[ט"ז תמוז, ה'תשל"ב]
הקונ' — נת' ות"ח. — לחביבותא דמילתא – עכ"פ תיכף דפדפתי (עד לכשאפנה קצת יותר).
שלום וברכה!
וכהוכחה ע"ז:
ריש הערה 2
דאין קדושה בשקלים
שבלשכה
קודם התרומה צע"ג שהרי (במשנה): אלו ואלו שקלים. ובפרש"י בב"מ (נח, א) דכיון דקדוש קדוש (אלא שחייב באחריותו), ושאני שליח – שעדיין לא הגיע ללשכה. וצ"ע הדין בשופרות שבמדינה. וראה צפע"נ על הרמב"ם פ"ג ה"ח.
אזכיר עה"צ. ויבש"ט.
16 Tammuz, 5732.
The kuntres — received, thank you. — For the sake of affection for the matter – at least immediately after I leafed through it (until I have a bit more free time).
Shalom u'Vrachah!
And as proof regarding this: see the beginning of note 2 that there is no sanctity in the shekalim in the treasury before the terumah is separated, as it says (in the Mishnah): "Both these and those are shekalim." And in Rashi on Bava Metzia (58a), since it is sanctified, it is sanctified (but he remains responsible for them), and it is different with a shaliach – since they have not yet reached the treasury. See also about the law regarding shofarot in the provinces. And see Tzafnat Paneach on Rambam, Laws of Shekalim chapter 3 halachah 8.
I will mention at the gravesite for success. And may there be good news.
Summary
This letter clarifies that shekalim coins do not attain full sanctity until after terumah is separated, with distinctions made for a shaliach who has not yet delivered them to the treasury. The Rebbe references several sources to support this nuanced halachic point.