2289 —העדר התעסקות עם כותבים בעתונים וערך השתיקה

B"H, 9 Kislev, 5714.

Brooklyn.

Haraha"ch vavac"h iy"a nu"n oseik b'tzt"z Moreinu Reb Shlomo Matsov

Shalom u'Vrachah!

I hereby acknowledge receipt of your letters from the 3rd and 11th of Kislev. Regarding Almalich and the newspaper, I received a letter from him with a copy of the newspaper excerpt, and he writes to me that he relies on me to deny the matters, etc. It appears that he did not have dealings with newspaper writers, who are exempt when they harm others, etc. It is better to avoid involvement with them if possible.

In our case, since a considerable amount of time has already passed since the article appeared and it seems no one paid attention to it, silence is preferable for several reasons.

Of course, I will answer him directly from here regarding his letter, and I am writing this to your honor—that if you speak with him again about this matter, it would be appropriate for you to explain to him yourself what was clarified above.

I was pleased by what you wrote about studying shechitah (ritual slaughter), as in general it is a good suggestion. It should be considered that if possible they should be required to study for some time beforehand at Tomchei Temimim in Bruna as preparation for this. As explained in many places, a shochet must be especially G‑d-fearing, and studying the inner dimension of Torah—which is Chassidus (with emphasis on study and not just recitation)—is what brings one to fear of Hashem.

I will discuss this with Haraha"g Haraha"ch iy"a nu"n oseik b'tzt"z Moreinu Baruch Eliyahu Gorodetzki since he was present there, and he will certainly receive specific instructions from him regarding the above.

Enclosed is a general letter for Yud-Tes Kislev, the upcoming Festival of Redemption. Certainly it will be publicized appropriately; how good it would be to print it. Then send here as usual some copies.

With blessings for success in your holy work and proper health for you and all your family members.

Summary

The Rebbe teaches that avoiding disputes with those who harm others through media is wise; often silence is best when no further attention is drawn. He also stresses proper spiritual preparation—especially through Chassidus study—for those learning shechitah.