3026 —הערות על קונקורדנציה תלמודית, הוצאת ספרים, והקלות הלכתיות

B"H, 13 Iyar, 5715.

Brooklyn.

Haraha"g vaharaha"ch iy"a nu"n oseik b'tzt"z tzm"s etc. Moharash"i

Shalom u'Vrachah!

Your letter from Erev Shabbat Parshat Lech Lecha has just been received, as well as your previous letter from several days ago. Yesterday I also received the first volume of the Talmudic concordance. At first glance, in some matters there is a sense of an external technical approach only, without entering into the inner aspects of the topics. Among them are issues that are subject to dispute (in root words and interpretations etc.) without any comment on this. Perhaps the author explained all this in his previous concordance books—on Mishnah and Tosefta—which I have not seen; but it is understood that this is not sufficient, for at all times and especially nowadays one cannot rely on people searching other books for explanations of difficult matters. (It is known that later authorities must explain their statements.) Of course all this is merely a claim as to why things were not done better than they were; but as a practical book for searching for a word or saying of our Sages there may be an advantage to this approach since the searcher does not always know the inner aspects of the topics—and nowadays it is possible he does not even know the meaning of the words and only knows the combination of letters. In any case, thank you very much for your effort in purchasing and sending this book; may its owner be blessed and goodness to its carrier etc. (see Sefer HaMitzvot to tzt"z word Perek Gimmel).

On a related matter: allow me to trouble you with something similar. You surely know about what was discussed by Haraha"ch iy"a nu"n oseik b'tzt"z Harav A. Garadetski regarding sending books published by Mossad HaRav Kook. Until now nothing has come of it, even though Harav A.G. told me he wrote about it to someone who was involved in bringing this about; even though they wrote to Sh.B., Haraha"ch etc., R.A.Z. Slonim that he should take upon himself the effort of packing the books etc., and shipping costs (which will certainly be reimbursed along with great thanks), nevertheless since from here until the Gichon River there are many obstacles etc., I hope you will find an appropriate way to bring this matter to actual fruition; thank you very much in advance.

I was pleased by what you wrote regarding members of Mohara"y’s family from Dribin being inspired to publish his writings that have not yet seen print. It is self-understood that this is a good deed, and surely arrangements will be made so that they also have external beauty—in addition to "This is my G‑d and I will glorify Him," beautifying mitzvot—because given current circumstances this is how many Jews are drawn even just by seeing a book’s appearance before considering its content. For you there is no need for lengthy explanation here. My intention regarding external beauty refers not only to superficialities like printing and paper quality but also features like tabs for sections, comparative notes, references—externalities within internality—and since apparently they consult with you and you have influence over them, surely these matters will also be arranged.

On this note: since his book Ohaley Yosef has long been unavailable on the market—and on the other hand it would not be such an effort to reprint it via photography—perhaps they will also publish this book anew. Surely members of Mohara"y’s family possess the original manuscript as well; indeed several weeks ago I received as a gift from someone in Eretz HaKodesh what he said was Mohara"y’s own handwriting—the author of Ohaley Yosef. When I asked how he obtained it he replied that years ago he bought it from a bookseller but does not recall further details.

Regarding Torat Emet matters: I was pleased by your report that the yeshiva’s situation has improved—including spiritually—in Torah study as well as prayer and fear of Heaven. May it be G‑d’s will that things continue improving and ascend in holiness; this itself will broaden material matters as well—as our Sages say about Eretz HaTzvi (the Land of Israel physically), since materiality derives from spirituality so certainly so regarding Torah and its matters which are Eretz Yisrael spiritually…

About the religious front: obviously it is very worthwhile indeed; regarding your statement that you are among those lacking faith in this area—perhaps now things have changed compared to two years ago when pressure came internally from within charedi parties themselves so their leaders did not want to heed such efforts—but now when pressure comes externally from leftists there is more room for compromise so as not to harm religious affairs in Eretz HaKodesh.

Mazal tov blessings upon your announcement that soon volume six of Encyclopedia Talmudit will appear; may Hashem grant you abundant success with future volumes—the merit of many depends on you.

Incidentally: at this year’s Simchat Beit HaShoeva gathering I reviewed what you wrote in your book Mo’adim BaHalacha and its references—especially regarding water libation—and noticed you omitted Shu”t Avnei Nezer vol II siman 495 (which differs from Gra’s glosses on Tosefta).

I am unsure how useful what I write below will be—but nonetheless I cannot restrain myself—from our Sages’ teaching brought as practical halacha by Rambam: three things cannot be permitted—even if a court permits them (Avodah Zarah 37a; Mamrim 2:8). Yet we find everywhere—even sometimes in Torah journals—that certain rabbis include some leniency or even surprising permissiveness. I do not know who can influence such people—but even if all their published leniencies are one hundred percent correct—besides our Sages’ teaching above (which obviously refers even to proper courts yet still forbade such conduct)—perhaps at least their colleagues could publish letters advocating stringency or prohibition—for surely there are cases where those same rabbis would rule strictly—even Beit Hillel testified they were stringent about some things! Jokingly I said: because these rabbis lean toward leniency—they go so far as specifically finding leniency—even regarding kohanim walking over graves of tzaddikim—even though Mohari”l Mianovitch etc., and as far as I know Polish rebbes too—found no basis for such permission.

Blessings for success—awaiting good news on all above matters,
M. Schneersohn

Summary

The Rebbe emphasizes clarity and completeness in Torah scholarship, encourages both inner depth and attractive presentation when publishing Jewish works, urges persistence despite obstacles in communal projects, and cautions against excessive halachic leniency without balancing perspectives.