The Tzemach Tzedek Series

The Tzemach Tzedek series consists of nine volumes (in older editions - ten volumes) written by the Rebbe Tzemach Tzedek. This series contains responsa, halachic rulings and Talmudic novellae.

Writing Process

The Tzemach Tzedek was one of the greatest responsa writers of his generation, with his printed responsa numbering over one thousand. However, a large portion of his responsa, possibly even the majority, were lost or burned in fires that occurred in the town of Lubavitch.

Initially, when writing his responsa, he would bind them together with the questions and arrange them in collections which he called "Part 1", "Part 2" and so on. After some responsa were lost and many new ones were added, he began calling them "Book Number 1" and so forth.

After some time, he began organizing them by topic according to the order of the Shulchan Aruch, and began calling them "Mahadura Basra" (Later Edition). This may have been in preparation for printing.

Unique Characteristics of the Responsa

The Tzemach Tzedek's responsa are particularly distinguished in the Even HaEzer section. In his time, the Rebbe Tzemach Tzedek was considered the greatest authority on the complex issue of releasing agunos, receiving questions from throughout Eastern Europe. This section indeed fills two large volumes in the 1992 edition, containing approximately five hundred responsa that reached Kehot Publication Society.

Additionally, he is known for a famous responsum in which he rules that it is forbidden to shave the beard entirely (even slightly with scissors) due to the prohibition of "lo yilbash" (cross-dressing).

First Printing

Shortly after his passing, Reb Chaim Yaakov Vidrevitch and Reb Shimon (son of David) began preparing the responsa for publication.

Between 1871 and 1884, nine parts of this series were printed in Vilna: one part on Orach Chaim, three on Yoreh Deah, two on Even HaEzer, two parts of "Piskei Dinim" and Talmudic novellae.

The series was named "Tzemach Tzedek" because it equals his name in gematria: Menachem = Tzemach (138), Mendel = Tzedek (194). Later, this name became associated with him as his primary and common title.

Additional responsa continued reaching the publishers, so they added supplements to previous sections in each new volume they published. In 1905, when they reprinted the Alter Rebbe's Shulchan Aruch, they included as an appendix the responsa that were discovered after completing all volumes of the Tzemach Tzedek's responsa.

Kehot Publication

Following the Frierdiker Rebbe's instruction in 1945, the Rebbe, who headed the Otzar HaChassidim Library of Kehot Publication Society, reprinted the series, beginning with the Rebbe's "Parshat Davar" - a description of the publication.

Subsequently, the Rebbe also arranged a tenth volume, which included material printed with the Shulchan Aruch (from 1905) and other books, as well as from manuscripts that reached him. It also included the Choshen Mishpat section that the censor had initially not approved for printing.

Until 1986, new responsa continued to be published in new printings and in Yagdil Torah journal.

In 1989, following the Rebbe's instruction to print books in square letters, they began preparing the series for new printing. This series consists of: 1) Orach Chaim 2) Yoreh Deah 3-4) Even HaEzer 5) Choshen Mishpat 6) Talmudic novellae 7) Piskei Dinim. Later, an additional volume of indices with an introduction to the series was added.

In 2009, an additional volume titled "Shaar HaMiluim Part 5" was printed, containing new responsa from various manuscripts, primarily from Russia. At its end, "Shaar HaShmuah" was printed - things written in our Rebbe's name.

In 2018, Kehot began printing a new edition - explained and punctuated with many notes and references. So far, two volumes on Orach Chaim responsa have been published.

Piskei Dinim

The Piskei Dinim book contains, besides rulings on all four sections of Shulchan Aruch, novellae on: Rambam, Baal HaTerumah, Mordechai, Kitzur Piskei HaRosh, Rabbeinu Yerucham, and Yam Shel Shlomo. It also includes novellae on the Talmudic tractates: Berachos, Sukkah, Yevamos, Bava Metzia, Bava Basra, Sanhedrin, Shevuos, Avodah Zarah, Chullin, and Niddah.

At its end, there is also a collection of halachic rulings on matters of medicine, tzitzis, Megillah, "lifnei iver" and more.

Additional Reading

• Rabbi Shalom DovBer Levin, Introduction to the "Tzemach Tzedek" Series, Brooklyn, NY 1998