Letter in handwriting and with a signature of the Ga’on Rabbi Tanchum of congregation of Sudargas to his friend from youth the Ga’on Rabbi Shmuel Salant. [Vilnius?, c. 1858].
In the letter Rabbi Yosef Tanchum relates the rabbinical position offered to Rabbi Yisrael of Salant, among community leaders of Białystok (unknown from any other source), and portrays his friends from youth: “… the righteous Ga’on Rabbi Yisrael Salanter is still in Kovno; the community of Białystok eagerly awaits him; he is not yet well and has traveled to bathe in the sea of Kartinda, may G-d send him a speedy recovery. Rabbi Yechiel Heller resided in Flongian and left Sovalk. [On the 18th of Tamuz 1858 Rabbi Yechiel Heller author of Amudei Or resigned from the Sovalk rabbinate and traveled to Flongian – for additional information see Our Rabbis of the Diaspora, II, pp. 231-232]. Ga’on Rabbi Naftali Shater passed away and was eulogized by all. [Rabbi Naftali of Shat son of Rabbi Ephraim, Av Beit Din of Shat adjacent to Kaidan, among Torah giants of Lithuania, disciple of Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin. His approbations were printed in various books (from the 1830’s). Enthusiastically cited in books of his contemporary rabbis, who refer to him as “the sage has already instructed”].
Later in the letter he presents Divrei Torah which includes his responses to contemporary enlightenists who ridiculed authenticity and holiness of sayings of the Sages. At end of letter he relates blessings of welfare to Rabbi Yosef Zundel Salant, father-in-law of Rabbi Shmuel.
Ga’on Rabbi Yosef Tanchum (Termus) son of Rabbi David of Antkalia, among leading Torah scholars of Lithuania, proofread many books which were printed in printing presses of the Rom family in Vilnius, and is mentioned in preface of the Natziv to his book Ha’amek She’ela (thanking him for his assistance in clarifying correct commentaries and versions in Sefer HaShe’iltot) as well as in introduction to the books Keren Ora and more. His glosses for Chidushei HaRitva on laws of vows were printed in the Vilnius printing press in 1843. His comments on laws of Bechorot [firstborns] with Maharit Algazi, were printed in the Vilnius printing press in 1866.
The Ga’on Rabbi Yehuda Abelson writes in reference to glosses of Rabbi Yosef Tanchum on Seder Taharot: “Although the proofreader, Rabbi Yosef Tanchum son of Rabbi David is as proficient in Shas and Rishonim as one of the leading contemporary rabbis, since his oppressors degrade him it was impossible for him to revise and correct the entire book” (Sefer Zichron Yehuda, Vilnius 1851, introduction to Chidushei Rabbi Betzalel HaKohen. Presented in Binyan Shlomo responsa, Jerusalem, 1992, section II, Siman 14).
21.5 cm. Good condition.