6704 —המעבר לנוסח האריז"ל לתמיד, וחסיד חב"די המתפלל לפני התיבה במקום שאומרים "ושמרו"

B"H, the first day of Rosh Chodesh Adar I, 5719^[1]
Brooklyn.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

In reply to your letter of 17 Shevat, in which you write of your wish to pray from now on in the nusach of the Arizal^[2], which is the nusach of the Alter Rebbe accepted among Chabad Chassidim:

This is very good and proper, especially in light of the stories of Chassidim that the Alter Rebbe selected this nusach from sixty siddurim^[3]. However, since according to what is brought in the relevant sources^[4] one may change from Nusach Ashkenaz to Sefard, and from Sefard to Nusach Ari, but not the reverse, you must decide that once you begin Nusach Ari, it is for good^[5].

As to your question: a Chabad Chassid who leads the prayers before the ark in a synagogue where the custom is to say Veshamru^[6], should he say it too?

It seems to me that he should not say it, since he has accepted for himself the ruling that this raises a concern of interruption, as the Alter Rebbe ruled^[7]; especially as, with regard to those who pray in a minyan, there is a well-known precedent^[8] in this, that one does not say it even though the other worshippers do, etc. (see Orach Chaim, siman 236, in the Piskei Dinim of the Tzemach Tzedek)^[9]; even when he leads the prayers before the ark, he should not say it^[10].

At an auspicious time all those you write about will be mentioned at the holy resting place of my father-in-law, the Rebbe, of saintly and blessed memory, whose soul is in the hidden treasuries on High, may his merit protect us^[11], each one for what he needs.

And since you are the one bringing the request, it is understood and also obvious that you must add in matters of Torah and mitzvos, for this will add to the blessings of G‑d, blessed be He^[12], in fulfilling the wishes of your heart in the above.

With blessings for good news^[13],

In the name of the Rebbe shlita^[14]

Secretary

Publisher's notes

According to the stories of Chassidim (ע"פ סיפורי חסידים): See also above, vol. 17, letter 6332, and the references in the notes there; below, letters 6721, 7012.

To say Veshamru (לאמר ושמרו): See also above, vol. 17, letter 6371.

Notes

1. The first day of Rosh Chodesh Adar I (אדר"ח אדר א'): אדר"ח = א' דראש חודש: 30 Shevat, a Sunday, the first day of Rosh Chodesh Adar I (5719 was a leap year).

2. The nusach of the Arizal (נוסח האריז"ל): האריז"ל = האלקי רבי יצחק (לוריא) ז"ל, "the G‑dly Rabbi Yitzchak (Luria), of blessed memory". As the Rebbe writes in letter 4350: נוסח רבנו הזקן שהוא הנקרא עתה נוסח האריז"ל, שרבנו הזקן בירר מכמה נוסחאות, "the nusach of the Alter Rebbe, which is now called Nusach HaArizal, which the Alter Rebbe sifted out of several versions."

3. Selected this nusach from sixty siddurim (בירר נוסח זה מששים סידורים): The Rebbe writes this in several letters. Letter 6045 (to the editor of the siddur Tzelosa d'Avraham, on his siddur): ומסופר בפי חסידים, אשר בבירורו נוסח התפלה - הי' לפניו וצירפה מששים סדורים, "Chassidim relate that when he determined the text of the prayers, he had before him, and combined it from, sixty siddurim." Letter 4350: שבעת שקבע וכתב הסידור שלו, ביררו מששים סידורים נוסחאות שונות, "that when he fixed and wrote his siddur, he sifted it out of sixty siddurim of different versions" (the publishers cite there Beis Rebbi 84a). Letter 6332, to someone who wrote of changing his nusach: שכפי המסורה דחסידים בירר אותו רבנו הזקן בעל התניא (פוסק בנסתר דתורה) והשולחן ערוך (פוסק בנגלה דתורה) מששים נוסחאות, "for according to the tradition of Chassidim, the Alter Rebbe, author of the Tanya (the authority in the hidden part of the Torah) and of the Shulchan Aruch (the authority in the revealed part of the Torah), sifted it out of sixty versions." Later he wrote the same in letters 6721 and 7012.

