4535 —בעיות הלכתיות עם אגרות חוב ואניות ישראליות הפועלות בשבת

B"H, The Fourth Fast will be turned into joy and gladness, 5716.

Brooklyn.

Haraha"g Haraha"ch iy"a nu"n oseik b'tzt"z Morenu HaRav Ephraim Eliezer HaKohen

Shalom u'Vrachah!

... My letter regarding what your honor noted about Reb Sh... etc., surely arrived in its time. Likewise, your postcard was received with your comment on what was said at the farbrengen of the Festival of Redemption. However, my words were about money that comes from desecration of Shabbos (and not - from those who desecrate Shabbos) and from loans with interest (and not - from those who take interest) - and the content of my talk was that those who say this money helps the one who desecrates Shabbos or lends with interest are mistaken (similar to someone extinguishing a fire with sewage water), but on the contrary, it is as it says: "it is kept for its owner to his detriment" (similar to extinguishing a fire with kerosene) - and my intention was for those who claim they are helping Eretz HaKodesh by means of loan bonds but do not want to mark on the bonds at least with the initials "al pi heter acharonim." Secondly, by profits from Israeli ships that also travel on Shabbos (two issues I have been raising for some time - for reasons understood in a voice not heard publicly. And for now, to my greatest regret and astonishment, no one listens to me).

I saw Rabbi Uziel's "heter" regarding the bonds and the discussion in HaPardes about this, "and let the master forgive him," and it is undermined at its root by the fact that those sold in Eretz HaKodesh were indeed marked as such (at least several years ago). I also saw the book Shevitat HaYam regarding the second issue, and its author will have to answer for his misleading style which gives the innocent reader the impression that traveling is permitted G‑d forbid, even though anyone who knows even a little about ships and their operation nowadays must conclude that traveling is clearly forbidden (and according to Shut Chatam Sofer vol. 2 - well known - according to Ramban it is even a Torah prohibition. This is not the place for elaboration).

Incidentally, regarding what you wrote about mitzvah haba'ah b'aveirah (a mitzvah performed through a transgression) - see what is written in Sefer HaMoadim BaHalacha in his essay on Four Species. In Rosh Hashanah (Sukkah 35a), and in his commentary there that a lulav from an idolatrous city is invalid because of mitzvah haba'ah b'aveirah, unlike Tosafot's opinion (30a).

Summary

The Rebbe clarifies halachic concerns regarding financial support derived from questionable sources like bonds or profits from Israeli ships operating on Shabbos. He stresses accuracy in halachic rulings and cautions against misleading leniencies.