Auction 101 Part 2 Chassidut and Kabbalah | Jerusalem Printings | Letters and Manuscripts | Objects
Letter handwritten and signed by R. Avraham Duber Kahana Shapiro, Rabbi of Kovno, author of Devar Avraham. Kovno, Adar I 1938.
Addressed to his friend R. Yechezkel Abramsky, head rabbi of the London Beit Din. The letter discusses his and R. Abramsky's books, and other issues. He writes that he received Chazon Yechezkel on Chullin, and offers his thanks and blessing. He adds that he sent him the first part of his book (Devar Avraham) in its second edition, and will have his speech on family purity sent by the publisher. In response to a note by R. Abramsky about a position of his father-in-law [the Gadol of Minsk, R. Yerucham Leib Perlman, author of Or Gadol], he says he didn't have time to study it, and would address it later.
R. Avraham Duber Kahana Shapiro (1871-1943), author of Devar Avraham, an eminent rabbi in his times, son of R. Zalman Sender Kahana Shapiro and son-in-law of the Gadol of Minsk, R. Yerucham Yehudah Leib Perlman. He studied in the Volozhin yeshiva and served as Rabbi in Smilavichy and in 1914 of the major city Kovno (whereupon R. Abramsky, previously Rabbi of Smolyan, took his post in Smilavichy). His learned book Devar Avraham, the first part of which was first printed in 1906, made him famous, and the book was discussed widely even in his own generation. He was renowned as a prominent leader of Jewry and of the Agudat Rabbanim in Lithuania. In 1924 he traveled to the United States on the famous rabbinical mission along with the Kli Chemdah, R. Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook and R. Moshe Mordechai Epstein. When the Holocaust broke out, he was on a visit to Switzerland but returned to Kovno, saying that a captain does not abandon his ship during a storm. He died in the Kovno Ghetto and thousands of Jews attended his funeral.
The recipient of the letters, R. Yechezkel Abramsky, head rabbi of the London Beit Din (1886-1976), was a friend of the Devar Avraham from before World War I, when he succeeded the Devar Avraham as Rabbi of Smilavichy when the latter went to serve in Kovno. After his appointment as head rabbi of the preeminent Beit Din in London, R. Abramsky corresponded extensively with the Torah leaders of Lithuania on many issues of public affairs, including his teacher R. Chaim Ozer Grodzinski and the Devar Avraham.
[1] leaf. Official stationery. 29.5 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains and folding marks. Minor tears to folds.
R. Yechezkel Abramsky (1886-1976), close disciple of R. Chaim of Brisk and close friend of his son R. Yitzchak Ze'ev. Shortly after his marriage, he traveled to Brisk to study under R. Chaim ca. 1910 (at the advice of his father-in-law R. Yisrael Yehonatan Yerushalimsky, a disciple of R. Chaim during his Volozhin period), where he stayed for some four months, after which point he became devoted to his Torah teachings for the rest of his life. While serving as Rabbi of Smilavichy, he visited his teacher R. Chaim, then staying in Minsk, for long periods, during which time he would clarify Torah topics with him. R. Yechezkel would say of his teacher R. Chaim's method of learning: "R. Chaim goes at once to the heart of the issue". R. Chaim greatly appreciated his disciple's wisdom, and in one letter he calls him a friend (Melech BeYofyo, p. 95). During those periods R. Abramsky became a close friend of his teacher's son, R. Yitzchak Ze'ev (R. Velvele), which led to some fifty years of friendship and a close correspondence. Some of their Torah discussions and correspondence are printed in Chidushei Maran Riz HaLevi. When R. Abramsky was living in Jerusalem (after he immigrated to Israel in 1951), they met often and dealt with Torah issues and public affairs together.
Letter handwritten and signed by R. Yitzchak Ze'ev Soloveitchik, the Brisker Rav. Jerusalem, 28th Nisan 1947.
Addressed to his friend R. Yechezkel Abramsky, head rabbi of the London Beit Din, regarding funds sent to the Brisker Rav on R. Abramsky's behalf, by the "Torah fund" of Agudat Yisrael. The Brisker Rav writes that he doesn't know to what end the funds were sent, and asks him what to do with the money and apologizes for disturbing him with the question.
At the end of the letter he signs his name along with a blessing: "Yitzchak Ze'ev son of… R. Chaim HaLevi Soloveitchik".
R. Yitzchak Ze'ev Soloveitchik, the Brisker Rav (1886-1959), son of R. Chaim HaLevi of Brisk, and grandson of the Beit HaLevi. Already at a young age, still in his father's lifetime, he was considered one of the prominent Torah leaders of the generation. In 1919 (about the age of 32), he succeeded his forefathers as Rabbi of Brisk, and with his Torah authority, he governed all religious matters in his city and the entire region. He managed to escape the Holocaust together with some of his children who fled from Brisk to Vilna, from which they immigrated to Jerusalem in 1941. His authority was recognized by the entire Torah world in Eretz Israel and abroad. His books: Chidushei Maran Riz HaLevi on the Rambam and the Torah. His oral teachings were published as Chidushei HaGriz. His teachings serve to this day as a cornerstone of in-depth yeshiva learning and form the basis for the thought of large portions of Orthodox Jewry. He was famous for his searing fear of heaven and zeal for pure truth.
