Auction 33 - Books, Manuscripts, Rabbinical Letters
Polemic Letter by Rabbi David Tevli Katzenelbogen, Rabbi of Leningrad (St. Petersburg) – 1928
Opening: $200
Sold for: $1,000
Including buyer's premium
A long letter handwritten and signed by Rabbi David Tevli Katzenelbogen Rabbi of Leningrad, to his relative ("my brother-in-law's grandson"), Rabbi Eliezer Silver in the USA. Leningrad (formerly Petersburg), Sivan 1928.
In his letter, he relates of the rabbis in Bolshevik Russia and their difficulties: "… they are very great and excel in Torah and fear of Heaven. If not for them, Jews would have already forgotten the Torah… and only a few rabbis who are willing to forfeit their lives, each in his congregation and to the best of his ability and beyond, to uphold the Torah". He hints to the revolutions in Russia "you are not permitted to write things given orally".
In the continuation of the letter, he complains that the assistance funds of “Ezrat Torah” that arrive from the USA do not reach their primary goal, to support rabbis and Torah yeshivot, but they fall into the hands of Lubavitchers. They use these monies to lure communities to Chassidut, while each of their yeshivot numbers no more than a few young men "who study only Chassidut… and all their strength and will is to teach laws of Shechita and Bedika so they will be shochtim and bodkim in small communities, and Chassidut will be their trade, to enable them to teach others".
Rabbi David Tevli Katzenelbogen (1850-1930), was a magnificent figure amongst Lithuanian rabbis and the eldest of Russian rabbis. From his youth he was acknowledged as an amazing prodigy and at the age of sixteen already edited a short commentary on the Talmud Yerushalmi. Served in the rabbinate in Lithuania villages, in 1894, was appointed as Rabbi of Suwalki, a district city. In 1907, he was called to the capital city of Petersburg to serve as rabbi, where he was greatly honored by Jews and non-Jews alike. Even after the Bolshevik revolution, he remained in the rabbinate of the city re-named Leningrad. These were days of distress and hardship for rabbis and for Jewry. It is extraordinary that his book “Mei Naftoach” on Tractate Yevamot was printed in Leningrad in 1924 by the printing press "The Red Propagandist" where the official newspaper “Izvestia” was printed. In 1928, he printed the book of his homiletics “Gam Ele Divrei David” in Leningrad.
Two pages, 27.5 cm. Good-fair condition, wear damage to paper folds.
In his letter, he relates of the rabbis in Bolshevik Russia and their difficulties: "… they are very great and excel in Torah and fear of Heaven. If not for them, Jews would have already forgotten the Torah… and only a few rabbis who are willing to forfeit their lives, each in his congregation and to the best of his ability and beyond, to uphold the Torah". He hints to the revolutions in Russia "you are not permitted to write things given orally".
In the continuation of the letter, he complains that the assistance funds of “Ezrat Torah” that arrive from the USA do not reach their primary goal, to support rabbis and Torah yeshivot, but they fall into the hands of Lubavitchers. They use these monies to lure communities to Chassidut, while each of their yeshivot numbers no more than a few young men "who study only Chassidut… and all their strength and will is to teach laws of Shechita and Bedika so they will be shochtim and bodkim in small communities, and Chassidut will be their trade, to enable them to teach others".
Rabbi David Tevli Katzenelbogen (1850-1930), was a magnificent figure amongst Lithuanian rabbis and the eldest of Russian rabbis. From his youth he was acknowledged as an amazing prodigy and at the age of sixteen already edited a short commentary on the Talmud Yerushalmi. Served in the rabbinate in Lithuania villages, in 1894, was appointed as Rabbi of Suwalki, a district city. In 1907, he was called to the capital city of Petersburg to serve as rabbi, where he was greatly honored by Jews and non-Jews alike. Even after the Bolshevik revolution, he remained in the rabbinate of the city re-named Leningrad. These were days of distress and hardship for rabbis and for Jewry. It is extraordinary that his book “Mei Naftoach” on Tractate Yevamot was printed in Leningrad in 1924 by the printing press "The Red Propagandist" where the official newspaper “Izvestia” was printed. In 1928, he printed the book of his homiletics “Gam Ele Divrei David” in Leningrad.
Two pages, 27.5 cm. Good-fair condition, wear damage to paper folds.
Archive of Rabbi Eliezer Silver
Archive of Rabbi Eliezer Silver