6721 —המעבר לנוסח חב"ד על מנת שלא לחזור, הוספת שם בהסכמת נושאו, והבנה הדרגתית בתניא

B"H, 12 Adar I^[1], 5719
Brooklyn.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

In reply to your letter in which you write regarding changing your nusach of prayer,

it seems to me that I already answered – that it is right for you to begin praying in Nusach Chabad. Well known is the story told by the early Chassidim, that the Alter Rebbe sifted out his nusach from sixty siddurim^[2]. However, according to what is explained elsewhere^[3], one may change from Nusach Ashkenaz to Sefard and from Nusach Sefard to that of the Arizal, but not the reverse. Therefore your decision to pray in Nusach Chabad must be made on condition of not going back^[4].

Your question when to begin is not understood: since you have decided as above, why should you put off the start?

As for what you write, that the matter arouses astonishment: surely all those who first began praying in Nusach Chabad also aroused astonishment, and nevertheless they began praying this way. And the circle of those who pray in this nusach keeps on spreading.

As for what you write about adding a name for your brother-in-law, may he live long^[5]: what I wrote is that it must be with the agreement of the bearer of the name, as is understood. And since at the time the name was added he was not informed, for some reason, he can be informed now. And since at the time it was done there was an incidental reason, the name will take effect retroactively, and certainly it will take effect from now on.

As for what you write, that there are chapters in the Tanya which for the time being you do not understand: so it is in the study of our Torah, in all its parts – at first one understands only the general outline of the matters, and from time to time one adds in understanding; and this is easy to understand^[6].

With blessing for good news^[7],

In the name of the Rebbe shlita^[8]

Secretary

Publisher's notes

The story told by the early Chassidim (סיפור חסידים הראשונים): see also above, letter 6704, and the references in the notes there.

Notes

1. Adar I (אד"ר): אד"ר = אדר ראשון; 5719 was a leap year. The day was a Friday, Erev Shabbos.

2. From sixty siddurim (מששים סידורים): The Rebbe had written much the same on 30 Shevat 5719 (letter 6704), to someone who wrote of his wish to pray in the nusach of the Arizal: וטוב ונכון הדבר במאד, ובפרט ע"פ סיפורי חסידים, אשר רבנו הזקן בירר נוסח זה מששים סידורים, "it is very good and right, especially according to the stories of Chassidim that the Alter Rebbe sifted out this nusach from sixty siddurim". Likewise in letter 4350: ועל פי המסופר בן זקני החסידים בדורות שעברו, שבעת שקבע וכתב הסידור שלו, ביררו מששים סידורים נוסחאות שונות, "according to what is told among the elder Chassidim of past generations, when he established and wrote his siddur he sifted it out of sixty siddurim of different versions".

3. Elsewhere (במ"א): במ"א = במקום אחר, "elsewhere" – namely in the responsa of the later authorities. As the Rebbe wrote in letter 5101: ידוע הפסק דין בשו"ת האחרונים, אשר אף שמותרים לשנות מנוסח אשכנז לנוסח ספרד ומנוסח ספרד לנוסח אר"י, אבל אין לשנות מנוסח אר"י לאשכנז, "known is the ruling in the responsa of the later authorities, that although one may change from Nusach Ashkenaz to Nusach Sefard and from Nusach Sefard to the nusach of the Arizal, one may not change from the nusach of the Arizal to Ashkenaz" (see also the notes to letter 6704). אר"י = the Arizal, i.e. the nusach of the Alter Rebbe, Nusach Chabad.

4. On condition of not going back (על מנת שלא לחזור): Since once he begins praying in Nusach Chabad he cannot return to his former nusach, he must decide from the outset that the change is for good. Likewise in letter 6704: צריך להחליט שכשיתחיל בנוסח אר"י, זהו לתמיד, "he must decide that when he begins in the nusach of the Arizal, it is for good".

5. Your brother-in-law, may he live long (לגיסו שליט"א): שליט"א = שיחיה לאורך ימים טובים אמן. The recipient asked about a name that had been added to his brother-in-law without informing him at the time; the Rebbe answers that adding a name must be with the agreement of its bearer, and since he was not told only for an incidental reason, he can be told now, and the name will take effect retroactively.

6. And this is easy to understand (וק"ל): וק"ל = וקל להבין. He should not lose heart in studying Tanya because some chapters are not yet clear to him; so it is in every part of the Torah: first one grasps the general outline, and understanding keeps growing.

7. Good news (בשו"ט): בשו"ט = בשורות טובות.

8. The Rebbe shlita (כ"ק אדמו"ר שליט"א): כ"ק אדמו"ר שליט"א = "our holy master, teacher and Rebbe, may he live long and good days, amen". The letter was written by the secretary in the Rebbe's name.

Summary

The Rebbe's secretary writes that it is right to begin praying in Nusach Chabad, which the Alter Rebbe sifted out of sixty siddurim, but since one may not later revert, the decision must be for good; there is no reason to delay, nor to be put off by others' astonishment. A name added to the recipient's brother-in-law needs the bearer's consent, and chapters of Tanya not yet understood will become clearer with time.