Auction 74 - Judaica - Books, Manuscripts, Rabbinical Letters, Ceremonial Art
Two Letters from Rabbi Refael Shapiro – Dean of the Volozhin Yeshiva – 1908-1909
Opening: $1,000
Sold for: $1,250
Including buyer's premium
Two letters from the dean of the Volozhin yeshiva, R. Refael Shapiro. Volozhin, Nisan 1908 – Iyar 1909.
Two letters pertaining to a student of the yeshiva, one handwritten and signed by the yeshiva dean, R. Refael Shapiro, and the other written on his behalf (on the official postcard of R. Refael Shapiro) by the mashgiach R. Avraham Drushkovitz.
The first letter, dated Nisan 1908, confirms the acceptance of a student to the yeshiva. The letter is handwritten and signed by the mashgiach, R. Avraham Drushkovitz, who writes in the name of the dean of the yeshiva, R. Refael Shapiro: "…to R. Eliyahu Gordon, posek in Shnipishok… I hereby reply on behalf of the great Torah scholar, that his illustrious son will be able to come study in this holy yeshiva, and he will receive a stipend of four silver ruble per month. And he requests that he bring with him the certificates from the principals of the Slabodka yeshiva…".
The second letter, dated Iyar 1909, is a letter of recommendation for the same student, R. Yaakov Dov Gordon, handwritten and signed by the yeshiva dean, R. Refael Shapiro: "This illustrious student, who possesses Torah qualities… studied here for a year and a half with great diligence, and he was successful in his studies… to debate and delve deeply in halachic discourse; he has also acquired knowledge in several tractates… he is destined to be a great Torah leader…".
R. Refael Shapiro, rabbi and dean of Volozhin (1837-1921), was the son of R. Aryeh Leib Rabbi of Kovno and son-in-law of the Netziv of Volozhin. He was renowned for his genius and diligence. In the years 1865-1881, he served as dean of the Volozhin yeshiva alongside his father-in-law the Netziv. He then went to serve as rabbi of Babruysk and other places. In 1899, when the yeshiva was reopened, he returned to Volozhin and was appointed rabbi and dean. During WWI, he fled to Minsk, where he taught Torah for some five years until his passing. His novellae and responsa were published in the three parts of his book Torat Refael. His son-in-law was R. Chaim HaLevi Soloveitchik, rabbi of Brisk, author of Chiddushei Rabbenu Chaim HaLevi.
The recipients of the letters, R. Eliyahu Gordon, a rabbi in Lithuania and the United States (1865-1932, see items 290 and 292); and his son, R. Yaakov Dov Gordon, student of the Slabodka and Volozhin yeshivot. R. Yaakov was the son-in-law of R. Naftali David Mosenzon Rabbi of Svir (Lithuania). During the 1930s, he immigrated to the United States, where he succeeded his father as rabbi in New York. He authored: Hed HaZman (New York, 1942) and Kedusha UMalchut (New York, 1960).
[1] leaf, official stationery (approx. 15 autograph lines, with a thick quill-pen). 27.5 cm. Fair condition. Tears and repairs, affecting text. Stains.
+ official postcard (10 lines handwritten by R. Drushkovitz). 14X9 cm. Good condition. Postmark and postage stamp. Damage to postage stamp.
Two letters pertaining to a student of the yeshiva, one handwritten and signed by the yeshiva dean, R. Refael Shapiro, and the other written on his behalf (on the official postcard of R. Refael Shapiro) by the mashgiach R. Avraham Drushkovitz.
The first letter, dated Nisan 1908, confirms the acceptance of a student to the yeshiva. The letter is handwritten and signed by the mashgiach, R. Avraham Drushkovitz, who writes in the name of the dean of the yeshiva, R. Refael Shapiro: "…to R. Eliyahu Gordon, posek in Shnipishok… I hereby reply on behalf of the great Torah scholar, that his illustrious son will be able to come study in this holy yeshiva, and he will receive a stipend of four silver ruble per month. And he requests that he bring with him the certificates from the principals of the Slabodka yeshiva…".
The second letter, dated Iyar 1909, is a letter of recommendation for the same student, R. Yaakov Dov Gordon, handwritten and signed by the yeshiva dean, R. Refael Shapiro: "This illustrious student, who possesses Torah qualities… studied here for a year and a half with great diligence, and he was successful in his studies… to debate and delve deeply in halachic discourse; he has also acquired knowledge in several tractates… he is destined to be a great Torah leader…".
R. Refael Shapiro, rabbi and dean of Volozhin (1837-1921), was the son of R. Aryeh Leib Rabbi of Kovno and son-in-law of the Netziv of Volozhin. He was renowned for his genius and diligence. In the years 1865-1881, he served as dean of the Volozhin yeshiva alongside his father-in-law the Netziv. He then went to serve as rabbi of Babruysk and other places. In 1899, when the yeshiva was reopened, he returned to Volozhin and was appointed rabbi and dean. During WWI, he fled to Minsk, where he taught Torah for some five years until his passing. His novellae and responsa were published in the three parts of his book Torat Refael. His son-in-law was R. Chaim HaLevi Soloveitchik, rabbi of Brisk, author of Chiddushei Rabbenu Chaim HaLevi.
The recipients of the letters, R. Eliyahu Gordon, a rabbi in Lithuania and the United States (1865-1932, see items 290 and 292); and his son, R. Yaakov Dov Gordon, student of the Slabodka and Volozhin yeshivot. R. Yaakov was the son-in-law of R. Naftali David Mosenzon Rabbi of Svir (Lithuania). During the 1930s, he immigrated to the United States, where he succeeded his father as rabbi in New York. He authored: Hed HaZman (New York, 1942) and Kedusha UMalchut (New York, 1960).
[1] leaf, official stationery (approx. 15 autograph lines, with a thick quill-pen). 27.5 cm. Fair condition. Tears and repairs, affecting text. Stains.
+ official postcard (10 lines handwritten by R. Drushkovitz). 14X9 cm. Good condition. Postmark and postage stamp. Damage to postage stamp.
Rabbinical Letters
Rabbinical Letters