A long letter handwritten and signed by the Brisker Rav, R. Yitzchak Ze'ev Soloveitchik. Jerusalem, Tevet 1947.

Sent to London, to his friend R. Yechezkel Abramsky, head of the London Beit Din, in response to Rabbi Abramsky's letter discussing Torah novellae on Talmudic topics:
"Many blessings to my dear friend... R. Yechezkel Abramsky, rabbi in London... Your letter reached me with the Torah novellae. To tell the truth, I don't know what Your Honor was uncertain about. I greatly enjoyed all the ideas, both new and familiar to me, and it seems to me that the matters are clear and lucid, and I see no room for doubt or hesitation, according to my poor understanding and limited knowledge of these matters..."
The Brisker Rav further writes about his great acquiescence to the teachings he heard from his father, R. Chaim, the Grach: "It often happens to me as well that I now have doubts about matters that I once considered absolutely clear, and to tell the truth, in such cases I always prefer my judgment from when I was close to the source of life and warmed myself by the light of my father, the pious Gaon of blessed memory, when all the reasoning was refined and purified and not affected by rust from a world full of ignoramuses who cast doubt on fundamental concepts on which everything depends…".
He concludes the letter with a blessing: "And blessings of all good to Your Honor. Your friend who esteems and honors you, who seeks your welfare always, with all his heart and soul, Yitzchak Ze'ev son of my father and teacher the pious Gaon… Chaim HaLevi Soloveitchik of blessed memory".

R. Yitzchak Ze'ev HaLevi Soloveitchik – the Brisker Rav (1887-1959), son of R. Chaim HaLevi of Brisk, and grandson of the Beit HaLevi. Already in his father's lifetime, at a young age, he was considered one of the prominent leaders of the generation. In 1919 (at the age of 32), he succeeded his forefathers as rabbi of Brisk, and with his Torah authority he directed all Jewish matters in Brisk and the surroundings.

He survived the Holocaust together with some of his children and immigrated to Jerusalem. His tremendous authority was recognized throughout the Torah world, whether in Eretz Israel or abroad. He authored Chiddushei Maran Riz HaLevi on the Rambam and the Torah. His orally transmitted novellae were published in the Chiddushei HaGriz series. Until this day, his teachings serve as the basis of profound Torah study in yeshivot, and his views direct the Torah outlook and leadership of large parts of Orthodox Jewry. He was famous for posterity for his outstanding fear of G-d and for his zealousness for the absolute truth.

The recipient of the letter, R. Yechezkel Abramsky (1886-1976), was a close disciple of R. Chaim of Brisk and a close friend of his son R. Yitzchak Ze'ev. Shortly after his marriage, he traveled to Brisk to study Torah from R. Chaim ca. 1910 (upon the advice of his father-in-law R. Israel Yehonatan Yerushalimsky, who was a disciple of R. Chaim from the Volozhin period) and stayed in his presence for about four months, from then on cleaving to his teachings and ways for the rest of his life.
During his tenure as rabbi of Smilovich, he would travel for extended periods to his teacher R. Chaim who was then staying in Minsk, and merited to clarify various topics with him. R. Yechezkel would often say about his teacher R. Chaim's approach to study: "R. Chaim immediately approached the heart of the topic". R. Chaim greatly valued the wisdom and understanding of his disciple, and once wrote to him in a letter: "We are friends who love each other" (Melech BeYofyo, p. 95).
During those times, R. Abramsky formed a deep friendship with his teacher's son R. Yitzchak Ze'ev (R. Velvel), maintaining close ties and extensive correspondence with him for some fifty years. Chiddushei Maran R.Y.Z. HaLevi contains excerpts of their Torah discussions and correspondence (some of which mention R. Abramsky by name). During their time in Jerusalem (after R. Abramsky immigrated to Eretz Israel in 1951), they would often meet to study Torah together and discuss communal matters.

[1] leaf. Official stationery. Approx. 22.5 cm. Very good condition. Folding marks.

This letter was reprinted in the book Melech BeYofyo, Jerusalem, 2004, p. 94; and in the books Igrot Maran Riz Halevi, Jerusalem 2008, letter 123, and "Yalkut Michtavim from Maran HaGryz of Brisk", Jerusalem, 2010, letter 20.

PLEASE NOTE: Some lot descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to the Hebrew text.