2588 —הבהרת עמדתי על כוונה בתפילה ופסקי הלכה

B"H, 13 Nissan, 5714.

Brooklyn.

Haraha"g vavac"h iy"a nu"n etc. Avraham Bardaki

Shalom u'Vrachah!

I acknowledge receipt of your letter from the 26th of Adar Sheini, and I hasten to reply because I was alarmed to read that it is being said in my name that I have ruled—practically speaking—that regarding prayer, if it lacks a specific intent, it is considered a nullified prayer; moreover, some add that this applies also to Birkat HaMazon! In general, I am surprised: why should others issue halachic rulings in my name when they can ask me directly about practical matters? It is already known from our Sages (Bava Basra 130b) that one does not derive rulings until told so explicitly for practical application.

It is true and correct that I have told certain people about the "great importance of kavana in prayer—even among those who are not Chassidim—as explained in the novellae of Reb Chaim of Brisk on Rambam's Laws of Prayer," where he interprets Rambam's words that lacking the intent of standing before G‑d is as if one skipped those words. However, aside from my doubt whether Reb Chaim himself ruled this way practically—since his book is a commentary and not a collection of halachic rulings—and since this ruling is not brought in Shulchan Aruch or by later authorities, nor by Rabbeinu HaZaken (the Alter Rebbe) in his Shulchan Aruch, certainly one should not act this way practically. See also Tanya at the beginning of chapter 38.

Regarding what you wrote about the wording of the Shehecheyanu blessing as printed in the Kehot Haggadah—to say "lazman"—this is indeed the directive of our Rebbeim, and it seems its source is from Rabbeinu HaZaken, author of Tanya and Shulchan Aruch.

With blessings for a kosher and joyous Pesach.

Summary

The Rebbe emphasizes seeking direct guidance for halachic questions rather than relying on hearsay. He clarifies he did not rule that lack of kavana invalidates prayer or Birkat HaMazon and stresses following established halachic sources.