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Letter handwritten and signed by R. Chaim Ozer Grodzinski. Vilna, Adar 1930.
Addressed to his associate R. Shmuel Greineman (brother-in-law of the Chazon Ish and publisher of his works). R. Chaim Ozer writes that he is enclosing the letter of a widow whose husband perished during the riots [1929?], and who requested assistance in locating family members through the press. At the foot of the letter, R. Chaim Ozer adds regards to "our distinguished colleague" R. Avraham Kalmanowitz.
R. Chaim Ozer Grodzinski (1863-1940) was a foremost rabbi of his generation and leader of the entire European Jewry. He was the son of R. David Shlomo Grodzinski Rabbi of Iwye. Renowned from his childhood for his exceptional brilliance, he entered the Volozhin yeshiva at the young age of 11, and became a disciple of R. Chaim of Brisk. At the age of 24, he was appointed rabbi and posek in Vilna, in place of his father-in-law R. Eliyahu Eliezer Grodnansky posek in Vilna, son-in-law of R. Yisrael Salanter. He assumed the yoke of public leadership from a young age, and for close to fifty years, his opinion was conclusive on all public matters which arose throughout the Diaspora. Despite his numerous concerns of global communal matters, he was very active on behalf of orphans and widows, fending for all their needs. R. Chaim Ozer once commented about this in his old age: "…in my youth, I thought that the main thing was to produce novellae and author many books. Now I understand that publishing books is like child’s play compared to assisting widows and orphans" (R. Moshe Shmuel Shapiro in his eulogy on the Chazon Ish, HaBe’er, VI, p. 41).
The recipient of the letter, R. Shmuel Greineman (1889-1957), outstanding and highly accomplished Torah scholar. The Chazon Ish detected R. Shmuel’s aptitude for communal activity while the latter was still a youth studying in Vilna (before they became brothers-in-law), and he encouraged him to engage in communal work under the Vaad HaYeshivot and Agudat Yisrael. R. Shmuel thereby developed a personal and close connection with R. Chaim Ozer and the Chafetz Chaim, who held him in high esteem. During his stay in the United States, he served as director of the Tiferet Yerushalayim yeshiva of R. Moshe Feinstein. He was one of the founders of the Kollel in Bnei Brak initiated by the Chazon Ish (now named Kollel Chazon Ish). He published the book Chafetz Chaim on the Torah, and other works of the Chafetz Chaim’s teachings.
[1] leaf, official stationery. 12.5X20.5 cm. Good-fair condition. Wear. Minor tear to fold.