3318 —על רישום זכרונות, מסורת משפטית יהודית, וצדק מונע

B"H, First of Rosh Chodesh Adar, 5715.

Brooklyn, NY.

Mechuv haVavach iy"a nu"n maskil al davar tov ish rav pe'alim ba'al mada'im anaf etz avot etc. Moreinu HaRav Gad Frumkin Jerusalem T.V.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

I was pleased to receive your letter from the 24th of Tevet (the yahrzeit of our Rebbe the Alter Rebbe, author of Tanya and Shulchan Aruch), as well as your book "A Judge's Path in Jerusalem." Thank you very much for this gift.

As I believe I have already written to you, it is extremely important and precious to record memories of earlier times—especially in our generation when there is a movement claiming that our history begins now. Some say this about all details; others about significant aspects of our lives. What they share is a disregard for the past—seeing it as a burden to be discarded as soon as possible. It is difficult to elaborate on such a painful matter, and surely it is unnecessary for someone like yourself.

Regarding your note about my addressing you as "mechutani" (relative by marriage) at the start of my previous letter: I rely here on my father-in-law, the Rebbe (of blessed memory), who also wrote so—as far as I recall. According to Mr. Salomon's book from your family members, there are several with the surname Frumkin; perhaps this is the connection.

Finally and most importantly: regarding your notification that your grandson Alon Yaakov has reached bar mitzvah—may his parents raise him to Torah, marriage, and good deeds; may you see true Jewish nachas from him in the spirit of Israel Saba.

Especially since, as you write, his son-in-law is the State Prosecutor—whose role seems to be fulfilling the mitzvah "uve'arta hara mikirbecha" (and you shall remove evil from your midst). But its deeper meaning—in the spirit of Israel Saba—is through educating minds so that people do not come to commit crime or sin at all. This is like "kol hamachalah... lo asim alecha ki ani Hashem rofecha" (all illness... I will not place upon you for I am Hashem your healer)—meaning preventive medicine from the outset; so too with healing souls, as Rambam elaborates in his Eight Chapters.

Our Sages already explained their view in Tanna Devei Eliyahu Rabbah: The true work of the Sanhedrin was not just waiting for sinners to be brought before them for judgment according to Torah law; rather "they should go out with iron chains around their waists and raise their garments above their knees and travel through all Israel's towns—one day in Lachish, one day in Beit El, one day in Chevron, one day in Jerusalem—and teach Israel... so that G‑d's name will be magnified and sanctified throughout all worlds He created from one end to another" (chapter 11).

Therefore the Mishnah (Makkot ch.1) says that a Sanhedrin that executes once in seven years—and Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah says even once in seventy years—is called destructive—even though this refers to a valid Sanhedrin. My father-in-law elaborated on this at length in his talk Shabbat Teshuvah 5690 (1930), printed in Likkutei Dibburim section 18.

With honor and blessing—the one who seeks your welfare for good news.

Enclosed is the booklet published regarding Yud Shevat—the yahrzeit of my father-in-law—in a new edition which will surely interest you.

Summary

The Rebbe emphasizes preserving historical memory against trends that dismiss tradition and highlights Judaism’s focus on education and prevention over punishment—teaching that true justice uplifts society by proactively guiding people toward good rather than merely punishing wrongdoing.