4810 —השתיקה בענין הפלגת האניות בשבת, ומשלוח בשר קפוא קודם המליחה

B"H, 5 Marcheshvan, 5717

Brooklyn.

The great Rav and Chassid, who fears G‑d, distinguished and honored, active in communal affairs, a basket full of books, etc., Reb Shlomo Yosef, may he live

Shalom u'Vrachah!

It is surprising that for a very long time there have been no letters or news at all from you. Yet in the meantime there was the month of Tishrei with its festivals and their matters, which give room to distinguish oneself in the field of Chabad, both within and without.

It seems that the issue of the ships^[1] has been completely silenced, even though the other side has gone further than its practice in the summer — the sailings have now been arranged to be on Friday, Erev Shabbos Kodesh! And although in my opinion it is clear that even sailing on Motzaei Shabbos is absolutely forbidden... Whoever reflects on the history of the persecutions against Torah and mitzvos will come to see that when a persecution and decree against a particular mitzvah grew stronger, the beginning, and what gave room for it, was weakness in keeping that mitzvah among those who tremble at the word of Hashem.

I hope that the arrangement for paying the expenses of the shluchim, may they live long and good days, was carried out long ago, as you discussed with our friend at the time — especially considering what I wrote in my previous letter, that an old debt's repayment is somewhat in doubt, and this is easy to understand. Thank you for informing me of the details of this.

With blessing,

M. Schneerson

Rabbi Wolgelernter — in our parting conversation before his return to the Holy Land — told me that he would work for a prohibition from the Chief Rabbinate, at least on the ship owners.

You surely remember that I objected to the matter of shipping frozen meat to the Holy Land before salting, which aroused your surprise, etc. What I feared has now come: although it has been done from here officially for only a few months, the breach has already been made here, and they do this in the slaughterhouses in the commerce of the United States, claiming that the Chief Rabbinate permits it. Understandably, here the freezing does not touch so much on the health of the body, etc. (and the same applies in the Holy Land after the meat is received there).

Regarding what I wrote some time ago about the concern over the title "Nasi" — these days the collection HaTorah VeHaMedinah, volumes 5–6, came into my hands, and in it an article by Rabbi Fogelman. See there.

Publisher's notes

4811 [a stray line in the source].

Reb Shlomo Yosef (מו"ה שלמה יוסף): Zevin, Jerusalem. Further letters to him — above, vol. 13, letter 4310, and the references in the notes there; below, 4871, 4920.

The issue of the ships (ענין האניות): see above, letter 4796, and the references in the notes there.

Paying the expenses of the shluchim (תשלומי הוצאות השלוחים): see above, vol. 13, letters 4402, 4470, 4554, 4696. Below, 4871.

Our friend (ידידנו): Mr. Shazar.

At least on the ship owners (על בעלי האניות לכה"פ): if not on the passengers.

Shipping frozen meat (משלוח בשר קפוא): see above, vol. 4, letter 965; vol. 12, letter 3969.

The title "Nasi" (התואר נשיא): see above, vol. 12, letter 4226, and vol. 13, letter 4347.

Notes

[1] The issue of the ships (ענין האניות): the sailing of Israeli ships on Shabbos; see letter 4796, as the publisher's note says.

Summary

This letter regrets that the issue of the ships has been silenced, though sailings are now set even for Friday; weakness in keeping a mitzvah among the observant opens the way to decrees against it. It notes that freezing meat before salting, which it warned of, is now done in America on the claim that the Chief Rabbinate permits it.