3044 —מיקום הפרוכת בתוך הארון קודש ושמירת מנהגי בית הכנסת

B"H, 22 MarCheshvan, 5715.

Brooklyn.

The Rav and Chassid, a G‑d-fearing man, distinguished and honored, engaged in communal needs, R. Yitzchak Zalman

Greetings and blessing!

...Your father-in-law, the distinguished Rav and Chassid, etc., R. Shlomo Aharon, showed me your letter about a paroches inside the Aron Kodesh, and what you noted on this and the dispute between Tosafos and Rashi in Megillah 26b.

But the dispute between Rashi and Tosafos is only over the law of the paroches, whether it should be inside the Aron Kodesh; it is not a dispute over the facts. So on the contrary, from there is proof that there was such a practice, of hanging a paroches inside the Aron Kodesh. Even so there is concern in hanging a paroches inside the Aron Kodesh now in our time, even if there will also be a paroches on the Aron, because this is a change in the custom of Jewish synagogues, at least in recent generations. It is known how careful they were about changing customs, even in matters with no concern of prohibition and the like, especially in the customs of the synagogue in this country, which need great strengthening.

Since you did not indicate to which fund you are sending your check, it was given to the Chamber of Secrets, which is among the highest levels of the mitzvah of tzedakah.

Notes

Megillah 26b (מגילה כ"ו ע"ב): Rashi, s.v. Perisa: a curtain spread around the ark on the inside. Tosafos, s.v. Merish: therefore it seems to me that it is spread around the ark on the outside.

Publisher's notes

R. Yitzchak Zalman (מוה"ר יצחק זלמן שי'): Posner. Further letters to him: above, vol. 8, 2411, and the references in the notes there; below, 3114, 3269.

R. Shlomo Aharon (הרש"א): Kazarnovsky.

A paroches inside the Aron Kodesh (פרוכת בתוך הארון קדש): In continuation of this, below, letter 3114.