Practical Guidance in Purchasing a Multi-Family Home

Holy letters of the Rebbe in volume 17, letter number 6,151. Baruch Hashem, the second day of Nissan, 5718, Brooklyn. Shalom u’Vracha.

And this person sent to the Rebbe an express letter. So the Rebbe says, “I am responding to your express letter from Erev Rosh Chodesh Nissan.” This is just two days later.

So the Rebbe says: Generally, to buy a house that has several houses in it—meaning an apartment building, a house that has more than one dwelling—that is proper. And that is actually the tradition over here. And to buy so you can help pay some of your mortgage, you can help pay some of the payments if you do not have only your home.

And that is very—the reason is obvious, the Rebbe says, very simple: because then the expenses for your own house independently are much smaller. And the Rebbe says, in most cases there is also a garage—usually a big garage—and that is greater, etc. So the Rebbe is now advising regarding real estate that, I guess, if there is a bigger structure, there is also a bigger garage.

And then what he says to the Rebbe: if you have two apartments, he worries that maybe the second apartment is going to be empty, he is not going to have a tenant. The Rebbe says, find out: Is there a basis for this that fits the conditions of that neighborhood in which you find yourself with the building? The Rebbe says maybe you are worried for no reason; this is not really something to worry about. So the Rebbe says, check out the neighborhood over there and maybe see what is going on.

And the Rebbe says—the Rebbe prays for him—in whichever way you settle down, it should be in the best ways, in the revealed and good way. And the Rebbe says for sure you will distribute Matzah Shmura, as we have discussed, as discussed in the talk about it, with blessings for a kosher and happy Pesach, Chag Pesach Kasher v’Sameach.

So he asked the Rebbe: Should he buy a single-family house or maybe a duplex, a two-family house? And the Rebbe says, well, it is probably better to buy a two-family house because, and that is the custom here, and the Rebbe says for a very obvious reason: because the expenses of your house are much less. And the Rebbe adds that sometimes there is also a big garage there.

And the Rebbe says the worry that maybe the house is going to stay empty for a time—so the Rebbe says: find out if there is really any basis for that, depending on the neighborhood in which the structure is standing. The Rebbe says in any event, the Rebbe prays for him that his question should be resolved in the best way possible, in a revealed and good way, and the Rebbe reminds him to distribute Matzah Shmura and blesses him for a Chag Pesach Kasher v’Sameach.

Summary
The Rebbe emphasizes practical, thoughtful decision-making: choose a path that reduces financial burden, verify concerns with reality, and proceed with confidence and blessing, combining material responsibility with spiritual purpose.

אגרות קודש של הרבי, כרך י״ז, מכתב מספר 6,151. ברוך השם, ב׳ ניסן תשי״ח, ברוקלין. שלום וברכה.

האדם כתב לרבי במכתב אקספרס, והרבי משיב לו: “הנני משיב על מכתבך המהיר מערב ראש חודש ניסן,” כלומר לאחר יומיים בלבד.

הרבי כותב שבאופן כללי, רכישת בית שיש בו כמה יחידות דיור—כגון בית עם יותר מדירה אחת—היא דבר נכון, וזה גם המנהג כאן. בכך ניתן לסייע בתשלומי המשכנתא וההוצאות, שכן יש הכנסה נוספת מהשכרת הדירה.

הסיבה לכך פשוטה וברורה: ההוצאות של הדירה הפרטית שלך קטנות יותר. בנוסף, ברוב המקרים יש גם מוסך גדול יותר וכדומה.

השואל חושש שאם יהיו שתי דירות, אולי אחת מהן תישאר ריקה ללא שוכר. הרבי משיב שיש לבדוק אם יש לחשש זה בסיס אמיתי בהתאם למצב השכונה שבה נמצא הנכס. ייתכן שאין מקום לחשש כלל, ולכן יש לברר את המציאות בפועל.

הרבי מברך שבכל דרך שיבחר, הדבר יסתדר באופן הטוב ביותר, בטוב הנראה והנגלה. וכן מזכיר לו לחלק מצה שמורה, כפי שנידון, ומברך אותו בברכת חג פסח כשר ושמח.

לסיכום, הרבי מייעץ שעדיף לרכוש בית דו-משפחתי מאשר בית פרטי, משום שהדבר מקל על ההוצאות. יש לבחון חששות בהתאם למציאות, ולפעול מתוך ביטחון וברכה.