The Sages have said that if Israel had only kept their first Shabbos properly no nation or language could ever have had dominion over them and if they would only keep two Shabbosos they would immediately be redeemed (Shabbos 118b). This is because the commandment of the Shabbos is equal to the entire Torah (ShemosRabbah 25:12). The Sages also say that whoever takes delight in the Shabbos is granted an unlimited inheritance (Shabbos 118b).
Yet I have observed an evil circumstance that has become widespread among the exiles of these lands, that is, the detraction from the honor of the holy Shabbos day. To begin with, I have seen people going each and every Shabbos eve to the inns, where they eat and drink until they are as intoxicated as Lot. Only then do they make their way home. But then in their drunken stupor they are unable to make Kiddush properly. The Sages have taught (Tosafos, Chagigah 3b quoting Midrash) that there are three parties that testify on behalf of one another. They are: the Holy One Blessed is He, the Shabbos and Israel. Yet we have learned (Shevuos 30a) that one must give testimony in a standing position, whereas a drunkard cannot even stand upon his legs! Can Hashem be pleased that a drunkard is testifying to His uniqueness and unity and to the fact that the Shabbos that is the equivalent of all the 613 commandments? Therefore one who cares for his soul will stay far from this pitfall, for the punishment will be very great.
A second pitfall that I have observed is that many villagers who live in open settlements with no wall or fence carry freely from their private domains to the houses of their gentile neighbors and vice versa. They rationalize that this is permitted because they are the only Jews living there on a permanent basis, therefore the presence of gentiles does not render carrying forbidden. But in this they are in error and do not know the law clearly. For we rule that a solitary Jew living in a place may carry throughout the city only if it is surrounded by a proper wall and gates (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 382). Only then is the entire town treated as if it were his own four cubits so that he may carry throughout it. But if the settlement is unwalled, and certainly if it is an open village, there is no justification for permitting a Jew to carry outside of his doorway at all. It is absolutely forbidden. Therefore whoever trembles at the word of Hashem must inform the villagers, especially those with an unattached dining hall, that if they carry anything in their villages or unwalled towns it is just as if they ate forbidden food.
A third custom I have noticed is that the residents of one village often travel to another village far away to attend services. They do this in fulfillment of the verse, “in a multitude of subjects is the glory of the king” (Mishlei 14:28), the King of the Universe, the Holy One Blessed is He. But once they arrive they spend the entire time engaged in vanity. One of them relates how he bought a horse for a good price from a certain gentile and another how he bought a cow and other animals. Their entire conversation revolves around mundane matters. Yet the Sages have taught, based on the verse, “And honor it by refraining from doing your ways…or speaking of a matter” (Yeshayahu 58:13), that one’s conversation on the Shabbos should not be like that on a weekday (Shabbos 113b). Since these villagers do not see one another throughout the week but only on Shabbos, they engage in every manner of conversation, including worldly affairs and business. In such a situation it would be better if they remained at home asleep in bed so that they would not speak of mundane matters on the Shabbos. This stumbling block is very common, on account of our many sins, and is to be found among most villagers.
A related plague that I have seen is that in some cases they walk two or three hours from one town to the next to attend services, claiming that it is within the Shabbos boundary. But I know for myself that it is often a distance of two or three times the Shabbos boundary. Therefore I admonish them that they may count on the Shabbos boundary only where there is a tradition among the residents that some well known authority measured the distance himself and permitted it for them. They must not rely on a mere schoolteacher or someone not qualified to rule in matters of prohibitions. For on account of our many sins there are many in this generation who are willing to permit the forbidden to ingratiate themselves with the people or for the sake of bribery. This causes them to permit even Torah prohibitions! Therefore let every individual remove this stumbling block by refraining from traveling to any place until he has received permission from the Rabbi of the country.
A fourth stumbling block that I have seen among some communities is that holy Jews, in their desire to honor the Shabbos to the greatest extent possible, send meat to the shops of non-Jewish bakers to be roasted, since in this region Jews do not usually own ovens. This act of “honoring” the Shabbos involves two evils: First, they send the meat in the care of an unmarried Jewish girl to the baker’s shop, where she violates the prohibition against seclusion with a man. This is forbidden even with a Jew because King David and the Prophet Shmuel made an enactment prohibiting seclusion between any man and woman (Avodah Zarah 36b). Therefore the guardian of the meat, the unmarried girl, is herself in need of a guardian against seclusion. How then can she guard the meat?
