Long letter, responsum regarding the estate of a Jerusalem rabbi whose family resided in Lithuania. Handwritten by R. Binyamin David of Vilna and signed by R. "Shmuel Salant", R. "Mordechai Meir son of R. Eliyahu" and by R. "Binyamin David of Vilna". Jerusalem, [after 1856].
Sent to the "leading rabbis, especially…the rabbi of Kovno". The recipients were the Kovno rabbis in those times: R. Yisrael of Salant (predecessor of the Musar Movement and childhood friend of R. Shmuel of Salant) and R. Moshe Avigdor (author of Pardess Rimonim, who served as Rabbi of Kovno during 1854-1861). The letter is about fulfilling the testament and distributing the estate of a Jerusalem rabbi who died on Shabbat the 25th of Elul 1855 and the estate of his widow who died on the following 25th of Av. Apparently, the estate mentioned in the letter was that of R. Shmuel of Ariogala (Ragala, Lithuania; passed away in 1855) served as head of the Beit Din in Jerusalem. The manuscripts of his Torah novellae exemplify his astute and profound erudition. Outstanding in his piety and virtuous conduct, he liberally distributed funds to charity and founded a hostel and mikveh [ritual bathhouse] in the courtyard of the Hurva Synagogue in Jerusalem. Inscribed in an entry in an old ledger of the Ashkenazi Chevra Kadisha: "The great luminary, the pious Rabbi Shmuel, Rabbi of Ariogala and head of the Jerusalem Beit Din died on the 25th of Elul 1855" [see: Toldot Chachmei Yerushalayim, Vol. 3, Chapter 7, Ot 14; Kedem catalog no. 40, item no. 243]. His grandson, R. Leib Klivansky (1817-1889) was a Kovno dignitary and a well-known lobbyist with access to the upper echelons of the city of Petersburg. A leader of Eretz Israel charity organizations and among the heads of "Chibbat Zion".
2 leaves, 27 cm. Approximately 52 handwritten lines. Bluish thin stationery. Good condition. Minor wear.