6789 —קביעות בהלכות גיטין, פרסום ההתוועדויות ומכירת חמץ בעתונות, וההמחאה תמורת המקל

B"H, 28 Adar II^[1], 5719
Brooklyn.

The Chassid, the veteran and Chassid, a G‑d-fearing man, distinguished and honored, mighty in deeds, of fine character, etc.^[2],
Reb Yosef Chaim HaKohen, may he live long^[3],
and his wife, Rebbetzin Malka Reizel, may she live long^[4]

Shalom u'Vrachah!

In reply to your letter of Erev Shabbos Kodesh^[5] with its enclosure.

As to what you write, whether to begin learning the laws of Gittin^[6]: surely you have fixed times for Torah study^[7], including the study of the revealed part of Torah, and this fixed study can be in these laws.

It was pleasing to read in your letter the list of the farbrengens that took place in the past days. It is surprising that you do not mention whether anything was printed afterward in the newspapers^[8] and the like about the farbrengens, for this is one of the ways to draw in (tzutziyen)^[9] a wider circle to the next farbrengen and to the activities in general – and it is easy to understand^[10].

It seems that until now the check^[11] that was sent in connection with the matter of the walking stick has not been presented for payment. It is understood that this is surprising, and surely you know about it.

There are matters that require no effort at all, and nevertheless they are not done by people at large^[12] because of a lack of knowledge. I mean the sale of chametz^[13]. It would be worthwhile to have something printed about this in the newspapers, the point of the matter being that it involves no effort whatsoever, etc.

It is understood that one must take care in this not to infringe on anyone's livelihood; but if there is suitable publicity, not only will no one's livelihood be diminished, but on the contrary – and it is easy to understand^[14].

With blessings for good and joyous news in all the above.

Publisher's notes

Reb Yosef Chaim, may he live long (מו"ה יוסף חיים שי'): Rosenfeld, San Francisco. Further letters to him: above, letter 6612, and the references in the notes there.

The matter of the walking stick (ענין המקל): See above, letter 6612.

Reb Yosef Chaim, may he live long (מו"ה יוסף חיים שי'): See also above, letter 6701 (to him, 27 Shevat 5719, on the kashrus board, officiating at weddings, and publishing timely Torah items in the newspaper).

Notes

1. 28 Adar II (כ"ח אד"ש): אד"ש = אדר שני, Adar II: 28 Adar II, Tuesday.

2. The Chassid, the veteran and Chassid… mighty in deeds (הרה"ח הוו"ח אי"א נו"נ רב פעלים): הרה"ח = הרב החסיד, "the Chassid"; הוו"ח = הוותיק וחסיד, "the veteran and Chassid"; אי"א = איש ירא אלקים, "a G‑d-fearing man"; נו"נ = נעלה ונכבד, "distinguished and honored". "Mighty in deeds" follows the verse on Benayahu ben Yehoyada, Shmuel II 23:20: ובניהו בן יהוידע בן איש חי רב פעלים מקבצאל, "And Benayahu the son of Yehoyada, the son of a valiant man, mighty in deeds, from Kavtze'el."

3. Reb Yosef Chaim HaKohen (מו"ה יוסף חיים שי' הכהן): Rosenfeld, San Francisco (as in the publisher's note; פריסקא = "Frisco"). R. Yosef Chaim HaKohen Rosenfeld, born in Brooklyn (1933). After his marriage to Malka Lokshin, at which the Rebbe officiated, the couple went to strengthen Jewish life in San Francisco and stayed there two years; he later served for many years in the leadership of Oholei Torah in Brooklyn. He passed away on 19 Elul 5782 (CrownHeights.info). The Rebbe's letters to him: vol. 17, letter 6341 (expanding his holy work); 6612 (on the Previous Rebbe's walking stick, which he presented to the Rebbe); 6671 (printing a weekly article on the week's topics in a San Francisco newspaper); 6701 (on the kashrus board, officiating at weddings, and publishing timely Torah items in the newspaper); and this letter.

