the elbow joint. This is also implied somewhat in our Rebbe's Siddur — though on Tisha B'Av and Yom Kippur one only washes up to the knuckles. This is also how my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe shlita, instructed. I saw a reason (I do not recall now which book) [later note: I found it again in Mikdash Melech on Zohar II p.173a] that on Yom Kippur there isn't such dominance of impurity, so when one wakes up it only rests until the knuckles. Similarly, on Tisha B'Av due to spiritual weakness it does not desire so much to rest (see Shulchan Aruch Admor HaZaken second edition at its end), so it only spreads until the knuckles — this reasoning makes sense. The same applies regarding wearing shoes, which is forbidden both on Yom Kippur and Tisha B'Av. Regarding Yom Kippur — see Likkutei Torah Shir HaShirim "Mah yafu" s.s.g.; Pri Etz Chaim for Yom Kippur ch.4 (quoted in Nagid U'Mitzvah); Maharik Siman 145 — with some difference regarding Tisha B'Av. Later note: I found again in tzt"z's notes on Eichah: Both Tisha B'Av and Yom Kippur are forbidden in wearing shoes; only that one is due to extra elevation of Malchus above "the level of shoe," while the other is for the opposite reason.

c) Regarding interruptions during Pesukei Dezimra: This is Admor HaZaken's wording in his Siddur: When interrupting for Modim etc., when interrupting for Kaddish etc., during Kedushah say only etc., but additions recited on Shabbos are not part of Kedushah's text and cannot be said where interruption is forbidden. From this I deduced two things: (a) Admor HaZaken equates ending Modim with additions to Kedushah; (b) Where interruption is forbidden these cannot be said — thus even during Pesukei Dezimra this applies. My deduction is strengthened by his closing words there: In Shema and its blessings etc., but during Pesukei Dezimra from Baruch She’amar until Yishtabach one may answer Amen — implying that only here does Pesukei Dezimra differ from Shema’s blessings regarding interruptions (perhaps because Amen itself resembles song — see Shulchan Aruch Admor HaZaken 51:5). Even though perhaps a different inference could be drawn from his Shulchan Aruch (as follows), still his Siddur is later authority as known (and cited also in Mishnayos tzt"z p.46b). Still I hesitated somewhat since it seems Admor HaZaken rarely introduces new rulings not found among earlier authorities even if derived from precise language (like Rif’s or Rambam’s customs). This deserves study based on his introduction to Shulchan Aruch; perhaps therefore even in his Siddur he only copied explicit rulings about interruptions during Pesukei Dezimra but not what can be inferred as permitted interruptions.

I have seen people add an interruption for reciting all of Modim based precisely on what our Rebbe writes in Shulchan Aruch Siman 565:5: When interrupting for Modim etc., this suffices etc.; when interrupting for Barechu etc., but not "Yisbarech v’Yishtabach" which are merely custom and even during Pesukei Dezimra one does not interrupt to say them — from which they infer that since he did not write similarly about Modim they permit interruption during Pesukei Dezimra for Modim. Later I found this written explicitly by Ketzos HaShulchan by R’ Chaim Noeh Vol.I Siman 18 citing Eliyah Rabbah.

I have also seen people who say (they claim this was custom of cheder teachers in Poland) all of Modim and all of Kedushah during Pesukei Dezimra; this seems also to be Chayei Adam’s view (Klal 20), as well as Derech HaChaim’s opinion.

Practically — I asked my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe shlita, who told me that during Pesukei Dezimra one may say all of Kedushah’s text and Modim but not Amen from "Yehei Shemei Rabbah Mevorach... Mitkabel" onward.

d) Whether one may interrupt during Pesukei Dezimra to say Baruch Shemei or V’zos HaTorah — I have not seen these mentioned in Sefarim Keneset Yisrael or Shu”t Pri Hasadeh which you referenced — obviously since Admor HaZaken never brings them anywhere we Chabad chassidim do not do so. One of the Temimim told me he heard from my revered father-in-law that we do interrupt for Baruch Shemei; last night I asked my revered father-in-law who told me this is incorrect and we do not interrupt.

By way of note: The source for saying Baruch Shemei is Zohar II p.206a; however it isn’t brought down in Shulchan Aruch nor by Admor HaZaken even though elsewhere he cites Magen Avraham who does bring saying Baruch Shemei there; perhaps Admor HaZaken wrote elsewhere that it did not reach us.

It’s known there are several opinions about saying Baruch Shemei: primarily at Mincha of Shabbos (Ramaz cited by Shaarei Teshuvah Siman 288); at Shabbos morning services (Magen Avraham there citing Ari Zal; see Pri Etz Chaim ch.19 re Shabbos & Shaar Hakavanos & Nagid U’Mitzvah concludes "still there’s no prohibition against saying it even weekdays"); similarly at Mincha of Shabbos (Nitzotzei Orot Zohar ibid); some say it also at Torah reading festivals & weekdays (Pri Megadim Siman 282; Ba’er Hetev citing Ari Zal ibid.; Shaarei Teshuvah ibid.). Accordingly those who permit interruption during Pesukei Dezimra distinguish between Baruch Shemei said on Shabbos or festivals versus weekdays as expected.

With best wishes for all good things,
Rabbi Menachem Schneerson

Summary

This letter clarifies halachic practices regarding Netilas Yadayim on fast days like Tisha B'Av and Yom Kippur—washing only up to the knuckles—and details when interruptions are allowed during Pesukei Dezimra according to Chabad custom, emphasizing adherence to established sources.