Moreover, since no Jew assists the non-Jewish baker in the work, the cooked dish or roasted meat becomes forbidden forever due to the Torah prohibition against non-Jewish cooking. Not everyone is on the level of Mar bar Rav Ashi [one of the Sages] that he can be expected to know of this law. This is certainly true in the smaller communities. As a result, they are frequently guilty of this iniquity, on account of our many sins, and often end up consuming food that is forbidden by Torah law. For I have never found any authority who permits this in practice. Non-Jewish cooking is completely forbidden even if a Jew stands by and supervises, unless he actually assists in the cooking. On account of our many sins, the majority of Poland and Lithuania stumble in this matter because they employ non- Jewish servant girls who cook for them without any assistance from their Jewish employers. Therefore I admonish every individual to remove this stumbling block from his house. Let him not send the meat with a solitary girl or woman. And if he does send meat to the baker’s shop, let him be sure to at least break up the coals or place the meat upon the fire personally, lest he be guilty of violating a Torah prohibition, Heaven forbid.
Whoever is careful about the four things that I have mentioned will be rewarded many fold and merit an unlimited inheritance, as it is stated, “And I will grant you the inheritance of your father Yaakov” (Yeshayahu 58:14). Amein, so may it be His will.
אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שַׁבָּת קיח, ב): אִלְמָלֵא שָׁמְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל שַׁבָּת רִאשׁוֹנָה, לֹא הָיוּ שׁוֹלְטִין בָּהֶם אֻמָּה וְלָשׁוֹן. וְאִלְמָלֵא מְשַׁמְּרִין יִשְׂרָאֵל שְׁתֵּי שַׁבָּתוֹת — מִיָּד הֵן נִגְאָלִין, כִּי מִצְוַת שַׁבָּת הִיא שְׁקוּלָה כְּנֶגֶד כָּל הַתּוֹרָה, וְכָל הַמְעַנֵּג אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת נוֹתְנִין לוֹ נַחֲלָה בְּלִי מְצָרִים.
The Sages have said that if Israel had only kept their first Shabbos properly no nation or language could ever have had dominion over them and if they would only keep two Shabbosos they would immediately be redeemed (Shabbos 118b). This is because the commandment of the Shabbos is equal to the entire Torah (Shemos Rabbah 25:12). The Sages also say that whoever takes delight in the Shabbos is granted an unlimited inheritance (Shabbos 118b).
וְהִנֵּה רָאִיתִי מִנְהָג בִּישָׁא בְּרֹב תְּפוּצוֹת מְדִינוֹת הָאֵלּוּ, שֶׁהֵן מְזַלְזְלִים בִּכְבוֹד יוֹם הַקָּדוֹשׁ, שֶׁהוּא שַׁבָּת. בָּרֹאשׁ רָאִיתִי אֲנָשִׁים שֶׁהוֹלְכִים כָּל עֶרֶב שַׁבָּת וְעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת בְּבָתֵּי אֻשְׁפִּיזָאוֹת וְאוֹכְלִין וְשׁוֹתִין, עַד שֶׁמִּשְׁתַּכְּרִים כְּשִׁכְרוּתוֹ שֶׁל לוֹט. וְאַחַר כָּךְ בָּאִין לְבֵיתָם, וּמֵרֹב הַשִּׁכְרוּת אֵין יָכוֹל לַעֲשׂוֹת קִדּוּשׁ הַיּוֹם כָּרָאוּי. וְקַיְּמָא לָן: שְׁלשָׁה מְעִידִים זֶה עַל זֶה, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן: הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְשַׁבָּת וְיִשְׂרָאֵל. וּגְמִירֵי: כָּל הַמֵּעִיד, צָרִיךְ לְהָעִיד מְעֻמָּד. וְהַשִּׁכּוֹר אֵין יָכוֹל לַעֲמֹד אֲפִלּוּ עַל רַגְלָיו. הֲיִיטַב בְּעֵינֵי ה', שֶׁיָּבוֹא שִׁכּוֹר לְהָעִיד עָלָיו שֶׁהוּא אֶחָד וּמְיֻחָד, וְעַל שַׁבָּת שֶׁהוּא שָׁקוּל כְּנֶגֶד כָּל הַתַּרְיַ"ג מִצְווֹת? עַל כֵּן שׁוֹמֵר נַפְשׁוֹ יִרְחַק מִזֶּה הַמִּכְשׁוֹל, כִּי עָנְשׁוֹ גָּדוֹל מְאֹד.