4. The relevant sources (באיזהו מקומן): "Eizehu mekoman" ("which is their place") are the opening words of the Mishnah Zevachim 47a: איזהו מקומן של זבחים, "Which is the place of the offerings?" Here it is borrowed to mean "in the places where the matter is discussed," namely the responsa of the later authorities. As the Rebbe wrote in letter 5101: ידוע הפסק דין בשו"ת האחרונים, אשר אף שמותרים לשנות מנוסח אשכנז לנוסח ספרד ומנוסח ספרד לנוסח אר"י, אבל אין לשנות מנוסח אר"י לאשכנז, "the ruling in the responsa of the later authorities is well known, that although one may change from Nusach Ashkenaz to Nusach Sefard and from Nusach Sefard to Nusach Ari, one may not change from Nusach Ari to Ashkenaz," citing there: Responsa Divrei Chaim, part 2; Beis HaYotzer, Orach Chaim and Yoreh De'ah; Minchas Elazar, part 1; and others. In letter 5165 he cites Minchas Elazar (part 1, siman 11), "whose conclusion is that one may change from Ashkenaz to Sefard and Ari, but not the reverse."

5. It is for good (זהו לתמיד): Since once he begins praying in Nusach Ari he cannot go back to his former nusach, the decision must be for good; as the Rebbe wrote in letter 6332: צריכה להיות החלטתו ברורה, שהשינוי יהי' בר קיימא, "his decision must be clear, that the change be lasting."

6. Veshamru (ושמרו): חבד"י = a Chabad Chassid. "Leads the prayers before the ark" = serves as chazan. Veshamru is the passage Shemos 31:16: ושמרו בני ישראל את השבת לעשות את השבת לדרתם ברית עולם, "The children of Israel shall keep the Shabbos, to make the Shabbos throughout their generations an everlasting covenant," etc., which other nuschaos say in Maariv of Friday night before the Shemoneh Esrei; in the Alter Rebbe's nusach it is not said. In letter 4845, to someone who had begun praying in the Alter Rebbe's nusach and asked how to conduct himself in a synagogue with a different nusach, the Rebbe had written: המקום לספק הוא רק באם עליו לעבור שם לפני התיבה כשליח צבור, אבל פשוט כשמתפלל לעצמו יחזיק בהנוסח שלו... ומובן שהוא הדין בהנוגע לאמירת ושמרו, "There is room for doubt only if he must lead the prayers there as chazan; but clearly, when he prays for himself he keeps to his own nusach… and the same applies, understandably, to saying Veshamru." The case left in doubt there, the chazan, is the question asked here.

7. As the Alter Rebbe ruled (כפסק רבנו הזקן): ע"ע = על עצמו, "for himself". The Alter Rebbe's ruling is in his Siddur; as the Rebbe wrote in letter 6371: בפי' כתב בסי' ששלילת אמירת ושמרו הוא מפני חשש הפסק, "he wrote explicitly in the Siddur that not saying Veshamru is because of the concern of an interruption," that is, an interruption between redemption (geulah) and prayer, as explained there.

8. A well-known precedent (מעשה רב): Maaseh rav: the actual conduct of great men, from which the law is learned. Here: it is known that Veshamru was not said even when praying in a minyan where the other worshippers said it. In letter 4845 the Rebbe had written, of one who prays for himself in his own nusach: וכידוע מעשה רב בזה, בדורות שלפנינו, "as is known, there is a precedent in this, in the generations before us." See also letter 6371, where the Rebbe writes that saying Veshamru is היפך ממנהג אנ"ש מדורי דורות... הנהגה הפכית מרבותנו נשיאנו שהורו לתלמידיהם וההולכים בעקבותיהם, "contrary to the custom of our fellow Chassidim for generations… conduct contrary to our Rebbeim, who directed their students and those who follow in their footsteps."

