3683 —הפצת לימוד תלמוד ירושלמי ותובנות על פרידה עם תורה

B"H, 29 Tammuz, 5715.

Brooklyn.

Haraha"g vavac"h iy"a nu"n oseik b'tzt"z Avraham Yisrael Moshe

Shalom u'Vrachah!

In response to your letter regarding the tractates of Talmud Yerushalmi: So far I have only received one volume, Berachos, and not the volumes Peah, Demai, and Maaser Sheni that you mention in your letter. May it be G‑d's will that your efforts succeed in spreading the study of Talmud Yerushalmi as well. It is already known what was written by the Mitteler Rebbe, son of the Alter Rebbe (author of Tanya and Shulchan Aruch), about Talmud Yerushalmi—printed in Shaarei Orah (Kehot edition pp. 44–47 and elsewhere {on the Hebrobooks website}).

With blessings for success to you and your fellow rabbis sheyichyu.

P.S. Enclosed is a script for shipping expenses. For the sake of endearment of the matter, I have quickly jotted down some notes in the Kuntres Chiddushei HaRaI"M found at the end of the volume.

At its beginning: If we say that Krias Shema is rabbinic—regarding rabbinic matters we do not make a safeguard etc.—see Bavli (4b): The sages made a safeguard for their words etc., Maariv prayer. At the end of that passage one should note from Shaagas Aryeh section 61. There at the beginning: One should contemplate what is the connection between these matters etc., and it is not explicit if etc.

Both matters are explained in a Beraisa (though in Yerushalmi it is brought briefly), as follows (Tosefta ch. 3:21; Bavli 31a): One does not stand to pray etc., nor does one take leave etc., for so we find with the early prophets who concluded their words with praise and consolation. The proof from concluding with Neviim obviously also applies to taking leave, as that too is a conclusion of an interaction—and indeed it is even more straightforward than the proof regarding prayer (see Tosafos Yeshanim on Alfasi). Accordingly, it is understood that through this one remembers him—this is an independent concept. This is explicitly stated in Tosafos Yeshanim there.

The Gra emends in Bavli to explicitly state: One should not take leave except with joy of a mitzvah. In Tosefta too, the version is identical regarding prayer and parting from one's fellow: words of wisdom at its conclusion.

Rabbi Meir says: A Jew is surrounded by mitzvos—even in a bathhouse he is naked from mitzvos until he looks at his circumcision. He asks: According to those who permit thinking Torah thoughts in a beis haknesses, can one think Torah thoughts? And he discusses this issue.

This question does not arise initially because Rabbi Meir's intent is to explain the virtue of every Jew being surrounded by mitzvos even when he does not intend or engage with them at all. See Menachos 43b: "He surrounded them." There is no place for the above question.

According to the approach in Kuntres Chiddushei HaRaI"M it would have been better to ask: Surely even in a bathhouse mitzvos involving duties of the heart are fulfilled—such as faith in G‑d's unity, love and awe etc.—and even more so, by saying "Woe to me that I am naked from mitzvos in a bathhouse," one fulfills the mitzvah of fear of G‑d (and faith). And this is obvious.

Summary

The Rebbe highlights both practical efforts to spread Talmud Yerushalmi study and deepens understanding about always connecting partings between Jews with words of Torah—emphasizing how mitzvos surround us even when we are unaware or seemingly unable to perform them directly.