נסיעה באניה היהודית 'ירושלים' ושמירת שבת

B"H, 2 Elul, 5713.

Brooklyn.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

Your letter informing me about your successful journey to Eretz HaKodesh, may it be built and established, reached me today. Since the ship you are traveling on has already left New York, I must send a letter via my office in Paris to quickly notify you that the ship "Yerushalayim," which you plan to board in Marseilles, is a Jewish ship with a Jewish crew. It is forbidden to travel on it during Shabbat or even to be present on it during Shabbat and benefit from work performed on Shabbat.

According to the information I have received, this ship will leave Marseilles on Thursday or Friday of this coming week and will arrive in Haifa only after Shabbat; therefore, this journey involves desecrating Shabbat. If you have no alternative ship available for your journey to Eretz HaKodesh, perhaps it is possible—and necessary—for you to travel by another means (train or airplane) to Naples for Shabbat and from there continue your journey on the same ship "Yerushalayim," which I have heard leaves Naples (Neaples) on Sunday.

Certainly, you will not be satisfied with saving yourself and your wife from desecrating Shabbat; perhaps you can also inform other G‑d-fearing people who might otherwise desecrate Shabbat simply due to lack of knowledge.

With blessings for a good inscription and sealing.

In the name of the Rebbe shlita

Summary

The Rebbe stresses the importance of avoiding any involvement in Shabbat desecration when traveling, especially on a Jewish-operated vessel. He encourages seeking alternate routes if necessary and sharing this information with others who may not realize the issue.