Yet I have observed an evil circumstance that has become widespread among the exiles of these lands, that is, the detraction from the honor of the holy Shabbos day. To begin with, I have seen people going each and every Shabbos eve to the inns, where they eat and drink until they are as intoxicated as Lot. Only then do they make their way home. But then in their drunken stupor they are unable to make Kiddush properly. The Sages have taught (Tosafos, Chagigah 3b quoting Midrash) that there are three parties that testify on behalf of one another. They are: the Holy One Blessed is He, the Shabbos and Israel. Yet we have learned (Shevuos 30a) that one must give testimony in a standing position, whereas a drunkard cannot even stand upon his legs! Can Hashem be pleased that a drunkard is testifying to His uniqueness and unity and to the fact that the Shabbos that is the equivalent of all the 613 commandments? Therefore one who cares for his soul will stay far from this pitfall, for the punishment will be very great.
עוֹד רָאִיתִי מִכְשׁוֹל שֵׁנִי, שֶׁבְּנֵי הַכְּפָרִים הַיּוֹשְׁבִים בְּעָרֵי הַפְּרָזִי, בִּמְקוֹמוֹת שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם חוֹמָה וּמְחִצָּה, וְהֵן מְטַלְטְלִין מֵרְשׁוּת הַיָּחִיד לְבָתֵּי עֲרֵלִים וּמִבָּתֵּי עֲרֵלִים לְבָתֵּיהוֹן, וּמוֹרִין הֶתֵּר לְעַצְמָן בַּאֲשֶׁר שֶׁהוּא יָחִיד בְּעִירוֹ, וְאֵין יִשְׂרָאֵל אַחֵר דָּרִים אֶצְלוֹ בִּקְבִיעוּת — אֵין הַגּוֹי אוֹסֵר עָלָיו. אֲבָל טוֹעִין הֵן, וְאֵינָן יוֹדְעִים הַדִּין עַל בּוּרְיוֹ, כִּי קַיְּמָא לָן: כֵּיוָן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל אֶחָד דָּר בְּמָקוֹם יְחִידִי — מֻתָּר לְטַלְטֵל בְּכָל הָעִיר הַהִיא, בְּעִיר אֲשֶׁר לָהּ חוֹמָה וּדְלָתַיִם וּמֻקֶּפֶת כָּרָאוּי, וְאָז אוֹתָהּ הָעִיר הִיא נֶחְשֶׁבֶת לוֹ כְּאַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת, וּמֻתָּר לוֹ לְטַלְטֵל בְּכָל אוֹתָהּ הָעִיר. מַה שֶּׁאֵין כֵּן בְּעָרֵי הַפְּרָזוֹת, וּמִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן בַּכְּפָרִים אֵין לְשׁוּם יִשְׂרָאֵל הֶתֵּר לְטַלְטֵל אֲפִלּוּ מִפֶּתַח בֵּיתוֹ וְלַחוּץ, כִּי אִסּוּר גָּמוּר הוּא. לָכֵן כָּל הַיָּרֵא אֶת דְּבַר ה' צָרִיךְ לְהוֹדִיעַ אֶת יוֹשְׁבֵי כְּפָרִים, וּבִפְרָט לְהַאָרַנְדִּיס (א"ה: פֵּרוּשׁ: בַּעֲלֵי בָּתֵּי מַרְזֵחַ) שֶׁהוּא לָהֶם חֲתִיכָא דְּאִסּוּרָא לְטַלְטֵל שׁוּם דָּבָר בַּכְּפָרִים וּבְעָרֵי הַפְּרָזוֹת.
A second pitfall that I have observed is that many villagers who live in open settlements with no wall or fence carry freely from their private domains to the houses of their gentile neighbors and vice versa. They rationalize that this is permitted because they are the only Jews living there on a permanent basis, therefore the presence of gentiles does not render carrying forbidden. But in this they are in error and do not know the law clearly. For we rule that a solitary Jew living in a place may carry throughout the city only if it is surrounded by a proper wall and gates (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 382). Only then is the entire town treated as if it were his own four cubits so that he may carry throughout it. But if the settlement is unwalled, and certainly if it is an open village, there is no justification for permitting a Jew to carry outside of his doorway at all. It is absolutely forbidden. Therefore whoever trembles at the word of Hashem must inform the villagers, especially those with an unattached dining hall, that if they carry anything in their villages or unwalled towns it is just as if they ate forbidden food.