4. And his wife, Rebbetzin Malka Reizel (וזוג' הרבנית מרת מלכה רייזיל תי'): וזוג' = וזוגתו, "and his wife"; תי' = תחי', "may she live long". Mrs. Malka Reizel (née Lokshin), his partner in the shlichus in San Francisco.

5. Erev Shabbos Kodesh (מעש"ק): מעש"ק = מערב שבת קודש, "of Erev Shabbos Kodesh" (Friday).

6. Whether to begin learning the laws of Gittin (האם יתחיל ללמוד הלכות גיטין): The recipient, who has semichah, asked whether to begin learning the laws of divorce. On 27 Shevat the Rebbe had written to him about officiating at weddings: "since you have semichah for the rabbinate, and surely review the laws from time to time, then if the wedding is as it should be… you may do it" (letter 6701 above). Here the Rebbe answers that he may set his fixed study of the revealed Torah in these laws.

7. Fixed times for Torah study (קביעות עתים בלימוד התורה): After Shabbos 31a: אמר רבא בשעה שמכניסין אדם לדין אומרים לו נשאת ונתת באמונה, קבעת עתים לתורה, "Rava said: When a person is brought to judgment, he is asked: Did you conduct your business faithfully? Did you set fixed times for Torah?…" The revealed part of Torah (נגלה) is halachah and Talmud, as distinct from the inner dimension of the Torah.

8. In the newspapers (במכ"ע): אח"כ = אחר כך, "afterward"; מכ"ע = מכתבי עתים, "newspapers"; וכיו"ב = וכיוצא בו, "and the like". On 2 Shevat the Rebbe had written to him: "it would be proper to look into the possibility of printing every week an article on the week's topics in one of the newspapers printed in San Francisco" (letter 6671 above); and on 27 Shevat: "I enjoyed the end of your letter, that from time to time you will publish in the newspaper printed in your community something on the topic of the day" (letter 6701 above).

9. Draw in (צוציען): Yiddish: to draw, attract.

10. It is easy to understand (וק"ל): וק"ל = וקל להבין. Publicity in the newspaper about the farbrengens already held will draw a wider circle to the next farbrengen and to the activities in general.

11. The check… the walking stick (ההמחאה… ענין המקל): לגבי' = לגבייה: the check had not been presented for payment. The walking stick was the Previous Rebbe's, which the recipient received in San Francisco as a gift from Rabbi Shneur Zalman Bezpaloff and presented to the Rebbe; the Rebbe, whose "custom, without a vow, is to avoid gifts", enclosed a check in exchange (letter 6612 above). The Rebbe wished to pay him, and he refused (CrownHeights.info); here the Rebbe remarks that the check has still not been cashed.

12. By people at large (ע"י עמא דבר): בכ"ז = בכל זה, "nevertheless". "עמא דבר" follows Berachos 45a: פוק חזי מאי עמא דבר, "Go out and see what the people are doing", and Rashi: היאך נוהגים, "how they are accustomed to act". Most people do not do so.

13. The sale of chametz (מכירת חמץ): The sale of one's chametz to a non-Jew before Pesach, which involves no effort at all; many do not do it only because they do not know about it. עד"ז = על דבר זה, "about this".

14. On the contrary – and it is easy to understand (אלא אדרבה, וק"ל): One must take care that the publicity does not harm the livelihood of whoever deals with the sale of chametz; on the contrary, suitable publicity will add to his livelihood, as more people will come to sell their chametz.

Summary

The Rebbe tells the recipient, a shliach in San Francisco with semichah, that he may devote his fixed study of the revealed Torah to the laws of Gittin. He wonders why the farbrengens are not reported in the newspapers, which would draw a wider circle; notes that the check sent for the Previous Rebbe's walking stick has not yet been cashed; and suggests publicizing the effortless sale of chametz, taking care not to harm anyone's livelihood.