7250 —גדילה לבר מצוה, חינוך יהודי, ומנהגי טלית

B"H, 9th of Nisan, 5720. Brooklyn.

Vavac"h iy"a nu"n melachto melachet shamayim Har"y.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

I was pleased to receive your letter from the day of the yahrzeit of the Rebbe Maharash n"a. At an auspicious time, all those you wrote about will be mentioned at the holy resting place of my father-in-law, the Rebbe zatzukal l'h nbgm zy"a, in connection with their reaching the age of Torah and mitzvot. May it be G‑d's will that from a boy who is thirteen for mitzvot he will grow to be fifteen for Gemara study, etc., and may their parents enjoy much true nachas from them—Jewish and chassidic nachas.

Great is the merit of all those who raised and educated them on the royal path of the King of the world and saw good fruit from their labor—students whom all who see them recognize as 'the seed blessed by Hashem they are.'

And on a related note: since they grew up in our generation—a generation of spiritual destruction (G‑d forbid), with terrible decrees etc., Egypts like never before—it should also be fulfilled now in our generation, the generation at the footsteps of Mashiach and speedily in our days literally, that it will be said: 'This is my G‑d and I will glorify Him,' as our Sages say: 'They recognized Him first,' with the coming of both the first redeemer who is also the final redeemer—Mashiach Tzidkeinu—in the true and complete redemption.

With honor and blessings for a kosher and joyous Pesach.

P.S. Regarding the custom among some Anash that bochurim who go before the amud refuse to wrap themselves in a tallit—and similarly when called up to the Torah for hagbah etc.—based on what is stated according to our Rebbeim (as printed in Hayom Yom 19 Kislev), the shaliach tzibbur does not wrap himself in a tallit for Maariv—not on Yom Tov nor on Rosh Hashanah—from which it is understood there is absolutely no disrespect to the congregation or similar concerns; this serves as a precedent also regarding Shacharit for those who do not don a large tallit when praying alone. And based on a story from our Torah [for even Torah stories are instruction] (Sukkah 32b): Rav Acha son of Rava would seek out..., since it came from Rav's mouth..., especially since in our case there is also an issue regarding making a blessing over it about which there is much debate; therefore, the simplest advice to avoid any doubt about a blessing is not to enter into this question at all. This should suffice.

It is understood that all this must be done so as not to cause any dispute—for peace is great, and all Torah was given only to make peace in the world.

Summary

The Rebbe emphasizes nurturing children along a chassidic path brings true nachas to parents and educators. He addresses tallit customs with sensitivity to tradition while prioritizing peace among Jews above all else.