9. Orach Chaim, siman 236, in the Piskei Dinim of the Tzemach Tzedek (או"ח סי' רל"ו בפס"ד הצ"צ): או"ח = אורח חיים; סי' = סימן; פס"ד הצ"צ = פסקי דינים לאדמו"ר הצמח צדק. As the Rebbe wrote in letter 6371: בפי' כ' בפס"ד להצ"צ לאו"ח סרל"ו כמו בנדו"ד שלא לומר ושמרו, "it is written explicitly in the Piskei Dinim of the Tzemach Tzedek on Orach Chaim 236, as in our case, not to say Veshamru"; and in letter 5165, about a man praying Nusach Ari who led the prayers in a synagogue praying Nusach Ashkenaz: ועיין פס"ד להצ"צ חאו"ח לסי' רל"ו מעשה רב מגדולי ישראל (ובהערות שם) שאין בזה משום ל"ת, "see the Piskei Dinim of the Tzemach Tzedek, Orach Chaim, on siman 236, a precedent from great men of Israel (and in the notes there) that this does not involve lo sisgodedu" (the prohibition of splitting into factions).

10. Even when he leads the prayers… he should not say it (גם באם עובר לפני התיבה אין לו לאמרו): Even when the Chassid is the chazan, he does not say Veshamru. This decides the case left in doubt in letter 4845 (see the note on "Veshamru" above).

11. The holy resting place of my father-in-law, the Rebbe… (הציון הק' של כ"ק מו"ח אדמו"ר זצוקללה"ה נבג"מ זי"ע): הציון הק' = the holy resting place, the Ohel of the Previous Rebbe, R. Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn. כ"ק מו"ח אדמו"ר = כבוד קדושת מורי וחמי אדוננו מורנו ורבנו, "his holiness my father-in-law, our master, teacher and Rebbe"; זצוקללה"ה = זכר צדיק וקדוש לברכה לחיי העולם הבא; נבג"מ = נשמתו בגנזי מרומים; זי"ע = זכותו יגן עלינו. כאו"א = כל אחד ואחד, "each one".

12. The blessings of G‑d, blessed be He (בברכות השי"ת): השי"ת = השם יתברך. Compare letter 7012: ומאחר שהוא בן ישיבה והוא המביא הבקשה, הנה מובן ופשוט שעליו להוסיף בהתמדה ושקידה בלימוד התורה ובקיום המצות בהידור, שמלבד גודל הענין מצד עצמו, הנה עי"ז מתוסף בברכות השי"ת, "Since he is a yeshivah student and he is the one bringing the request, it is understood and obvious that he must add in diligence and assiduity in Torah study and in keeping the mitzvos with beauty; for besides the greatness of this in itself, it adds to G‑d's blessings."

13. Good news (לבשו"ט): לבשו"ט = לבשורות טובות.

14. In the name of the Rebbe shlita (בשם כ"ק אדמו"ר שליט"א): כ"ק אדמו"ר שליט"א = כבוד קדושת אדוננו מורנו ורבנו, שיחיה לאורך ימים טובים אמן, "our holy master, teacher and Rebbe, may he live long and good days, amen". This letter was written and signed by the secretary in the Rebbe's name.

Summary

Through his secretary, the Rebbe tells the recipient that adopting the Alter Rebbe's nusach, which tradition says he sifted from sixty siddurim, is very good, but since one may move from Ashkenaz to Sefard to Ari and not back, the change must be for good; and a Chabad Chassid leading the prayers in a synagogue that says Veshamru should not say it, following the Alter Rebbe's ruling and the Tzemach Tzedek. Increasing in Torah and mitzvos will add to the blessings he asks for.