Letter with words of mussar and admonition, handwritten and signed by the Kabbalist Rabbi "Menachem Mann ben Baruch" – a Lithuanian spiritual giant. Minsk, [c. 1800].
the letter was sent to Shklow to his brother Rabbi Baruch Shimon who was a young man at the time residing in the home of his father-in-law. At the beginning of the letter, he suggests that his brother come to Minsk to study in the home of a wealthy influential man who allotted a certain sum for supporting Torah scholars that study in his home. In the letter, he reprimands his brother with poignant words of mussar regarding the manner of studying Torah and the importance of avoiding bitul Torah by dealing with less important matters.
this letter is unknown and apparently has never been printed.
Another letter by Rabbi Menachem Mann about emunah and bitachon and asceticism, "Igeret HaGram of Minsk" – was printed by Rabbi Shmuel Maltzan at the beginning of the book Emunah V'Hashgacha in which the teachings of the Vilna Gaon are printed (Koenigsberg, 1864). Mentioned on the title page of the book: "Letter by the Torah prodigy the Chassid Rabbi Menachem Mann of Minsk". It was later printed in various editions of Igeret HaGra and Igeret HaRamban.
Rabbi Menachem Mann of Minsk (died in 1834), a renowned rabbi in the days of Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin, in his times he was known as "HaGaon HeChassid", due to his outstanding knowledge of revealed and hidden areas of Torah and to his remarkable holy conduct, (this same title was used for the Vilna Gaon). He was a leading Torah teacher in his generation, a head teacher and preacher in Minsk, and he delivered discourses in Batei Midrash in the city of Minsk. Many rabbis from Lithuania and Minsk were his close disciples.
Born in the city of Polotsk to his father Rabbi Baruch Stolper. Orphaned at a young age, he was raised among Shklow Torah scholars. At the age of 8, he was already renowned as a great Torah genius that knew all the Talmud and from his youth, he had a daily study session in which he learned 80 leaves of Talmud with Tosfot daily. Before he turned 12, he studied Kabbalah from the tsaddik Rabbi Baruch a preacher in Shklow. At that time he wed the daughter of Rabbi Avraham ben R' Asher Anshel, a rabbi in Minsk, author of Amud HaYemini (Minsk, 1811), and in the city of Minsk he was called Rabbi Mendel [nickname for Menachem Mann].
He taught Torah in yeshivot in Minsk and many Lithuanian rabbis were his disciples (such as the author of Oneg Yom Tov). Each sentence of this letter portrays Rabbi Menachem Mann's absolute dedication to Torah study and his asceticism and his manner of teaching his disciples good attributes and proper conduct and abstention from unnecessary pleasure. this conduct and his devotion to his disciples are mentioned in Eisenstadt's book Rabbanei Minsk V'Chachameha (p. 27), and in the wording on his tombstone, printed ibid, he is described as a "G-dly man, pious and humble", who did not wish to enjoy transient worldly pleasures (pp. 41-42). Rebbe Noach Malkowitz happened to visit Brisk and when he heard of Rabbi Mendel's greatness in Kabbalah and service of G-d, he met him and praised him exceedingly.
Remnants of his Torah are found in the book Zichron Menachem (Warsaw, 1874) printed by his son Rabbi Yisrael Chaim and in the book She’erit Binyamin (Jerusalem, 1863) printed by his disciple Rabbi Binyamin Av Beit Din of Stolbtsy (who immigrated to Jerusalem). In his introduction to Zichron Menachem, the author’s son writes a story he heard from one of his father’s disciples the renowned tsaddik and scholar Rabbi Meir of Ludza (who immigrated to Jerusalem): When a close relationship was beginning to develop with his teacher and rebbe, Rebbe Mendel warned Rabbi Meir that if he wishes to serve him he must take upon himself never to tell any stories about him during his lifetime and never to ask about anything he sees. Indeed, only after his death, did Rabbi Meir begin to relate the wonders he saw.
Rabbi Mendel’s brother Rabbi Baruch Shimon, served as preacher in the city of Shklow and is mentioned in the introduction to Zichron Menachem that he gave his sons the writings for printing.
Leaf 21 cm. thick bluish paper, good-fair condition, stains and folding marks.

Letter handwritten and signed by Rabbi Yehuda Leib of Lissa. [Hamburg?], Elul 1726.
the letter is written in Hebrew and in Yiddish. Sent to "Rabbi Yisrael". Its topic is printing Mishnayot with Bartenura and Tosfot Yom Tov and new commentaries [apparently, preparation of the edition of Mishnayot with the commentary of Rabbi Shimshon Chassid of Altona, finally printed in 1775, approximately 45 years after the death of Rabbi Shimshon Bloch]. He mentions a request of an approbation of "the great gaon Av Beit Din and teacher". On the margins after the signature, he asks about "…Rabbi Moshe", and writes "I do not know how to respond until I receive a true letter…".
the content demonstrates that Rabbi Yehuda Leib of Lissa who signed this letter was involved with the management of the communities and apparently was a prominent community leader (dayan or parnass). Possibly, the writer is Rabbi Yehuda Leib Feizer of Lissa, father of the author of Nachlat Shimoni [Wansbeck, 1728].
Leaf, approximately 20 cm. Fair-poor condition, tears with missing text.