7029 —שאלה על עזיבת משפחה ממוסדות חב"ד ומהשכונה החב"דית

Shalom u'Vrachah! [5718-9?]

Shalom u'Vrachah! With the greatest astonishment (mixed with sorrow) I read your letter and pidyon nefesh from Motzaei Shabbat Kodesh. The reason for my astonishment is simple: the custom is to read a pidyon nefesh at the resting place of my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe, of blessed memory. In this case, what am I to report at the resting place, when in your holy community there is a G‑d-fearing individual, etc., whose wife is also from a Chabad family, etc., who lives in a Chabad environment and has educated his children in the institutions of my revered father-in-law—and yet I received a letter from him stating that he has decided to remove his eldest daughter from my revered father-in-law's institution (and, as is well known, he gave the usual explanation—that it was necessary), and therefore he is also removing his younger daughter from my revered father-in-law's institution and (therefore) is moving his residence and that of his entire family out of the Chabad neighborhood—as he wrote 'with good fortune.' When I come to the resting place: so what am I supposed to want from my revered father-in-law regarding this good news?

In the name of the Rebbe shlita, secretary

Summary

The Rebbe expresses deep concern when families leave Chabad institutions and neighborhoods, emphasizing how such decisions are troubling and difficult to explain before previous generations. Our choices impact not only ourselves but our connection to our spiritual heritage.