3681 —הערות לרבי אברהם אהרן פרייס על משנת אברהם על ספר חסידים

B"H, 29 Tammuz, 5715.

Brooklyn.

Haraha"g vavac"h iy"a nu"n oseik b'tzt"z ish rav pe'alim Moreinu HaRav Avraham Aharon Price

Shalom u'Vrachah!

I acknowledge receipt of your letter along with the book, Sefer Chassidim with your commentary Mishnas Avrohom. Although I have not yet had sufficient time to study it properly, out of affection for the matter and as a sign of thanks and appreciation, I glanced through its pages and am therefore sending you some brief notes as mentioned above. Many thanks for this gift; I would be doubly grateful if you would instruct those who fulfill your wishes to also send your other books.

In a separate package, several of our publications are being sent to you, which will surely interest you and are most fitting in content.

With honor and blessing.

General notes:

a. Our era is unfortunately not like previous generations—there was relative tranquility then, without upheaval and similar challenges. Torah and its books held the most important place in every home (even among those who did not understand what was written in them), while all other matters were willingly set aside for them. Therefore now, in my opinion, it is a mitzvah and obligation upon every publisher of books in Torah and mitzvos, fear of Heaven, etc., to print them in a way that is convenient for use—easy to carry from home to home or to a small library room. Any lack in user-friendliness may prevent some people from acquiring or studying/reading the book. We must not give up even on these people—as it is written: "For you do not know which will succeed," and perhaps it will be good seed. And although your effort in producing this book with excellence—internally (by preparing indexes etc.) and externally (the letters, paper etc.)—is commendable, the format of the book is greatly at odds with what I described above. I have seen this myself regarding the difference in distribution between books published by Kehot in large format versus smaller format.

b. The Bologna edition of Sefer Chassidim became well known among Israel and was accepted and referenced by both early and later authorities. It is obvious that whenever there is a contradiction or change, practical halachic decisions should follow this edition rather than other manuscripts—which should be used only for clarification etc., especially since Bologna is considered the later edition. Therefore, an edition of Sefer Chassidim intended also for practical halachah must specifically follow the Bologna printing (restoring omissions from Zanzar etc.), even though it is very beneficial to bring changes from other manuscripts for explanation purposes.

* * *

Tzava'ah section 61 (in your edition): See also the ruling of Admor tzt"z on Shulchan Aruch Yoreh De'ah section 16; Responsa Tzafnat Paneach by the Rogatchover Gaon section 128.

Regarding listing mothers' names for chuppah/kiddushin: see Sdei Chemed entry chuppah/kiddushin section 10.

In your commentary on section Aleph: You elaborated on defining "chassid." In Mekitzei Nirdamim's edition with notes to section 975 he brings many sources from Shas and Rishonim where this title appears; see also Shaarei Kedusha by Rav Chaim Vital at end of part one. In my opinion all this does not apply here (unlike sections 975–976), because here the author does not intend at all to define what a chassid is; rather he uses it as a borrowed term including all G‑d-fearing people—even those who are not technically chassidim according to its precise definition. For he addresses all those who fear G‑d and think upon His Name—and writes this book for all of them. What he writes about "a chassid whose heart goes..." does not serve at all to define what a chassid or chassidus is; rather his point is: There are great chassidim in Torah and deeds; there are others who desire this but have neither received from their teacher nor understood themselves—so they lack action too—and are punished even for that: "Therefore I said I will write a book," for their sake.

Section Yud-Tes: Regarding kerias haTorah—see Tzafnat Paneach on Rambam Hilchos Tefillah chapter 12.

Section Kuf-Mem-Tes: Manifest/hidden aspects in blessings' texts—see Zohar III p.289a; Tikkunei Zohar p.339; Sefer HaBahir pp.183–184; also works cited in R.A.'s notes ^[3] Margaliot ^[4] there ^[5]. Add also (and to your own citations): Shibolei HaLeket Hashalem section 165; Pri Etz Chaim II end of parshas Pinchas; Likkutei Torah by Admor Hazaken parshas Massei (91b).

At end of book section Taf-Resh: The sin involved here can simply be explained as moving muktzeh (and eating it) or breaking a knot—see also Mishnas Chassidim's notes referencing Magen Avraham section 438; Pri Megadim there—and see also Shulchan Aruch Admor Hazaken there section 18.

Summary

The Rebbe expresses gratitude for Rabbi Price's work while emphasizing practical accessibility in Torah publishing and clarifying nuanced points about textual sources and definitions within Sefer Chassidim. Attention to both form and substance ensures broader impact in disseminating Torah teachings.