3743 —מסורת האותיות הכתובות ואיסוף מנהגי חב"ד

B"H, 4 Elul, 5715.

Brooklyn.

Havavac"h iy"a nu"n etc. Shmuel Yehuda Weinfeld

Shalom u'Vrachah!

In response to your letter from the 24th of Menachem Av with its enclosure (the photos and their explanations are being returned to you separately and have been sent securely). In general, regarding the form of the letters and similar matters, this is something transmitted orally and through illustrations, but it is difficult to explain the details in writing. Therefore, you should seek out among Anash in Eretz HaKodesh those who are knowledgeable in these matters. It is also possible that those you write about can be relied upon—if they received this tradition from experts and recognized scribes. Surely you can clarify this, and from them you will learn the details.

Regarding your suggestion to bring Chabad customs from pamphlets when publishing the book: it is essential that for every custom you indicate its source (the pamphlet or booklet from which it was taken) and that there be extremely precise editing.

What you wrote about Tefillin d’Shimusha Rabbah and Raavad: The opinion of Shimusha Rabbah is in three areas—regarding the tagin (Ribam Schneituch), regarding the measurement of fingers upon fingers, and placing the parshiyot to the right of the wearer. From this it is understood that tefillin that are precise even in just one of these aspects can be called Tefillin d’Shimusha Rabbah. However, it is clear in several places that for Shimusha Rabbah it must be to the right of the wearer as per Raavad’s view. See Shut Rama MiPano, Matzat Shimurim, Emek HaMelech, Maayan HaChochmah by the Arizal—as elaborated at length in Mishmeret Shalom section 4 in the later edition; see there. There he also brings from Peirush HaAri on Pri Etz Chaim that those who disagree wish to rely on that source. He also brings Tiferet Shmuel whom you mention in your letter. Also see Sefer Measef Lechol HaMachanot at the beginning of section 34 subsections 3 and 9. But there is no proof for what was mentioned above (that for Shimusha Rabbah it must be to the right of the wearer) from this, since it is possible to make tagin and construct Rashi tefillin with fingers upon fingers and they would also qualify as Shimusha Rabbah; therefore there must be another difference between Rashi tefillin because there is a reason according to Kabbalah for placing Rashi tefillin as we do—and this is not the place to elaborate.

Regarding the knots of tzitzit: our custom is known—to make three-three-one and then two-three-three etc., so as to join two with one as understood. What you brought from Shaar HaKavanot etc.—it’s not clear what proof there is from their language; it does not relate to all of this.

I do not know if there is an expert on this matter in Jerusalem, but in Sefer Taamei HaMinhagim until now nothing relevant has been brought from Chabad sources because they were not available then among us; it would be worthwhile to fill this significant gap now if possible—for we have been assured that "the wellsprings will spread outward."

With blessings for a good inscription and sealing.

M. Schneersohn

Regarding your note on Baal Shem Tov’s commentary (brought in Keser Shem Tov vol. II p.34 s.v.) about "He said fine flour," that according to Rashi it means "He said flour" (Bava Metzia 87a)—it has already been noted in Sefer Baal Shem Tov that this matter is discussed in Sefer Meir Nesivim vol. II and in Chiddushei Bechor Shor [see also] Sefer Tevuos Shor.

Summary

The Rebbe teaches that traditions such as letter forms are best transmitted orally or through illustration rather than writing alone. When collecting Chabad customs for publication, every detail must be sourced precisely; filling gaps in documentation helps spread Chassidus further.