The recipient, R. Yechezkel Abramsky (1886-1976), close disciple of R. Chaim of Brisk and close friend of his son R. Yitzchak Ze'ev. Shortly after his marriage, he traveled to Brisk to study under R. Chaim ca. 1910 (at the advice of his father-in-law R. Yisrael Yehonatan Yerushalimsky, a disciple of R. Chaim during his Volozhin period), where he stayed for some four months, after which point he became devoted to his Torah teachings for the rest of his life. While serving as Rabbi of Smilavichy, he visited his teacher R. Chaim, then staying in Minsk, for long periods, during which time he would clarify Torah topics with him. R. Yechezkel would say of his teacher R. Chaim's method of learning: "R. Chaim goes at once to the heart of the issue". R. Chaim greatly appreciated his disciple's wisdom, and in one letter he calls him a friend (Melech BeYofyo, p. 95). During those periods R. Abramsky became a close friend of his teacher's son, R. Yitzchak Ze'ev (R. Velvele), which led to some fifty years of friendship and a close correspondence. Some of their Torah discussions and correspondence are printed in Chidushei Maran Riz HaLevi. When R. Abramsky was living in Jerusalem (after he immigrated to Israel in 1951), they met often and dealt with Torah issues and public affairs together.
[1] leaf. Official stationery. 22.5 cm. 9 handwritten lines. Good condition. Folding marks.
R. Yechezkel Abramsky (1886-1976), close disciple of R. Chaim of Brisk and close friend of his son R. Yitzchak Ze'ev. Shortly after his marriage, he traveled to Brisk to study under R. Chaim ca. 1910 (at the advice of his father-in-law R. Yisrael Yehonatan Yerushalimsky, a disciple of R. Chaim during his Volozhin period), where he stayed for some four months, after which point he became devoted to his Torah teachings for the rest of his life. While serving as Rabbi of Smilavichy, he visited his teacher R. Chaim, then staying in Minsk, for long periods, during which time he would clarify Torah topics with him. R. Yechezkel would say of his teacher R. Chaim's method of learning: "R. Chaim goes at once to the heart of the issue". R. Chaim greatly appreciated his disciple's wisdom, and in one letter he calls him a friend (Melech BeYofyo, p. 95). During those periods R. Abramsky became a close friend of his teacher's son, R. Yitzchak Ze'ev (R. Velvele), which led to some fifty years of friendship and a close correspondence. Some of their Torah discussions and correspondence are printed in Chidushei Maran Riz HaLevi. When R. Abramsky was living in Jerusalem (after he immigrated to Israel in 1951), they met often and dealt with Torah issues and public affairs together.
Letter (about 7 lines) handwritten and signed by the Brisker Rav, R. Yitzchak Ze'ev Soloveitchik – on a letter addressed to his friend R. Yechezkel Abramsky in London. [Eretz Israel, ca. summer-fall 1950].
Written on leaf 2 of a letter signed by R. Avraham Yitzchak Winkelstein of Haifa, administrator of the Achiezer institution for educating children of refugees in immigrant camps. In his letter, R. Winkelstein mentions that R. Sorotzkin introduced them during a visit a year and a half earlier [R. Abramsky's first visit to Eretz Israel was in Nisan 1949, hence the present letter is to be dated to the latter half of 1950].
In the margins of the letter, the Brisker Rav adds seven lines in his handwriting, warmly commending the work of Achiezer in Haifa to save the immigrants' children from spiritual damage.
The Brisker Rav concludes with a blessing and his signature.
R. Yitzchak Ze'ev Soloveitchik, the Brisker Rav (1886-1959), son of R. Chaim HaLevi of Brisk, and grandson of the Beit HaLevi. Already at a young age, even during his father's lifetime, he was considered one of the prominent Torah leaders of the generation. In 1919 (about the age of 32), he succeeded his forefathers as Rabbi of Brisk, and with his Torah authority, he governed all religious matters in his city and the entire region. He managed to escape the Holocaust together with some of his children who fled from Brisk to Vilna, from which they immigrated to Jerusalem in 1941. His authority was recognized by the entire Torah world in Eretz Israel and abroad. His books: Chidushei Maran Riz HaLevi on the Rambam and the Torah. His oral teachings were published as Chidushei HaGriz. His teachings serve to this day as a cornerstone of in-depth yeshiva learning and form the basis for the thought of large portions of Orthodox Jewry. He was famous for his searing fear of heaven and zeal for pure truth.
R. Yechezkel Abramsky (1886-1976), close disciple of R. Chaim of Brisk and close friend of his son R. Yitzchak Ze'ev. Shortly after his marriage, he traveled to Brisk to study under R. Chaim ca. 1910 (at the advice of his father-in-law R. Yisrael Yehonatan Yerushalimsky, a disciple of R. Chaim during his Volozhin period), where he stayed for some four months, after which point he became devoted to his Torah teachings for the rest of his life. While serving as Rabbi of Smilavichy, he visited his teacher R. Chaim, then staying in Minsk, for long periods, during which time he would clarify Torah topics with him. R. Yechezkel would say of his teacher R. Chaim's method of learning: "R. Chaim goes at once to the heart of the issue". R. Chaim greatly appreciated his disciple's wisdom, and in one letter he calls him a friend (Melech BeYofyo, p. 95). During those periods R. Abramsky became a close friend of his teacher's son, R. Yitzchak Ze'ev (R. Velvele), which led to some fifty years of friendship and a close correspondence. Some of their Torah discussions and correspondence are printed in Chidushei Maran Riz HaLevi. When R. Abramsky was living in Jerusalem (after he immigrated to Israel in 1951), they met often and dealt with Torah issues and public affairs together.
[1] leaf. Official stationery. 28 cm. Fair-good condition. Stains and folding marks. Marginal open tears (not affecting text).
