6774 —הנהגת אמירת ברכות השחר בצבור בביהכ"נ נוסח אר"י: שב ואל תעשה עדיף

B"H, 17 Adar II^[1], 5719
Brooklyn.

The Rav and Gaon, the veteran Chassid, a G‑d-fearing man, distinguished and honored, engaged in communal needs^[2], our teacher Rabbi Nissan, may he live long^[3]

Shalom u'Vrachah!

In reply to your letter, "concerning what I ask of you"^[4]: since in your synagogue they have prayed in Nusach Ari^[5] since early years, while a considerable part of the worshippers pray in a nusach in which the chazan, going before the ark, also says the morning blessings [aloud]; and since this is not the practice in the synagogue, you fear that these people are left "bald on this side and bald on that side"^[6] – they do not say the morning blessings at home, since they are not used to it, nor do they say them in the synagogue, since the congregation as a whole does not say them, etc. Therefore it occurred to you^[7] to institute the saying of the morning blessings communally, by the chazan when he goes before the ark, after which he would pray in Nusach Ari as before.

In a matter such as this I refrain from elaborating, since one must rely on reasoning of one's own, for as yet^[8] I have not found the question, or one like it, in the books, although in some details it can be compared to certain matters.

And this is not the place for it^[9].

The point, in my opinion, is that whichever way they arrange the order of the prayers there is room for concerns; and if they arrange it as you propose, there is room to say:

a) that those who say the morning blessings at home will say them again^[10] together with the congregation (although seemingly this concern is remote, and it is more likely that they will not);

b) that those who say the morning blessings according to our nusach will stop doing so and wait to say them until they come to the synagogue – in which there is a double concern:

(a) on a day on which they do not pray with the congregation, who knows what will become of their morning blessings; especially since, because of our many sins, with one who says Kaddish and the like there is a concern (a remote one, at any rate) that when he does not come to the synagogue, his prayer too…^[11]

(b) a number of things that are permitted only after the morning blessings (such as saying a verse by heart, or from periodicals^[12], as is the custom of the country, and the like) they will do beforehand, since they are done at home, or at any rate before entering the synagogue. And although this concern exists also with those who pray in Nusach Sefard, etc., with regard to them we cannot correct anything, since the custom of their fathers is in their hands^[13]; whereas in Nusach Ari, introducing the said change will rouse them to change their custom until now, and this gives room to one of the concerns mentioned. It is difficult to weigh which concern has more ground, since people's opinions are not alike^[14].

The conclusion from all the above, in my opinion, is that since there is reasoning on both sides, the reasoning prevails not to change the established status until now and the practice until now, and "sit and do not act is preferable"^[15]. It is understood, however, and also plain, that since you fear that if the nusach is left as it has been until now some of the above do not, G‑d forbid^[16], say the morning blessings, then at every opportune time they should be roused about this in all possible ways.

And another, principal reason not to change: the obligation of the morning blessings is when one rises from one's bed, and after that it is only by way of making up (Shulchan Aruch of the Alter Rebbe, beginning of siman 71^[17]. As for what is written in the gloss of the Chasam Sofer there, see the Machatzis HaShekel^[18]).

With blessings for success in leading your congregation in keeping with the will of our Rebbeim, our leaders, with proper health and peace of mind.

P.S.

To remark on the above (although even without this, in my opinion "sit and do not act is preferable"):

a) The morning blessings, it is understood, are only rabbinic; and even the blessing over the Torah, which is Biblical, one fulfills with the blessing "Ahavas Olam"^[19].

b) Saying the morning blessings twice falls into the category of [mentioning] the Name of Heaven in vain, which according to several opinions is Biblical – even in a case such as this, where there is room to say that it is not entirely in vain, since the second time he says them together with the congregation and in participation with them; and at any rate, according to all opinions, the essence is Biblical^[20].

Enclosed is what was published^[21] recently, which will surely interest you.

Publisher's notes

Our teacher Rabbi Nissan (מו"ה ניסן): Telushkin, Brooklyn. Further letters to him: above, vol. 17, letter 6159, and the references in the notes there. Below, letter 6848.