שְׁלִישִׁית רָאִיתִי, מִנְהָג בְּיוֹשְׁבֵי כְּפָרִים הָרְחוֹקִים זֶה מִזֶּה, וּבַשַּׁבָּת בָּאִים לְמִנְיַן עֲשָׂרָה לְבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת לְהִתְפַּלֵּל בְּרֹב עַם הַדְרַת מֶלֶךְ, מַלְכּוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וּבָאִים לְבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת, וְהֵם עוֹסְקִים בְּהֶבְלֵי עוֹלָם וּמְסַפְּרִים אֶחָד לַחֲבֵרוֹ אֵיךְ שֶׁקָּנָה סוּסִים בְּמִקָּח הַשָּׁוֶה אֵצֶל עָרֵל אֶחָד; וְזֶה מְסַפֵּר שֶׁקָּנָה פָּרָה אַחַת וּשְׁאָר בְּהֵמוֹת; וְכָל דִּבְרֵיהֶם הוּא בְּמַשָּׂא וּמַתָּן שֶׁל חֹל. וְקַיְּמָא לָן: וְדַבֵּר דָּבָר — שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה דִּבּוּרְךָ בַּשַּׁבָּת כְּשֶׁל חֹל. וּבְחֹל אֵין רוֹאִין אֶחָד לַשֵּׁנִי, רַק בַּשַּׁבָּת בָּאִים לַמִּנְיָן, וְהֵם עוֹסְקִים בַּכֹּל, בְּדֶרֶךְ אֶרֶץ וּבְמַשָּׂא וּמַתָּן, אָז טוֹב יִהְיֶה לָהֶם לָשֶׁבֶת בְּבָתֵּיהֶם וְלִישֹׁן עַל מִטָּתָן, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יְדַבְּרוּ דִּבְרֵי חֹל בַּשַּׁבָּת. וּמִכְשׁוֹל זֶה הוּא מָצוּי בַּעֲווֹנוֹתֵינוּ הָרַבִּים בְּרֹב בְּנֵי יוֹשְׁבֵי כְּפָרִים.
A third custom I have noticed is that the residents of one village often travel to another village far away to attend services. They do this in fulfillment of the verse, “in a multitude of subjects is the glory of the king” (Mishlei 14:28), the King of the Universe, the Holy One Blessed is He. But once they arrive they spend the entire time engaged in vanity. One of them relates how he bought a horse for a good price from a certain gentile and another how he bought a cow and other animals. Their entire conversation revolves around mundane matters. Yet the Sages have taught, based on the verse, “And honor it by refraining from doing your ways…or speaking of a matter” (Yeshayahu 58:13), that one’s conversation on the Shabbos should not be like that on a weekday (Shabbos 113b). Since these villagers do not see one another throughout the week but only on Shabbos, they engage in every manner of conversation, including worldly affairs and business. In such a situation it would be better if they remained at home asleep in bed so that they would not speak of mundane matters on the Shabbos. This stumbling block is very common, on account of our many sins, and is to be found among most villagers.
