Chassidim and Misnagdim!
“May Hashem who is peace bring peace between you.”
Famous Historical Letter
In the holy handwriting of the Alter Rebbe Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi,
the Baal HaTanya.
Famous historical letter by the Alter Rebbe Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, author of the Tanya and Shulchan Aruch Harav, to his followers in the community of Vilna, written in his own holy handwriting and signed by him.
The letter pertains to the matter of the ordinance concerning polished knives used during shechitah, a ruling instituted by the Maggid of Mezeritch, which had become a source of contention between the Chassidim and the Misnagdim.
In this letter, the Alter Rebbe outlines his lofty approach of seeking peace and preventing conflict between the Chassidim and the Misnagdim.
He directs his followers in Vilna that, despite the significance of the ordinance concerning polished knives – “which our holy and exalted teachers of blessed memory upheld with great devotion, even risking their lives for it” – peace and achdus are of greater importance. Therefore, he instructs them not to refrain from participating in mitzvah-related meals together with the Misnagdim, even if the latter do not slaughter using polished knives.
It concludes with a blessing: “May Hashem, place peace within your gates.”
Background to the Letter
The Ordinance of Polished Knives
One of the ordinances established by the holy Maggid of Mezeritch and his disciples was the requirement to slaughter with a polished knife. Until that time, slaughtering knives were thick, with the blade and back of the knife being of equal thickness. This made it difficult to sharpen the knife to be both smooth and sharp. The Maggid ruled that knives should be thinner toward the blade, allowing the slaughterer to easily sharpen the knife to meet halachic standards of sharpness and smoothness without requiring exceptional skill. (See ‘Shu"t Hadmor Hazakein’, Siman 7.)
This ordinance was enthusiastically embraced by the Chassidim, particularly by the Alter Rebbe, who instituted and firmly established this practice among his followers in all their communities.
Concerning this ordinance, the Rebbe wrote in the current letter:
"The slaughtering with polished knives is a great and exalted mitzvah upheld by our holy and exalted teachers of blessed memory." This concept is further elaborated upon by his brother, the holy Rabbi Yehuda Leib (in ‘She’eris Yehuda’, Yoreh De’ah, Siman 19): "The shochtim who trained with polished knives… the first to introduce this were the renowned shochtim of Mezeritch, supported by the holy and exalted leader, the Maggid, may his memory be a blessing."
The Misnagdim, who did not share the chassidic perspective on this stringency and were generally opposed to innovations introduced by the Chassidim, objected to this ordinance. They issued bans and prohibitions against slaughtering with polished knives (see ‘Shu"t Hadmor Hazakein’, Siman 10).
This led to significant friction in towns with both Chassidic and Misnagdic communities, as each group maintained separate slaughtering practices.
After the Alter Rebbe’s second imprisonment in 1802, efforts to establish peace between the Chassidim and Misnagdim intensified. One question raised during this period was whether the separate slaughtering practices, which had prevented joint participation in mitzvah meals and similar events, could be reconciled. The Chassidim brought this question to the Alter Rebbe, who responded with the present letter:
"The slaughtering with polished knives is a great and exalted mitzvah… and money has no value when it comes to ensuring that there is a consistent and qualified shochet in this manner. However, if occasionally one participates at a mitzvah meal with others from their city, Heaven forbid that one should refrain [from eating] and thereby imply that they are considered as eating non-kosher meat, Heaven forbid, such a thought must not be entertained! For I have never avoided eating from their utensils, even if used that same day (bnei yoma)."
(Adapted concisely and with minor modifications from the introduction to "Igros Kodesh" by the Alter Rebbe, edited by R. Shalom Dovber Levine, Brooklyn, 2012, p. 63.)
Summary
This remarkable letter serves as a historical testimony to the efforts and self-sacrifice of the Alter Rebbe in fostering peace between the Chassidim and the Misnagdim. Despite his profound dedication to upholding the ordinance of his teacher, the Maggid of Mezeritch, the Alter Rebbe decisively ruled that one must not avoid eating from the slaughter of the Misnagdim.
Date of the Letter
Rabbi Shalom Dovber Levine, based on various evidence, dates the writing of the letter to between the years 1802 and 1809.
The Rebbe’s Emissary – Rabbi Moshe Meisels
As mentioned in the letter, it was delivered to the followers in the holy community of Vilna by the trusted emissary of the Rebbe, the Chassid Rabbi Moshe Meisels of Vilna. Rabbi Moshe was a distinguished figure among Chabad activists and one of the prominent associates of the Alter Rebbe. In another letter, the Alter Rebbe described him as "the community’s trusted servant, through whom all communal needs were addressed, and who facilitated peace among the people."
Initially, Rabbi Moshe was aligned with the Misnagdim and was among those close to the Vilna Gaon. Later, he drew close to Chassidism, and particularly to the Alter Rebbe, for which he endured great hardship. As the Alter Rebbe wrote to his friend, the Hafla’ah: "Recently, he has drawn closer to the Chassidim who seek Hashem and wish to serve Him truthfully. Upon seeing that the path of slander had failed, they took vengeance upon him. He risked his life, enduring relentless persecution from them and their masses with baseless hatred and enduring hostility, enduring infamous schemes in attempt to distrupt his livelihood."
Rabbi Moshe also served as the Rebbe’s emissary for secret intelligence operations related to Napoleon’s war with the Russian Tsar.
Later in life, he immigrated to Eretz Yisrael and was one of the founders of the Jewish community in Chevron, where he passed away in 1841.
A Letter of Distinguished Provenance
Letters written by the Alter Rebbe in his pure and holy handwriting are extremely rare and are almost never found in private hands – especially a letter of such distinguished and verified provenance. The current letter was published in reliable Chabad sources and even included by the Rebbe in "Igros Kodesh." Most notably, as mentioned earlier, it has a direct lineage, preserved across generations by the family of Rabbi Moshe Meisels , the Rebbe’s trusted emissary.
Description of the Letter
[1] Leaf.
Size: Width: 22 cm, Height: 9 cm. Six wide lines written in the pure holy handwriting of the Rebbe, along with his signature. Signs of wear and tears, but without loss to the text itself. The back of the letter is reinforced with paper. Preserved in an elegant leather binding.
References
A photograph of the letter appears in "Migdal Oz, " p. 576. It is printed in "Beis Rebbe" (Berdichev, 1902), p. 17b (2014 edition, p. 54); "Mishnas Yoel" (History of the Alter Rebbe, Jerusalem, 1941), p. 40 (based on this letter); "Igros Ba’al HaTanya, " Siman 116; "Sefer HaToldos Admor HaZaken, " p. 114; "Yagdil Torah" (New York), Year 1, Issue 4, p. 66; "Igros Kodesh, " 1980 edition (published by the Rebbe), Letter 88; and in the Brooklyn 2012 edition of "Igros Kodesh of the Alter Rebbe, " Letter 95.
NOTE: Buyers premium on this lot is 18% .Final price will be adjusted accordingly on the invoice.
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