Notes

1. 17 Adar II (י"ז אד"ש): אד"ש = אדר שני, Adar II.

2. The Rav and Gaon, the veteran Chassid, a G‑d-fearing man, distinguished and honored, engaged in communal needs (הרה"ג וו"ח אי"א נו"נ עוסק בצ"צ): הרה"ג = הרב הגאון; וו"ח = ותיק וחסיד; אי"א = איש ירא אלקים; נו"נ = נעלה ונכבד; עוסק בצ"צ = עוסק בצרכי ציבור.

3. Our teacher Rabbi Nissan (מו"ה ניסן שי'): מו"ה = מורנו הרב. Telushkin, Brooklyn (publisher's note). Rabbi Nissan Telushkin (1881–1970), born in Bobruisk to a Chabad family, came to the United States in 1924 and was rabbi of the Nusach Ari synagogue in East New York, Brooklyn; author of Taharas Mayim on the laws of mikvaos. The Rebbe wrote to him, among other things, about the public Tanya class in Miami (vol. 17, letter 6159), and later about the examination of the students of Yeshivas Tomchei Temimim that he conducted together with his fellow rabbis (letter 6848, 6 Iyar 5719).

4. "Concerning what I ask of you" (במה דשאילנא קדמיכון): כת"ר = כבוד תורתו, "your honor's Torah", i.e. you. The Aramaic phrase means "in what I ask before you", i.e. on the question he asked.

5. Nusach Ari (נוסח אר"י): ביהכ"נ = בית הכנסת. Nusach Ari is the order of prayer in the Siddur of the Alter Rebbe (below: "our nusach"). ש"ץ = שליח ציבור, the chazan.

6. "Bald on this side and bald on that side" (קרח מכאן וקרח מכאן): From the parable in Bava Kamma 60b: "לאדם שיש לו שתי נשים אחת ילדה ואחת זקינה ילדה מלקטת לו לבנות זקינה מלקטת לו שחורות נמצא קרח מכאן ומכאן", "a man who had two wives, one young and one old: the young one plucked out his white hairs and the old one plucked out his black hairs; he ended up bald on both sides". That is: they lose on both sides – they say the morning blessings neither at home nor in the synagogue.

7. It occurred to you (קס"ד): קס"ד = קא סלקא דעתיה, "it entered your mind".

8. Of one's own… as yet (מדילי… לע"ע): מדילי = "of my own" (Aramaic); לע"ע = לעת עתה, "for the time being".

9. This is not the place for it (ואכ"מ): ואכ"מ = ואין כאן מקומו.

10. Again (עוה"פ): עוה"פ = עוד הפעם. They would say the morning blessings twice, at home and again with the congregation (see below, P.S., b).

11. His prayer too… (גם תפלתו כו'): בעוה"ר = בעוונותינו הרבים; עכ"פ = על כל פנים. The Rebbe does not say what the concern is about the prayer of one who comes to the synagogue mainly to say Kaddish and the like, on a day he does not come; he only hints with "etc."

12. By heart, or from periodicals (בע"פ או במכ"ע): בע"פ = בעל פה; במכ"ע = במכתבי עת, "periodicals".

13. The custom of their fathers is in their hands (מנהג אבותיהם בידיהם): From Beitzah 4b: "הזהרו במנהג אבותיכם בידיכם", "be careful with the custom of your fathers that is in your hands". Those who pray in Nusach Sefard, etc. have an ancestral custom of their own, which is not to be changed.

14. People's opinions are not alike (אין דיעותיהם של בנ"א שוות זל"ז): משא"כ = מה שאין כן; בנ"א = בני אדם; זל"ז = זה לזה.

15. "Sit and do not act is preferable" (שב ואל תעשה עדיף): The language of the Gemara, Eruvin 100a: "לר' יהושע דאמר התם שב ואל תעשה עדיף", "according to Rabbi Yehoshua, who says there that sitting and not acting is preferable". Here: when there are concerns on both sides, it is better not to take the active step of changing the custom.

