4447 —עדכונים מפורטים, הפצת חסידות, ושאלות הלכתיות על מיקרופונים

B"H, 14 Sivan, 5716. Brooklyn.

Havavac"h iy"a nu"n engaged in tzt"z with good character traits Mo"h Uriel.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

I was already concerned by your silence since your departure (aside from the telegram received), so I was pleased to receive your letter from the eighth of the month. Of course, I read it with mixed emotions: on one hand, you describe the situation apparently without embellishment or omission and the reactions to it, as I have requested many times—to describe all matters as they are (for lack of knowledge causes much more distress than unpleasant but accurate information). On the other hand, there is distress from the details you write about...

It is certainly unnecessary to repeat my request again that you inform me in as much detail as possible about all matters. [Of course, everything mentioned in your letter and in this letter does not diminish my request to visit certain individuals and circles regarding spreading the study of Chassidus. As discussed before your departure, this request concerns learning a portion of Tanya—and in our times this is not only a mitzvah but also an obligation and necessity. It is evident that this study affects learning other parts of Torah and how mitzvos are performed, etc. There is no need to elaborate on what is obvious to one who looks with unbiased eyes. This should suffice.]

In general, a person's role is divided into two lines: "turn away from evil" and "do good." Although it is known from Tikunei Zohar that the 365 negative commandments relate to the first part of G‑d's name (the letters yud-hei), and the 248 positive commandments relate to the letters vav-hei of this name—as explained at length in Likkutei Torah Parshas Pekudei and elsewhere—nevertheless, if not for the creation of worlds there would be no concept of transgressing negative commandments. What was innovated through creation—and for this purpose the soul descends from a great height to a deep pit—is fulfilling positive commandments: arise and do; positive matters and actual deeds. This is also clear from revealed Torah law—that a positive commandment overrides a negative one. This should suffice...

You do not mention anything regarding your wife. Surely this is a sign that she is well during her trip and also upon her arrival in Eretz HaKodesh; certainly she has also connected with branches of Nshei U'Bnos Chabad and will utilize her visit in this direction as much as possible.

I await your detailed letters on all the above and bless you that your trip and visit be utilized most effectively for raising up Keren Yisrael Saba in general and especially regarding spreading the wellsprings.

Blessings for good news.

P.S. The yeshivah for studying Kabbalah we discussed (please clarify their curriculum etc.)—its name is Zikaron Shimon in Jerusalem Ir HaKodesh; under Rabbi Aharon Zelatki's direction, Nachalat Tzion neighborhood.

Regarding what you wrote further: "and mainly... a great question according to halachah... several responsa." I am surprised at how you copied such things which—with all due respect to whoever told them to you—have no basis whatsoever. There is no concern here at all. See Sukkah (51b) and Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 624; see there also Shulchan Aruch HaRav section 11. The responsa concern whether one can fulfill one's obligation by hearing Megillah or similar via microphone or being elsewhere (and even here most permit it; specifically among Hungarians it's permitted while Sephardim are stringent—this is not the place for elaboration). But obviously a microphone is no worse than waving cloths as mentioned above in Sukkah.

Summary

The Rebbe stresses honest communication about challenges faced in communal work, highlights spreading Chassidus as both an obligation and necessity today, and clarifies halachic concerns about using microphones for mitzvah fulfillment—encouraging confidence when acting within Torah guidance.