6792 —חשמל בשבת באה"ק: קודם חוות דעת יש לברר במקום את אופן פעולת המכונות

B"H, 29 Adar II^[1], 5719
Brooklyn.

The veteran and Chassid, a G‑d-fearing man, distinguished and honored, etc.^[2], Reb Yisrael, may he live long^[3]

Shalom u'Vrachah!

…^[4] As to what you write about the matter of electricity^[5]: there are several ways of operating the light, and therefore, before giving an opinion^[6], one must clarify how the machines work in the particular place and with regard to the particular use. As for the moshav you write about, it is possible that they receive the energy from Tel Aviv^[7], or that there is a special machine for the moshav, etc. For in the case of a small moshav, where energy is needed for a small matter by itself^[8], one can store the energy in what is called in Russian akkumulyator (an accumulator)^[9] – although, of course, in general this is a rare thing, for several technical, financial and other reasons. Nevertheless, even though it is only the smallest of minorities^[10], it prevents a clear opinion, especially as there is no need for it, since one can clarify on the spot the type of machines and the ways they operate, and in accordance with this the halachic ruling will also be clear.

A further remark: as with the other matters of the place that you write about, I have remarked several times^[11] that they are not the first moshav in such a matter; one can find out how they arrange the matter in Komemiyut^[12] and the like. I believe I was told that they have a machine of their own there for Shabbos; in that case one must establish clearly how it operates and arrange it in a manner permitted for Shabbos. The same applies to the sugar^[13] and the like, whose details are not known here.

With blessings for good news^[14] in all the above, in the communal matters and the personal matters alike, and for a kosher and joyous Pesach.

Publisher's notes

Reb Yisrael, may he live long (מו"ה ישראל שי'): Leibov, Kfar Chabad. A further letter to him: below, letter 6970.

The matter of electricity (ענין החשמל): On Shabbos in the Holy Land, where the machines are operated by Jews. See also above, vol. 14, letters 4963, 4967.

Akkumulyator (Аккумулятор): = a storage battery (מצבר).

As to the sugar (בהנוגע להסוכר): From a factory in which work is done on Shabbos.

Notes

1. 29 Adar II (כ"ט אד"ש): אד"ש = אדר שני, Adar II: 29 Adar II, Wednesday, Erev Rosh Chodesh Nissan.

2. The veteran and Chassid, a G‑d-fearing man, distinguished and honored (הוו"ח אי"א נו"נ): הוו"ח = הוותיק וחסיד, "the veteran and Chassid"; אי"א = איש ירא אלקים, "a G‑d-fearing man"; נו"נ = נעלה ונכבד, "distinguished and honored".

3. Reb Yisrael (מו"ה ישראל שי'): Leibov, Kfar Chabad (as in the publisher's note). R. Yisrael Leibov of Kfar Chabad, who corresponded with the Rebbe on the affairs of the village and the activities of Tzeirei Agudas Chabad. The Rebbe's letters to him: letter 6970 below (14 Menachem Av 5719: on receiving the tourists who visit Kfar Chabad, and a booklet explaining Chabad education in the Holy Land, "continuing the previous letter, in which some of the questions were answered"); vol. 19, letters 7088, 7292, 7317, 7414; and vol. 21, letter 8024 (4 Elul 5714: "that they should broaden the circle of Chabad activities, in general, and of Tzeirei Agudas Chabad in particular").

4. … (...): The beginning of the letter was not printed.

5. The matter of electricity (ענין החשמל): As the publisher's note says: "on Shabbos in the Holy Land, where the machines are operated by Jews" – the question of using electricity on Shabbos in the Holy Land, where the machines producing it are operated by Jews. In Kislev 5717 the Rebbe had written to R. Eliezer Karasik in Tel Aviv that the question of electricity "is a question of the Holy Land, especially since the differences of opinion of the rabbis of the Holy Land on it, with their reasons and arguments, are already known and publicized" (vol. 14, letter 4963); and two days later to another: "as to what you write about electric light on Shabbos in the Holy Land… it has already been debated in Torah journals in recent years… and the views and customs of various circles in the Holy Land on this are known" (ibid., letter 4967). In this letter the Rebbe explains that there is no single opinion for every place: it depends on how the machines operate in each place.

6. An opinion (חוו"ד): חוו"ד = חוות דעת, "an opinion".

7. The energy from Tel Aviv (הענערגיע מתל אביב): הענערגיע = (Yiddish) the energy, i.e. the electric current. "From Tel Aviv": electricity produced in Tel Aviv and reaching the moshav, as against a special machine for the moshav itself.

8. By itself (לפ"ע): לפ"ע = לפני עצמו, "by itself".

9. What is called in Russian akkumulyator (הנקרא ברוסית Аккумулятор): Russian for an accumulator; the publisher's note gives its meaning, מצבר, a storage battery. In a small moshav the energy can be stored in a battery, and then the electricity used on Shabbos does not depend on operating the machines on Shabbos itself.

10. The smallest of minorities (מיעוטא דמיעוטא): בכ"ז = בכל זה, "nevertheless". Aramaic: "a minority of a minority". Although this possibility is very rare, as long as it has not been clarified one cannot give a clear opinion.

11. Several times… in such a matter (בכ"פ… בכגון דא): בכ"פ = בכמה פעמים, "several times"; בכגון דא = (Aramaic) "in such a case".

12. Komemiyut (קוממיות): A moshav in the south of the country, near Kiryat Gat, founded in 1950 by a group of Agudas Yisrael; its Torah-observant settlers were among the few who did not farm their land in the first Shemittah year after the founding of the State (Wikipedia). וכיו"ב = וכיוצא בו, "and the like". The moshav he writes about is not the first to face such questions, and one can learn from other Torah-observant moshavim how they arranged the matter.

13. The sugar (הסוכר): עד"ז = על דרך זה, "the same applies". As the publisher's note says: "from a factory in which work is done on Shabbos" – sugar produced in a factory that operates on Shabbos.

14. Good news (בשו"ט): בשו"ט = בשורות טובות.

Summary

Answering a resident of Kfar Chabad about using electricity on Shabbos in the Holy Land, where the machines are operated by Jews, the Rebbe explains that no ruling can be given before clarifying on the spot how the machines serving the moshav operate – from Tel Aviv, a local generator, or even a storage battery – and suggests learning how Komemiyut and similar moshavim arrange it; the same applies to sugar from a factory working on Shabbos.