6937 —הדרכה על השתדלות למקוה, פרסום ולינה בהאטעל

B"H, 16 Tammuz, 5719.

Brooklyn.

Haraha"g haraha"ch iy"a nu"n rab pe'alim ba'al middot u'ba'al meretz etc. Hananya Yom Tov Lipa Deutsch

Shalom u'Vrachah!

I acknowledge receipt of your letter from the Day of Redemption, 13 Tammuz—the redemption of my revered father-in-law the Rebbe zatzukal lehe nbgm zya, leader of Israel—which was a salvation and victory for Torah and its mitzvos in general, as is clear and obvious from the episode of imprisonment and redemption, as is known.

In it you write that you were asked about your efforts regarding a kosher and mehudar mikveh in several places—including some where the conduct concerning Torah and mitzvos requires fundamental correction, perhaps even more than that—and you seek my opinion on this. May your strength be straightened and may you increase your efforts to strengthen and spread purity among Israel wherever your hand can reach.

Regarding the aforementioned question: The standard for this is known from what my revered father-in-law the Rebbe heard from his father the Rebbe zatzukal lehe nbgm zya—what his father answered him (the Rebbe Maharash zatzukal lehe nbgm zya) in yechidus (printed in Hayom Yom 23 Sivan). However, I would point out that since publicizing your participation in this matter does not affect the kashrus of the mikveh itself etc.—on the other hand, one could say that someone who wishes to err will err and derive an undesirable implication from it, even though it is contrary to your intention—therefore in my opinion one should minimize publicity as much as possible, to the utmost limit. This is also my own conduct in such matters: based on what I have seen—to do everything possible—to save any Jew [and what are we less than those mentioned at the start of Sanhedrin 44a? The words of Rashi there are wondrous: "Their sanctity still remains upon them." And in Rav Hai Gaon's commentary: "The Merciful One calls them Israel."]—to save them even from transgressing a minor rabbinic detail; how much more so regarding fundamentals of faith or matters affecting generations upon generations—wherein the demand and necessity are greatest. This is also evident from laws regarding inheritance transfer which is biblically forbidden—even if it is from bad to good—for perhaps I will have worthy descendants. And this is understood.

Regarding what you wrote about staying overnight at a hotel—we have seen from our holy leaders that they practiced this without any concern even though it was well-known and publicized since many people visited them at the hotel. See Sukkah 32b end: "He was meticulous etc., since it came from Rav Kahana's mouth etc."

With honor and with blessings for success in your holy work and for good news.

Regarding the above matter of staying overnight—it also applies concerning photographs taken by photography—as we have seen our leaders make use of them.

Summary

The Rebbe encourages persistent efforts to establish kosher mikvaos while advising discretion in publicity to prevent misunderstandings. He references precedents for permissible hotel stays and photographic use by earlier Rebbes, emphasizing saving every Jew even from minor transgressions.