Help Reprint Sefer Hadras Ponim Zokon!
A Call from Rav Zalman Shimon Dworkin z’l
The Late Rov of the Lubavitch community of Crown Heights:
Help Reprint Sefer Hadras Ponim Zokon!
RABBI Z. DWORKIN
760 Eastern Parkway
Brooklyn, New York 11213
PResident 8-5030
[Translation]
With the help of Heaven
To all our brethren who cherish Torah
and especially to Anash [Lubavitchers]:
Greetings and blessing!
The Halachic ruling of the Rebbe, the Tzemach Tzedek, against removing one’s beard (even without a razor) is well-known. However, many, even among those who study Torah think that this is an individual opinion [of the Tzemach Tzedek] and that the Halacha does not follow him, and [they think] that its permissibility is straightforward [“poshut”].
Therefore, let us express our gratitude to Rabbi Moshe Wiener, who has labored hard, investing much effort and financial expense to prove in an encyclopedic work [Sefer Hadras Ponim – Zokon] that Halachic authorities and Rabbonim of all generations until our own rule just like the Tzemach Tzedek — that it is totally prohibited [“issur gamur”] to remove one’s beard, and those who do not observe this are in error and unaware of the seriousness of this matter.
In this work, [the author] not only quotes, clarifies and explains the ruling of those who hold like our Rebbe [the Tzemach Tzedek], but also resolves all Halachic objections brought against it [the Tzemach Tzedek’s ruling].
Our Rebbe, shlita, too, encouraged and urged the author again and again to publish his work as soon as possible, in order to remove a stumbling block and potential for error from our Jewish brethren. The author has also been privileged to receive several of the Rebbe’s comments and explanations.
It is a great privilege [“zechus”] for Anash to participate in helping the author with his great financial expenses [for publication]. This will be a major Kiddush Hashem [sanctifying G-d’s name] and will increase the honor of Lubavitch among Yeshiva people who at present do not observe [the Halachic ruling] to let their beards grow.
I hereby sign the above on this day of Erev Shabbos [Parshas] Shoftim,
5 Ellul, 5737, here in the city of Brooklyn:
Signed: Zalman Shimon ben R’ Yeruchem, of blessed memory, Dworkin
To view the original Hebrew letter from Rav Dworkin z’l, regarding the importance of Anash supporting the publication of Hadras Ponim Zokon, click here.
To read about the Rebbe’s extensive, intricate and ardent involvement in the publication of this sefer, please click here for English and here for Hebrew.
To view excerpts from the letters of support and approbation of Gedolei Yisroel regarding sefer Hadras Ponim Zokon, click here.
The 3rd edition of Hadras Ponim Zokon is out-of-print.
To enable the publication of an expanded 4th edition of this celebrated sefer (of approximately 1,150 pages) – which was so important to the Rebbe — by sponsoring a Hakdasha/Dedication in honor/memory of a loved one or a special occasion, please click here.
To download a Hakdasha/Dedication Agreement Form, please click here.
P.S. In accordance with the Rebbe’s vision for this sefer*, Hadras Ponim Zokon is sold below cost to make it affordable to talmidei yeshiva and many seforim are donated to libraries of yeshivos and shuls and gifted to Rabonim and Roshei Yeshiva. The need for financial support for its publication is thus significant.
“The goal of your sefer is that through reading it, people will be more scrupulous with the prohibition of removing the beard and will realize how critically important it is to grow it. To this end, it is imperative that it actually be published and distributed” (Letter from the Rebbe to the author of sefer Hadras Ponim Zokon, printed in Igros Kodesh, vol. 32, p. 133). “It is customary when printing sefarim such as this to provide a discount to yeshiva students, and to publicize that you are doing so.” (Unpublished letter from the Rebbe to the author of sefer Hadars Ponim Zokon).
