Interesting letter, handwritten and signed by Rabbi Yechiel Heller, author of Amudei Or. Konigsberg, 1857. Sent to Jerusalem to Rabbi Shmuel Salant. Heller tells of his book Amudei Or, printed in Konigsberg that year and about his poor state of health which lengthened his stay in Konigsberg. "…It has been a few months since G-d has given me the merit to print here my book of responsa Amudei Or. I have written to our friend the Ga'avad here to send Your Honor four copies, one for yourself and one for the Chacham of the Sephardim, one for the Beit Midrash of the Ashkenazim and one for the Beit Midrash of the Sephardim… when you have time can you be so kind as to look into my composition and if there is an error, please do me the kindness of informing me…". Rabbi Yechiel Heller (1814-1862) was already known in his youth as one of the leading Torah scholars of his days. Born in Koidanov, he studied in yeshivot in Minsk and was renowned as the "Ilui of Koidanov". At the age of 21, he was appointed Rabbi in Hlusk and in 1843 as Rabbi of Vawkavysk, succeeding Rabbi Yitzchak Isaac Chaver. In 1854, he began serving in the Suwałki rabbinate and at that time printed his commentary on the Passover Haggadah and his famed book of response, Amudei Or, in Konigsberg. As soon as the book was published, his deep and clear novellae became famous, his thoughts were quoted in books written by the leading scholars of his times and he joined the top rank of Torah luminaries of his days, an outstanding prodigy erudite in all facets of Torah knowledge. In 1858, he moved to serve in the Plungė rabbinate for four years until his untimely death at the age of 47. He used to sign "HeAluv" (the miserable one) and many stories are told of this name. In the book Gedolei HaDorot (Part 2, p. 633), a tradition is brought in the name of Rabbi Shach, that Rabbi Heller adopted the nickname after he once needed to free an agunah by means of “Mi’un”, and since according to the Rama, we do not institute “Mi’un” today and although this case was urgent, he began to sign HeAluv. Another story explaining this unusual signature, as told by some people in the name of Rabbi Y. Kamenetsky, is that his mother Rivka was the daughter of a wealthy famous Torah scholar from a highly respected important family. In her youth, she was slandered and slurred, forcing her to marry a simple person. On the day of her wedding, she retreated to a side room and beseeched Heaven: “…You know that I aspired to build my home with a man who is a great Torah scholar but malicious rumors which have not an iota of truth have brought me to this state. Please! If I did not merit a husband who is a Torah scholar, bless me with sons who are great Torah scholars and help me fulfill my life’s dearest wish”. Indeed, the couple had seven sons and four daughters, breeding families of Torah scholars. Four of them were especially celebrated: Rabbi Yisrael Heller, author of Nachlat Yisrael, a head of the Mir and Minsk yeshivot and later Av Beit Din of Koidanov; Rabbi Meir Heller, a dayan in Vilna; Rabbi Yechiel Heller, author of Amudei Or and Rabbi Yehoshua Heller, Av Beit Din of Telz, author of Chosen Yehoshua. Leaf, 23 cm. Approximately 20 handwritten lines. Bluish, thin stationery, good condition, wear and folding marks. This letter has been printed in the book Torat Rabbeinu Shmuel M’Salant, Part 1 p. 283; in the Or HaTorah anthology, Issue 1, Siman 11; and in the Yeshurun compilation, Issue 4, p. 673.