Don’t Borrow to Give
Rebbe Responsa | January 22, 2026
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Don’t Borrow to Give

Rebbe Responsa | January 30, 2026

Borrowing to pay a pledge; visiting the doctor; postpone Maaser; resolving a disagreement concerning local Cheder amicably

By the Grace of G-d

Sivan 12, 5736

Sholom uBrocho:
In response to your letter of Iyar 28, the Rebbe א״טילש replied as follows:

  1. If the debt you refer to in your letter is your commitment to Tzedoko – you should not borrow money to pay it.
  2. As to whether your wife should visit a doctor – you should do according to the advice of a physician a friend.
  3. With regard to what you write about your having started sending away checks to pay the Maaser etc. – you should postpone this until after next Rosh Hashono.
  4. The Rebbe א״טילש, also said that he will remember you in prayer when visiting the Holy Ohel.

With all good wishes,
Very sincerely,
Rabbi M. A. Hodakov

P. S. I also have before me your letter of Iyar 12. I was pleased to learn in the interim that you have already worked things out with Mr. ... with regard to the Cheder. I am confident that in the future as well when such problems arise you will be able to resolve them amicably together, for the sake of Chinuch al Taharas Hakodesh.

Source: Photocopy of the original. This letter was sent on the letterhead of the Rebbe’s secretariat.

In loving memory

נשמת ולעילוי
Sarah Bas R' Moshe ה"ע
Pape
In honor of her yahrzeit
9 Shevat 5759
And her husband
R' Chaim Yitzchak Ber HaLevi Ben
R' Binyamin Zev HaLevi ה"ע
17 Teves 5744
ת׳נ׳צ׳ב׳ה׳

Borrowing to pay a pledge; visiting the doctor; postpone Maaser; resolving a disagreement concerning local Cheder amicably

By the Grace of G-d

Sivan 12, 5736

Sholom uBrocho:
In response to your letter of Iyar 28, the Rebbe א״טילש replied as follows:

  1. If the debt you refer to in your letter is your commitment to Tzedoko – you should not borrow money to pay it.
  2. As to whether your wife should visit a doctor – you should do according to the advice of a physician a friend.
  3. With regard to what you write about your having started sending away checks to pay the Maaser etc. – you should postpone this until after next Rosh Hashono.
  4. The Rebbe א״טילש, also said that he will remember you in prayer when visiting the Holy Ohel.

With all good wishes,
Very sincerely,
Rabbi M. A. Hodakov

P. S. I also have before me your letter of Iyar 12. I was pleased to learn in the interim that you have already worked things out with Mr. ... with regard to the Cheder. I am confident that in the future as well when such problems arise you will be able to resolve them amicably together, for the sake of Chinuch al Taharas Hakodesh.

Source: Photocopy of the original. This letter was sent on the letterhead of the Rebbe’s secretariat.

In loving memory

נשמת ולעילוי
Sarah Bas R' Moshe ה"ע
Pape
In honor of her yahrzeit
9 Shevat 5759
And her husband
R' Chaim Yitzchak Ber HaLevi Ben
R' Binyamin Zev HaLevi ה"ע
17 Teves 5744
ת׳נ׳צ׳ב׳ה׳

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