16. G‑d forbid (ח"ו): ח"ו = חס ושלום.

17. Shulchan Aruch of the Alter Rebbe, beginning of siman 71 (שו"ע אדה"ז ר"ס ע"א): אח"ז = אחר זה; ר"ס = ריש סימן. There, at the end of se'if 1, regarding an onen whose dead relative has been buried: "ומטעם זה לא יאמר כל ברכות השחר אפילו נקבר קודם שעבר זמן קריאת שמע ותפלה כיון שבשעה שחל חיוב הברכות דהיינו כשקם ממטתו היה פטור מהן א"צ להשלימן אח"כ ואם מברך ברכה לבטלה היא", "for this reason he does not say any of the morning blessings, even if [the dead] was buried before the time of Shema and prayer had passed; since at the time the obligation of the blessings took effect, that is, when he rose from his bed, he was exempt from them, he need not make them up afterwards, and if he says them it is a blessing in vain". The main obligation of the morning blessings is thus at the moment of rising; saying them later in the synagogue is only making up.

18. The Chasam Sofer… the Machatzis HaShekel (חת"ס… מחצה"ש): חת"ס = חתם סופר; מחצה"ש = מחצית השקל (on the Magen Avraham, siman 71, sub-section 1), which writes: "דתקנת חכמים היה שקבעו לכל אחד מן הברכו' זמן קבוע וכדאיתא בגמ'... כי מתער משנתי' לימא אלקי נשמ'... אלא דעכשיו מפני שאין הידים נקיות תקנו לסדרן בבה"כ", "for it was an enactment of the Sages that they fixed a set time for each of the blessings, as stated in the Gemara… when one wakes from his sleep he should say Elokai Neshamah… but nowadays, because the hands are not clean, they instituted to arrange them in the synagogue".

19. One fulfills with the blessing "Ahavas Olam" (יוצא בברכת אהבת עולם): See Shulchan Aruch of the Alter Rebbe, Orach Chayim 47:6: "ברכת אהבה רבה או אהבת עולם, הואיל ויש בה מעין ברכת התורה... הרי זו פוטרת מלברך ברכת התורה אם למד אחר קריאת שמע ותפלה מיד בלי הפסק", "the blessing Ahavah Rabbah or Ahavas Olam, since it contains something of the blessing over the Torah… exempts one from the blessing over the Torah if he studies right after the Shema and the prayer, without interruption".

20. According to all opinions, the essence is Biblical (לכ"ע עיקר מדאורייתא): לכ"ע = לכולי עלמא, "according to all". See Shulchan Aruch of the Alter Rebbe, Orach Chayim 215:3: "כל המברך ברכה שאינה צריכה – הרי זה נושא שם שמים לשוא... ואע"פ שמן התורה אין איסור בהזכרת שם שמים לבטלה אלא כשמזכירו בדברי הבאי שאין בהם צורך, ולא בדרך ברכה אע"פ שאינה צריכה – מכל מקום מדברי סופרים אסור אפילו בדרך ברכה שאינה צריכה", "whoever says an unnecessary blessing takes the Name of Heaven in vain… and although by Torah law mentioning the Name of Heaven in vain is forbidden only when one mentions it in idle talk that serves no need, and not by way of a blessing, even an unnecessary one – nevertheless by rabbinic law it is forbidden even by way of an unnecessary blessing"; and Rambam, Laws of Oaths 12:9: "או שברך ברכה שאינה צריכה שהוא עובר משום נושא שם ה' לשוא", "or one who said an unnecessary blessing, who transgresses [the prohibition of] taking G‑d's Name in vain". So according to several opinions even an unnecessary blessing is forbidden by Torah law, and according to all opinions the core prohibition – mentioning the Name of Heaven in vain – is from the Torah.

21. Enclosed is what was published (מוסג"פ מה שהו"ל): מוסג"פ = מוסגר פה, "enclosed here"; שהו"ל = שהוצא לאור, "that was published".

Summary

A rav whose Nusach Ari congregation includes people used to hearing the morning blessings from the chazan feared they were saying them neither at home nor in shul, and proposed having the chazan recite them aloud. The Rebbe weighs the concerns on both sides and concludes that the established practice should not be changed – "sit and do not act is preferable" – especially since the obligation of the morning blessings falls on rising from bed; instead the people should be urged at every opportunity to say them.