8654 —הבחנה הלכתית בין שימוש בטלפון ובמיקרופון

B"H, 4 Menachem Av, 5723. Brooklyn.

Havavac"h iy"a nu"n oseik b'tzt"z Harav Pinchas Aharon.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

... Regarding the matter of the telephone you wrote about—it is not at all similar to the matter of a microphone: (a) The speaker is not aware of this at all. (b) He does not want (and on the contrary, it is against his will) for people to hear in another room. (c) It is not a psik reisha at all, since only speaking loudly and in close proximity to the telephone activates it. And more. This should suffice.

With blessing.

Harav Pinchas Aharon Weberman, Miami. Additional letters to him—see above Chof-Retzah, and those referenced in the notes there.

Regarding the telephone: In your letter: In Likkutei Sichos vol. II p. 506 it is told about our master and teacher Admor HaRayatz n"a that on Erev Shabbos and Yom Tov he would place a piece of wood to raise the telephone in the room of his father Admor HaRashab n"a so that he could hear the prayers from another room; perhaps we can learn permission regarding a microphone or tape recorder if the speaker does not intend to speak into it.

Summary

The Rebbe distinguishes between telephones and microphones in halachic terms, emphasizing intent and awareness as crucial factors. This teaches us to carefully analyze new technologies within halachic frameworks rather than making assumptions based on superficial similarities.