Letter handwritten and signed by the Aderet, R. "Eli. David" Rabinowitz-Teomim. [Jerusalem, ca. summer 1901].
Sent to "R. Hillel Moshe Meshel" Gelbstein, with an apology that he did not have the time "to delve into the depth of the halacha about which you wrote, regarding inserting fingers into the crevices of the Western Wall. Indeed, ather the great Torah scholar Maharil [Diskin], who was esteemed by the diaspora in Russia and particularly by the residents of Eretz Israel and here in the Holy City… agreed that this is a Torah prohibition and yet he did not publicize it, what can little me do? Perhaps he was of the opinion that this is included in ‘better to sin inadvertently’, because even though this is a Torah prohibition, it is not stated explicitly…". Further in the letter, the Aderet writes of his weak state of health due to his travelling, and of the trials ensuing from his immigration to Eretz Israel. He discusses briefly several other Torah matters.
Apparently, this letter has not been printed. However, in the book Mishkanot L’Abir Yaakov, a long letter by the Aderet on this same topic was printed. That letter was written in Elul 1902, and it seems that this letter was written earlier (see enclosed material).
R. Eliyahu David Rabinowitz Teomim - the Aderet (1845-1905), was the rabbi of Ponevezh (Panevėžys), Mir and Jerusalem. He was renowned from his childhood for his love of Torah and diligent Torah study, for his righteousness and refined character traits. At a young age, he was already recognized as an exceptional Torah scholar, with knowledge of the entire Torah, and produced brilliant Torah novellae. He was appointed rabbi of Ponevezh as a young man, and held the post for twenty years, after which he became rabbi of Mir. In 1901, he accepted the summons of R. Shmuel Salant, the aged rabbi of Jerusalem, to assist and succeed him as rabbi of Jerusalem. In 1905, approximately four years after immigrating to Jerusalem, the Aderet passed away at the age of 62, during the lifetime of R. Shmuel Salant (who passed away in 1909 at the age of almost 100). He left behind more than 100 manuscripts, most of which were never printed. His son-in-law was R. Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook, chief rabbi of Jerusalem and Eretz Israel.
The recipient, Kabbalist R. Hillel Moshe Meshel Gelbstein (1832-1907), was a disciple of the Saraph of Kotzk and of the Tzemach Tzedek of Lubavitch. He immigrated to Jerusalem in 1868, after the passing of his teachers, the Kotzker Rebbe, the Gerrer Rebbe author of Chiddushei HaRim and the Tzemach Tzedek. From the time of his arrival in Jerusalem, he studied at length the laws of the Beit HaMikdash, and promoted in his interesting books the fulfillment of the commandment of guarding the holy site. He hired "sentinels" to guard there, and would light many candles in G-d’s honor at the Western Wall. He also renewed the kindling of the Ner Tamid at the tomb of Shimon HaTzaddik. His books, Mishkanot L’Abir Yaakov (printed part by part between 1870 and 1906), contain a mix of novellae on Tractate Tammid, matters of guarding the Beit HaMikdash and kabbalistic homilies.
[1] leaf (written on both sides). 23 cm. Good-fair condition. Tears and adhesive tape.