5876 —מנהג ליובאוויטש שאין הש"ץ מתעטף בטלית במנחה ומעריב, ושמירתו בדרכי שלום

B"H, 26 Cheshvan, 5718

Brooklyn.

To the board of the Nusach Ari Anshei Lubavitch synagogue in Dorchester, headed by Mr. Menashe Vinokur, may he live, president, and his colleagues, ה' עליהם יחיו "may G‑d be upon them, and they shall live" (Yeshayahu 38:16)

Shalom u'Vrachah!

In reply to your letter, in which you write about the custom that a chazzan davens Minchah and Maariv in a tallis:

a) As is known, the customs of Lubavitch, which have been followed for generations, are that even on Rosh Hashanah at Maariv or at Minchah, and all the more so on Shabbos and Yom Tov at Minchah and Maariv, the chazzan should daven without a tallis (Hayom Yom, 19 Kislev), and the reasons for this are explained in the holy books; and others express themselves on this even in sharp terms. It is also known that there are synagogues that conduct themselves otherwise, just as there are various differences in customs between Chassidim and others, and between Chassidim in general and Chabad Chassidim of Nusach Ari, and in the nusach of prayer and other customs of prayer, etc.

b) The very name of your shul, "Nusach Ari Anshei Lubavitch," shows that it has always been conducted according to the customs of Lubavitch and of the Arizal. Here there is the added matter of the directive of our Sages, אל תשנו מנהג אבותיכם "do not change the custom of your fathers" (cf. Beitzah 4b: הזהרו במנהג אבותיכם בידיכם "take care to keep the custom of your fathers").

c) It goes without saying that there must be no dispute, G‑d forbid, among Jews at all, and how much more so not in a holy place, even when it concerns upholding a custom such as the one mentioned above, although it has been followed this way for several generations. But I hope that when the worshippers are told the basis for the chazzan not davening Minchah and Maariv in a tallis, that this is how it has been handed down by the Rebbeim from generation to generation, I believe that no one will want to go against the tradition.

d) The above applies only to Minchah and Maariv, but not to Selichos, for at Selichos the custom everywhere is that the chazzan says Selichos at the amud wrapped in a tallis.

And may G‑d, blessed be He, help, in keeping with the teaching of the Mishnah, לא מצא הקב"ה כלי מחזיק ברכה לישראל אלא השלום "the Holy One, blessed be He, found no vessel that holds blessing for Israel except peace" (Mishnah, end of tractate Uktzin), that in your synagogue too there be peace in an ever-growing measure, as we say in davening, תלמידי חכמים מרבים שלום בעולם "Torah scholars increase peace in the world" (Berachos 64a). Surely each one will do what depends on him in this direction, and may G‑d, blessed be He, accept the prayers of all and fulfill the requests asked of G‑d, blessed be He, both materially and spiritually.

With blessing for good news, including that your synagogue rises higher in prayer, in the classes of Torah study, and in the deed of tzedakah.

And with blessing for all good.

See also: letter 5877

Summary

This letter explains to a Lubavitch shul's board that by the tradition of the Rebbeim the chazzan wears no tallis at Minchah or Maariv, though he does at Selichos; the shul's very name obliges it to keep the custom, yet only in peace, for peace is the vessel of blessing, and once the source is explained no one will want to oppose it.