וְעוֹד נֶגַע אֶחָד נִרְאָה לִי, שֶׁבִּקְצָת מְקוֹמוֹת הוֹלְכִין כְּמוֹ שְׁתַּיִם וְשָׁלשׁ שָׁעוֹת מֵעִיר לְעִיר לְמִנְיָן, וְאוֹמְרִין דְּיֵשׁ תְּחוּם שַׁבָּת. וַאֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ בְּעַצְמִי שֶׁהוּא שְׁלשָׁה אוֹ אַרְבָּעָה תְּחוּמֵי שַׁבָּת. עַל כֵּן אֲנִי מַזְהִיר בְּכָל הַמְּקוֹמוֹת, אֲשֶׁר הוּא קַבָּלָה בִּידֵי אַנְשֵׁי הַיִּשּׁוּבִים, שֶׁהִתִּיר לָהֶם אֵיזֶה מוֹרֵה צֶדֶק שֶׁהוּא מְפֻרְסָם, וּמָדַד הָרַב בְּעַצְמוֹ הַתְּחוּם — אָז מֻתָּר לֵילֵךְ בַּשַּׁבָּת. אֲבָל לֹא יִסְמֹך עַל אֵיזֶה מְלַמֵּד אוֹ עַל מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ לְהוֹרוֹת אִסּוּר וְהֶתֵּר, כִּי בַּעֲווֹנוֹתֵינוּ הָרַבִּים בַּדּוֹר הַזֶּה רַבּוּ הַמַּתִּירִים עַל הָאוֹסְרִים מֵחֲמַת חֲנֻפָּה, אוֹ מֵחֲמַת נְתִינוֹת מָמוֹן שֹׁחַד שֶׁנּוֹתְנִין לוֹ, וְהוּא מַתִּיר אִסּוּרִים אִסּוּר דְּאוֹרַיְתָא. עַל כֵּן יִרְאֶה כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד לְהָסִיר הַמִּכְשׁוֹל מֵעָלָיו, וְלֹא יֵלֵךְ מִמָּקוֹם לְמָקוֹם, עַד שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לוֹ רְשׁוּת מִן הָרַב הַמְּדִינָה שֶׁלּוֹ.
A related plague that I have seen is that in some cases they walk two or three hours from one town to the next to attend services, claiming that it is within the Shabbos boundary. But I know for myself that it is often a distance of two or three times the Shabbos boundary. Therefore I admonish them that they may count on the Shabbos boundary only where there is a tradition among the residents that some well known authority measured the distance himself and permitted it for them. They must not rely on a mere schoolteacher or someone not qualified to rule in matters of prohibitions. For on account of our many sins there are many in this generation who are willing to permit the forbidden to ingratiate themselves with the people or for the sake of bribery. This causes them to permit even Torah prohibitions! Therefore let every individual remove this stumbling block by refraining from traveling to any place until he has received permission from the Rabbi of the country.
הָרְבִיעִי — רָאִיתִי מִכְשׁוֹל גָּדוֹל בְּאַנְשֵׁי יִשּׁוּבִים וּבִקְצַת הַקְּהִלּוֹת, שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל קְדוֹשִׁים הֵן וּמְכַוְּנִין לְכַבֵּד אֶת יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת בְּכָל מַה דְּאֶפְשָׁר לוֹ, וְהֵמָּה שׁוֹלְחִים בָּשָׁר לִצְלוֹת לְבֵית הָאוֹפֶה הֶעָרֵל, כַּאֲשֶׁר שֶׁאֵין תַּנּוּרִים מְצוּיִין בַּמְּדִינוֹת הָאֵלּוּ אֵצֶל הַיְּהוּדִים. וּשְׁתַּיִם רָעוֹת עוֹשִׂין בְּכִבּוּד זֶה: חֲדָא — שֶׁשּׁוֹלְחִים הַבָּשָׁר לִצְלוֹת עַל יְדֵי בְּתוּלָה יְחִידִית לְבֵית הָאוֹפֶה, וְעוֹבְרִים אִסּוּר יִחוּד, שֶׁאִסּוּר זֶה הוּא אָסוּר אֲפִלּוּ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, כִּי דָּוִד הַמֶּלֶךְ וּשְׁמוּאֵל הַנָּבִיא, עֲלֵיהֶם הַשָּׁלוֹם, הָיוּ גּוֹזְרִים גְּזֵרָה זוֹ, וְהָיוּ אוֹסְרִים לְיַחֵד שׁוּם זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה. עַל כֵּן הַשּׁוֹמֵר, שֶׁהִיא הַבְּתוּלָה, צְרִיכָה שְׁמִירָה מִפְּנֵי הַיִּחוּד. וְהָאֵיךְ תִּשְׁמֹר הַבָּשָׁר דְּצָלֵי?
A fourth stumbling block that I have seen among some communities is that holy Jews, in their desire to honor the Shabbos to the greatest extent possible, send meat to the shops of non-Jewish bakers to be roasted, since in this region Jews do not usually own ovens. This act of “honoring” the Shabbos involves two evils: First, they send the meat in the care of an unmarried Jewish girl to the baker’s shop, where she violates the prohibition against seclusion with a man. This is forbidden even with a Jew because King David and the Prophet Shmuel made an enactment prohibiting seclusion between any man and woman (Avodah Zarah 36b). Therefore the guardian of the meat, the unmarried girl, is herself in need of a guardian against seclusion. How then can she guard the meat?
