6592 —הישארות במשרת רבנות נוכחית מול מעבר לניו-יורק

B"H, 8th of Kislev, 5719
Brooklyn, N.Y.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

I acknowledge your letter of Tuesday of the week of "הוה גביר לאחיך" ("Be a lord over your brothers" — Bereishis 27:29, i.e., the week of Parshas Toldos)^[1]. I had indeed learned that you received a contract for the rabbinate of a synagogue^[2] in New York. But, begging your pardon, I must say that I learned of it with pain mixed with astonishment.

To one such as yourself^[3] my pain is surely understood, in keeping with what I spoke with you about regarding..., may he live: that all the more so^[4] do those words apply to your honor^[5], and in a far greater measure.

For in... the state of Judaism depends on select individuals, and it could be destroyed, G‑d forbid, even by the departure of one person from there; for public success there requires special conditions that cannot be created anew by a preparation of some months... As opposed to New York, where the situation in this respect is different from one extreme to the other.

It may be that from the point of view of a private person, as a private individual, New York has advantages over another place in that there are more observant people here, etc., etc. But even if you grant that this is so one hundred percent, then, after the style of our Sages, "an individual and the many — the halachah follows the many"^[6] (the concerns and gains of the individual as against the concerns and gains of the many). In our case, however, I see no doubt even as regards the gain of the individual: for while in your present place you are one and unique, and that gives you exceptional powers, possibilities, standing and position, here in New York — even with the fullest appreciation of your talents, etc. — there is competition from very many; especially since not everyone looks deeply into who surpasses whom in the circle of rabbis, who outwardly resemble one another.

I will add one more point, knowing the mood of the Jewish public in the United States^[7]: even in the area of influence on American Jewry, one can have more influence by a visit as Chief Rabbi of...

than as a local rabbi, even in one of the finest synagogues.

In truth I wished to write all the above to your honor when I received the news of the offer of a rabbinic post in a synagogue in New York, but I refrained, in keeping with the well-known saying related in the name of the Alter Rebbe, "מיט אן עצה שלאגט מען זיך ניט אן" ("One does not force one's advice on another")^[8]. But on receiving your honor's letter, which also included that news, I saw it as my duty — which I have no right to evade — to express to you my clear view that it is proper for you to remain in your present office. May the words have their effect; for the right of the firstborn belongs to the claim of the many, the members of your present congregation, whom you have led in the path of Torah and mitzvah, and whose conduct in the future certainly depends in the most important measure on your influence and guidance. And even if a young, energetic, G‑d-fearing rabbi, etc., etc., should be found, the ruling of our Torah is known: "a person does not merit to learn from everyone"^[9]; and "certain and perhaps" — especially the certainty of the many against the perhaps of the individual — "the certain is preferred"^[10].

With respect and with blessing for a good decision in all the above.

[Publisher's note: "The well-known saying": see also above, vol. 13, letter 4727, and in the references in the notes there.]

Notes

1. Tuesday of the week of "Be a lord over your brothers" (מיום ג' הוה גביר לאחיך): That is: his letter of the third day of the week, which he dated by the words of the pasuk from Parshas Toldos, Bereishis 27:29: "Be a lord over your brothers" (apparently after the custom of marking the date by a pasuk from the weekly parshah).

2. A synagogue (ביהכ"נ): בית הכנסת.

3. To one such as yourself (ולדכוותי'): (Aramaic) "and to one like him" — to a person of his standing and level.

4. All the more so (מכש"כ): מכל שכן.

5. Your honor (כת"ר): כבוד תורתו, "the honor of his Torah".

6. "An individual and the many — the halachah follows the many" (יחיד ורבים הלכה כרבים): See Berachos 9a: "an individual and the many — the halachah follows the many." Borrowed in the letter: when the benefit of the individual stands against the benefit of the many, the benefit of the many decides.

7. The United States (ארה"ב): ארצות הברית.

8. "One does not force one's advice on another" (מיט אן עצה שלאגט מען זיך ניט אן): (Yiddish) literally, "one does not press oneself on another with advice" — one does not offer a person advice when he has not asked for it.

9. "A person does not merit to learn from everyone" (לא מכל אחד אדם זוכה ללמוד): See Eruvin 47b (and similarly Avodah Zarah 13a): "for a person does not merit to learn from everyone... and Rabbi Yochanan said: the halachah follows Rabbi Yosi." In the letter: even if another fitting rabbi is found, he is not the same as the rabbi from whom the congregation is used to learning and by whom it is guided.

10. "Certain and perhaps — the certain is preferred" (ברי ושמא... ברי עדיף): After Kesubos 12b: "Rav Huna and Rav Yehudah say he is liable: certain and perhaps, the certain is preferred." In the letter: the certain benefit to his present congregation (certain) outweighs the doubtful benefit of the new post (perhaps).

Summary

On hearing that a rabbi had accepted a pulpit in New York, the Rebbe writes of his pain and astonishment: in the rabbi's present community, Jewish life depends on a few select individuals and could collapse with his departure, whereas New York is a different world. The good of the many outweighs that of the individual — and even for himself, there he is unique, while in New York he would be one of many. He could influence American Jewry more by visiting as a chief rabbi than as a local rabbi. Having refrained from unasked advice, he now writes plainly: remain in your post.