הטעם לשלום זכר וההבדל בלידת נקבה

The Reason for Shalom Zachar and Its Difference for a Girl's Birth

חיים ישראל — Chaim Yisrael ב"ה, ג' אייר תשכ"ה ברוקלין.

The Rebbe addresses why the custom of Shalom Zachar applies to boys but not girls, explaining that the joy at a girl's birth is not considered complete according to the Talmud. This letter clarifies the halachic reasoning based on Tosafos and Yam Shel Shlomo.

ב"ה, ג' אייר תשכ"ה

ברוקלין.

הוו"ח אי"א נו"נ וכו' מו"ה חיים ישראל שי'

שלום וברכה!

...להערתו דלפי' התוס' ונת' ביש"ש (ב"ק פ', סע"א) בטעם שלום זכר צ"ל כן גם בלידת נקבה, י"ל דשאני נקבה דאז אין השמחה שלימה ע"פ ב"ב (טז, ב).

נדפסה בלקו"ש חל"ב ע' 233 והושלמה עפ"י העתק המזכירות.

B"H, 3 Iyar 5725.

Brooklyn.

Havavac"h iy"a nu"n etc. Chaim Yisrael

Shalom u'Vrachah!

...Regarding your note that according to Tosafos and as explained in Yam Shel Shlomo (Bava Kama, chapter Perek, page 61a) about the reason for Shalom Zachar, it should also apply at the birth of a girl—one can say that a girl is different, because then the joy is not complete, as explained in Bava Basra (16b).

Summary

The Rebbe explains that the custom of Shalom Zachar does not apply to a girl's birth because, according to halachic sources, the joy at such an event is not considered complete. This distinction clarifies why the celebration is unique to boys.