2805 —תפילה עם קטטר ושיקולים הלכתיים

B"H, 12 Tammuz, 5714.

Brooklyn.

Haraha"g vaharaha"ch vavac"h iy"a ossek b'tzt"z etc. Yitzchak Dubav

Shalom u'Vrachah!

Your letter has been received. In these auspicious days, the days of redemption of the Rebbe Rayatz, the head of Israel, may Hashem grant success to each and every one that the body follows the head. From now on, obstacles to spreading Judaism in general—and especially in maintaining and expanding the activities and institutions in which the Rebbe Rayatz toiled—should decrease and be nullified, and we should walk in his ways.

Blessings.

a) Regarding what you wrote about whether this has the status of mey raglayim (urine), since it is taken by catheter from the bladder and therefore: (a) it does not remain in the bladder as usual according to nature and perhaps its quality is not yet complete; (b) it does not exit through the organ (for certainly the law would be the same if the catheter went directly from the bladder outside)—one can bring support for this from an opposite case in Makhshirin (6:7), even though they come out clean—see there. Furthermore, even without this reasoning it is permitted, as I noted in my previous letter to Pri Megadim etc. It is surprising that you write that among them it was simply forbidden. After I wrote this I found in Sefer Melamed Leho'il—responsa by Rabbi Hoffman of Berlin—Orach Chaim section 7—that he permits as above, even though he did not mention my first reason at all.

b) The explanation of Zohar I (4a) "Man Menachon..." as cited in Tanya chapter 11 is based on analyzing the word "mahapkhin," meaning that the evil itself is transformed—which refers to tzaddik gamur. The negative interpretation in this Zohar passage—see Likkutei Torah Chukas (61d)—is based on Ramaz's explanation there (as noted in Likkutei Torah), which is about sweetening the kelipot through Torah and mitzvos; this applies and is necessary for every person, obviously. See also Torah Or Miketz 42a and discourses in Derech Mitzvosecha vol. II for Parshas Mishpatim Pri Megadim.

Summary

The Rebbe addresses practical halachic concerns about davening with a catheter, referencing sources that permit it and encouraging perseverance in spreading Judaism despite obstacles. He also clarifies mystical concepts from Tanya regarding transformation of evil through Torah observance.