וְעוֹד אִסּוּר שֵׁנִי הוּא: כֵּיוָן דְּאֵין יִשְׂרָאֵל מְסַיְּעוֹ לְהֵעָרֵל, אֵין לְתַבְשִׁיל זֶה אוֹ לַצְּלִי שׁוּם הֶתֵּר בָּעוֹלָם, כִּי הוּא אָסוּר מִדְּאוֹרַיְתָא מִשּׁוּם בִּשּׁוּל גּוֹיִים. וְלָאו כָּל עָלְמָא מַר בַּר רַב אָשֵׁי נִינְהוּ, שֶׁיּוֹדְעִין דִּין זֶה, וּמִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן בְּנֵי הַיִּשּׁוּבִים שֶׁהֵן נִכְשָׁלִים בַּעֲווֹנוֹתֵינוּ הָרַבִּים בְּעָווֹן זֶה, אוֹכְלִים אִסּוּר דְּאוֹרַיְתָא, כִּי לֹא מָצָאתִי שׁוּם פּוֹסֵק דְּפָּסַק הֶתֵּר בְּזֶה הַדִּין, דְּבִשּׁוּל גּוֹיִים הוּא אָסוּר אַף דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל עוֹמֵד עַל גַּבָּיו. כֵּיוָן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל אֵינוֹ מְסַיְּעֵהוּ, הוּא אִסּוּר גָּמוּר. וּבְמִכְשׁוֹל זֶה, בַּעֲווֹנוֹתֵינוּ הָרַבִּים, נִכְשָׁלִים בְּרֹב מְדִינוֹת פּוֹלִין וְלִיטָא, שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָהֵן מְשָׁרְתוֹת עֲרֵלוֹת, וְהַמְשָׁרְתוֹת מְבַשְּׁלוֹת בְּלִי סִיּוּעַ יִשְׂרָאֵל. עַל כֵּן אֲנִי מַזְהִיר לְהָסִיר כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד מִכְשׁוֹל זֶה מִבֵּיתוֹ, וְלֹא יִשְׁלַח אִשָּׁה וּבְתוּלָה בִּיחִידִי. וְאִם שָׁלַח לְבֵית הָאוֹפֶה, אֲזַי יִרְאֶה לַחְתּוֹת בַּגֶּחָלִים אוֹ לָשִׂים הַצְּלִי בְּעַצְמוֹ לְבֵית הַתַּנּוּר, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יָבוֹא לִידֵי אִסּוּר דְּאוֹרַיְתָא חַס וְשָׁלוֹם.
Moreover, since no Jew assists the non-Jewish baker in the work, the cooked dish or roasted meat becomes forbidden forever due to the Torah prohibition against non-Jewish cooking. Not everyone is on the level of Mar bar Rav Ashi [one of the Sages] that he can be expected to know of this law. This is certainly true in the smaller communities. As a result, they are frequently guilty of this iniquity, on account of our many sins, and often end up consuming food that is forbidden by Torah law. For I have never found any authority who permits this in practice. Non-Jewish cooking is completely forbidden even if a Jew stands by and supervises, unless he actually assists in the cooking. On account of our many sins, the majority of Poland and Lithuania stumble in this matter because they employ non- Jewish servant girls who cook for them without any assistance from their Jewish employers. Therefore I admonish every individual to remove this stumbling block from his house. Let him not send the meat with a solitary girl or woman. And if he does send meat to the baker’s shop, let him be sure to at least break up the coals or place the meat upon the fire personally, lest he be guilty of violating a Torah prohibition, Heaven forbid.
וְכָל הַנִּזְהָר בְּאַרְבָּעָה דְּבָרִים שֶׁכָּתַבְתִּי, יִהְיֶה שְׂכָרוֹ כָּפוּל וּמְכֻפָּל. וְיִזְכֶּה לְנַחֲלָה בְּלִי מְצָרִים. כַּמָּה דְּאַתְּ אָמַר: וְהַאֲכַלְתִּיךָ נַחֲלַת יַעֲקֹב אָבִיךָ. אָמֵן כֵּן יְהִי רָצוֹן.
Whoever is careful about the four things that I have mentioned will be rewarded many fold and merit an unlimited inheritance, as it is stated, “And I will grant you the inheritance of your father Yaakov” (Yeshayahu 58:14). Amein, so may it be His will.