Lengthy letter (2 pages) handwritten by R. Yehuda Leib Chasman, with his signature: "Y.H.L.". Stutchin (Shchuchyn), Shevat 1925.
Addressed to his confidant R. Yosef Shub, director of the Vaad HaYeshivot office in Vilna (see previous item). The beginning of the letter contains various directives concerning Vaad HaYeshivot matters, which were under the jurisdiction of R. Yehuda Leib Chasman. R. Chaim Ozer Grodzinski is also mentioned in the letter. R. Yehuda Leib Chasman then puts forth sharp criticism on the Orthodox newspaper Vort, published in Vilna by R. Yosef Shub. It appears that the newspaper quoted an article supporting the Orthodox position, which was written by a negative person with unacceptable views. R. Yehuda Leib Chasman responds to this and guides the editors of the newspaper in their work: "Publicizing the views of such a person is detrimental to the readership and the responsibility for it lies on the publishers". R. Yehuda Leib also advises that great caution must be taken when publishing polemic articles quoting essays espousing negative opinions, since when printing heretic views even for the purpose of criticizing them, the harm caused might supersede the gain. He also writes of the obligation to be very discerning with the choice of articles published in the Vilna newspaper, which is viewed as the organ of R. Chaim Ozer, and the need to set a up a spiritual board to supervise the paper: "…it appears that there is no preliminary supervision and judgement regarding the articles printed in the newspaper, and the public considers it authoritative. There are also those who think that it is proofread by R. Chaim Ozer…".
R. Yehuda Leib Chasman (1869-1934), a leading Torah scholar of his times, was the study partner and friend of R. Chaim Ozer Grodzinski in their native city of Iwye. A student of the Kelm Beit HaTalmud, he served as mashgiach of the Telshe yeshiva (Telšiai) during the time of R. Shimon Shkop. From 1909, he served as rabbi of Szczuczyn, and established there a Yeshiva Gedola which was closed at the outbreak of World War I. After the war, with the ensuing destruction of Torah institutes and communities, he dedicated himself to the activities of the Vaad HaYeshivot in Vilna. He was a confidant of the heads of the Vaad: R. Chaim Ozer Grodzinski, the Chafetz Chaim and R. Shimon Shkop. In 1927, the Saba of Slabodka (who dubbed him "the genius in ethics") called him to succeed him as mashgiach of his yeshiva in Hebron, a position he held until his death in Cheshvan 1935. His Torah novellae were published in his book Minchat Yehuda and his discourses were printed by his leading disciples in the three volumes of Or Yahel.
[1] leaf (written on both sides, approx. 38 autograph lines). Approx. 17 cm. Good condition. Filing holes, slightly affecting text.