Igrot Kodesh · Letter 1303 — Teshuvah

B'ezras Hashem,

24 Kislev 5712,

Brooklyn,

To the distinguished Chassid* who fears Hashem,

Rav Pinchas[1], secretary of the

shul* of nusach Ari, Anshei Lubavitch,

Greetings and blessings,

I duly received in its time your letter, addressed in the name of the members of your shul*, of nusach Ari*, Anshei Lubavitch, with the check enclosed for the orphans of our Eretz HaKodesh*. Enclosed you will find my reply to that shul*, which you will doubtless transmit to the members of the community in a fitting manner.

You pose to me a question, in the name of these members. A portion of them holds that the chazzan* must wear a tallis* for the prayer of Friday night and of Shabbos* at Mincha*, while according to others this is unnecessary in a shul* of nusach Ari*. You ask me what I think.

Here is my reply.

The minhag* of Lubavitch, as I received it from my father-in-law, the Rebbe — and as it was printed, in its time, in the Hayom Yom*, on the date of 19 Kislev 5703[2] — is the following: "The chazzan* does not wear a tallis* for Mincha* and Maariv*, neither on Shabbos*, nor on Yom Tov*, nor on Rosh Hashanah*."

Nevertheless, it is not justified to maintain a quarrel over this. If this practice can be adopted easily and without dispute, it would be good for it to exist in your shul*, as in all the Anshei Lubavitch communities, in which the tallis* is worn only in the morning and throughout the day on Yom Kippur*.

By contrast, if there is a risk that this would provoke a dispute, one must give priority to peace, which justifies certain concessions. Nevertheless, one would do so for the afternoon of Shabbos*, but not on Friday night — for, according to some opinions, it is then dangerous to wear a tallis*[3].

May Hashem allow us to observe Jewish customs, for these are an integral part of the Torah, and they bring success in material matters as well.

With my blessing,

Notes

[1] Rav P. Kremer.

[2] 1943, the year for which the Rebbe wrote the Hayom Yom*.

[3] The Rebbe notes at the foot of the page: "See the seforim cited by the Sha'arei Teshuvah, Orach Chaim ch. 18. See also the Pri Megadim at the same reference, the responsa Shem MiShimon, first edition, chapters 1 and 2."