5863 —נוסח ברכת הלל, תיקון להלבנת פני חבירו, ולימוד תניא בשמחה

B"H, 21st of Marcheshvan, 5718

Brooklyn.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

In reply to your letter of the 14th of Marcheshvan, with your question regarding the blessing over Hallel, that in Hayom Yom it is printed differently than in the Siddur: the rule is known in matters such as this, that one follows the latest version. This is understood and simple, for at the time Hayom Yom was compiled, they knew and considered what is written in the Siddur. Nor should one wonder that in practice the custom is otherwise, for there are many matters of this kind, and for a number of reasons there are certainly such changes; and our Sages, of blessed memory, have already informed us about such changes (Bava Basra 166b), that it must be specifically in practice; see there. And regarding the above in particular, see Shaar HaKolel there, and the book Piskei HaSiddur by Rav Naeh, at its beginning.

As to what you write about a rectification for having shamed one's fellow, after the fellow has forgiven: it is true that in the above there is a matter between man and his fellow and also between man and G‑d (cf. עבירות שבין אדם למקום, יוה"כ מכפר. עבירות שבין אדם לחבירו, אין יוה"כ מכפר עד שירצה את חבירו "For transgressions between man and G‑d, Yom Kippur atones; for transgressions between man and his fellow, Yom Kippur does not atone until he appeases his fellow," Yoma 85b), and for this a rectification is needed. And as with all matters of rectification, it must be in the very detail in which the damage was done; that is to say, to add in respect for people in general and for one's fellows in particular. And since in the vast majority of cases the cause of shaming one's fellow is bound up with the trait of anger or of pride, here too one needs to conduct oneself more at the opposite extreme, as is understood from what is written in Rambam, Hilchos De'os, chapter 2.

As to what you write about your learning Tanya with your friend who does not understand the plain meaning: it is surprising how one writes such a thing, for it is certainly altogether out of place and unfitting. True, the words of the Rav (Rebbe), that is, my father-in-law, his holy eminence our master, teacher and Rebbe [the Previous Rebbe], may the memory of the righteous and holy be for a blessing for the life of the World to Come, whose soul is in the treasuries on high, may his merit protect us, are known regarding the difficulty of understanding the depth and the essence of the words of Tanya; yet together with this, in that same note it is brought that even the simplest person understands something there; see there in the note (printed at the end of the book Kitzurim VeHa'aros LeTanya). All the more so when we speak of an avrech who has been a yeshivah student for a number of years, and whom the merit of the many assists להפיץ המעינות "to spread the wellsprings" (cf. יפוצו מעינתיך חוצה "Let your wellsprings be dispersed outward," Mishlei 5:16) until they reach also outward, further and further. Only that here too the work must be בשמחה וטוב לבב "with joy and gladness of heart" (cf. Devarim 28:47), and then one succeeds.

With blessing.

On behalf of his holy eminence the Rebbe, shlita,

Secretary

Regarding what you wrote on Tosafos, s.v. Rabbanan (Gittin 3, end of side b, and there): see the commentators there, the Maharam Schiff and others.

Publisher's notes

Hayom Yom (היום יום): 1 Teves: It is customary that an individual recites the blessing over Hallel, before and after, even on days when the complete Hallel is not said. The text recited is יהללוך ה' אלקינו כל מעשיך "All Your works shall praise You, L‑rd our G‑d," omitting the word "על". All [pairs of] tefillin are put on before Musaf, but the daily study portions are learned after the conclusion of the entire prayer (Hayom Yom, 1 Teves).

Rabbanan (רבנן): That witnesses of delivery are required for an agent appointed to deliver [a get], even though witnesses are not required for appointing an agent to receive it.

Summary

This letter answers three questions. Where Hayom Yom and the Siddur differ on the Hallel blessing, one follows the later version, compiled with full knowledge of the Siddur. Shaming another wrongs both one's fellow and G‑d, so even after forgiveness a rectification is needed in the same area: added respect for others and distance from anger and pride. And Tanya is understood in some measure even by the simplest person, so the study must go forward with joy and gladness of heart.