A two page unsent letter written by the Lubavitcher Rebbe mysteriously surfaced in a wedding memento in Crown Heights this week.
The letter, an approbation to the Sefer Birurei Halochos of the legendary Chosid Rabbi Avrohom Ele Plotkin obm, was written 50 years ago.
The letter dated the 24th of Teves 5723 (1963) is addressed to Rabbi Shmuel Plotkin son of the author, who lives now in Crown Heights and who served for many years as a Shliach in Berdichev and Zhitomir.
In his letter the Rebbe expresses his pleasure with progress made by Rabbi Plotkin in preparing his father’s manuscripts for publication so far and encourages him to complete its publication and to publish all the additional manuscripts still in his possession as soon as possible.
The Rebbe praises the authors authentic style of learning Torah that was not one of “Pilpul Srak” (mental gymnastics) or abstract ideas with no practical application , but rather the style endorsed by our Rebbeim -clarifying and illuminating all the opinions and then bringing them down to a final Halacha. He encourages the publisher to share this approach of learning with the rest of the Torah community.
The Rebbe also writes some profound comments about some of the Torah concepts discussed in the Sefer on the editing proofs of the Sefer. (The Rebbe discusses these points in a Farbrengen Shavuos 5764 –one year later)
The letter was left incomplete, unsigned and never sent.
In 1973, ten years after the letter was written, Rabbi Plotkin prints the Sefer Birurei Halochos but never receives this letter.
A few months ago, a newly expanded edition of the Sefer Biruri Halochos is printed by Kehos together with a second volume “Pninei Avrohom Eliyohu” that includes in it in all of the other manuscripts as well. The Sefer is well received. In it are approbations and praise for the author from the Rogachover Gaon, Rabbi Yechezkel Abramsky Rabbi Shlom Yosef Zevin and Rabbi Moshe Rivkin. But something is missing – there is still nothing in it from the Rebbe!
Then comes this amazing story of Hashgocho Protis:
Out of nowhere, this mystery letter appears in a memento at a wedding this past week in Crown Heights! This letter, which was waiting in the Rebbe’s closet for 50 years, surfaces unceremoniously in a wedding memento at the wedding of Moshe Raichik of Los Angeles, CA and Riki Simpson of Crown Heights.
The letter has arrived and the Sefer is finally complete.
After 50 years in waiting, this amazing letter of the Rebbe falls down from heaven – endorsing the Sefer!
“Lo Ozav Tzoin Mar’isoy” –We are not alone!!
The new Sefer can be found online here.
Hashgacha protis!!
Yay zaide!
In the teshura the transcription of the Rebbe’s handwritten notes is missing a few words which are there in the copy of the ksav yad kodesh, those who will learn the Rebbe’s amazing insight why the Alter Rebbe omitted one of the reasons for issur amira leakum should better read the actual ksav y”k or they’ll miss a few words….
thats amazing
As a granddaughter of the author and a daughter of the letter from the Rebbe,I would love everyone to learn this sefer. You will meet an author that hot gelebt mit yiddishkeit.He loved and cherished yiddishkeit more than anyone I have ever met.Learn the sefer and meet this godol.
I’m proud to be a great grandson of Avrohom Eliyahu Plotkin,
We are so very proud of you zaidy! You’re an inspiration to all of us!
As a daughter in law I am unbelievably proud to be a part of this amazing dynasty. This is true yichus.
as a great grandson i am “sheping Nachas!!”
It is difficult for a son to express how proud he is of his father. It usually works the other way around. My father, along with my brother Rabbi Avromella Plotkin of Markham Toronto, have worked tirelessly, for years, putting together the manuscripts and editing them. Every single day they spent hours upon hours on the phone working through every single minor detail, over and over again. They were diligent to ensure that every single dot and line were exactly how the “zayde” intended it to be. Sometimes I questioned the effort and wondered why they were so persistent in… Read more »
My take on why we find that many letters of the Rebbe were never sent is simply because all the years the office was understaffed….
you probably mean “1964” not “5764”
Should read: “… to the family of the author”, the author passed away in 5709 (If I’m not mistaken).
can someone please help us understand why is it that this letter was never sent?
COLlive.com ‘Todah raabah!’
Most fascinating!
Nice Bracha for your wedding.