Letter signed by R. Yisrael Meir HaKohen, the Chafetz Chaim. Radin, Adar 1932.

The letter is in scribal writing, with the signature and stamp of the Chafetz Chaim. Addressed to R. Yechezkel Abramsky, Rabbi of the Adat Yisrael – Machazikei HaDat community in London.

The letter relates to a fundraising voyage for the Radin yeshiva undertaken by R. Hillel Ginsburg and R. Menachem Mendel Ehrlich, Rabbi of Frombork, "who are traveling on behalf of our holy yeshiva to England – to arouse our fellow Jews to come to the aid of the yeshiva at our terribly pressing time".

In the present letter, the Chafetz Chaim mentions R. Abramsky's visit to the Radin yeshiva [the famous visit in 1931, after R. Abramsky was released from exile in Russia, on the way to England; on this visit see Melech BeYofyo pp. 223-224, and Igrot R. Chaim Ozer, II, 704-705]: "…And since you merited to see with your own eyes our holy yeshiva, with its leaders and students, great in Torah and fear of heaven, many of whom are fellow Jews who escaped the religious persecution going on there [in Russia], I request you come to the assistance of the aforementioned rabbis with their holy work for the benefit of our holy yeshiva, with all you can do… to assist us in our time of distress, to bring life to hundreds of souls great in Torah and fear of heaven who sacrifice their flesh and blood on the altar of the Torah, and for the subsistence of this temple of G-d where Torah has been disseminated for over sixty years…".

The Chafetz Chaim blesses him: "And may the merit of the Torah stand for you and may you be blessed by the G-d of heaven with life and peace and all good, and may your eyes see the salvation of Israel and the pride of the Torah soon, as is your good desire and mine, respecting you and esteeming you as befits your station, Yisrael Meir HaKohen".

R. Yisrael Meir HaKohen of Radin (ca. 1838-1933), a foremost leader of the Jewish people. He was known as the Chafetz Chaim after his first book. Founder of the Radin yeshiva and author of many halachic and ethical books including Mishnah Berurah, Shemirat HaLashon, Ahavat Chesed and many more.

The recipient, R. Yechezkel Abramsky (1886-1976), was very dear to the Chafetz Chaim. They first met when R. Abramsky came to receive his blessing after his engagement. The Chafetz Chaim was enthusiastic at his request for a blessing to succeed in Torah study, and blessed him at length and even kissed him on his hand (R. Abramsky would boast of this kiss his entire life, showing his hand and saying, "Here is where the Chafetz Chaim kissed me"; at one point he kissed a close disciple at his wedding and told him, "Remember your entire life that you were kissed by someone who merited to be kissed by the Chafetz Chaim"; Melech BeYofyo, p. 74). They met several other times subsequently. When R. Abramsky was arrested by the Russian authorities in 1930, the Chafetz Chaim made world-ranging efforts in correspondence and lobbying to free the Rabbi of Slutsk, and would even recite five psalms in the minyan in his house for his rescue and release. The day of R. Abramsky's release from prison, Erev Yom Kippur 1931, the Chafetz Chaim unusually did not recite the Tehillim for the rescue of the Rabbi of Slutsk. R. Elchanan Wasserman, who was present at the time at the home of the Chafetz Chaim in Radin, tells how the Chafetz Chaim stopped suddenly in the middle of a conversation with the students and exclaimed exuberantly: "The Bolsheviks got nothing… they got nothing, for despite themselves they are forced to release the Rabbi of Slutsk…". And indeed, at that very moment, R. Abramsky had been released from prison, as the Chafetz Chaim had seen with ruach hakodesh (Melech BeYofyo, pp. 218-219).

[1] leaf, official stationery. 28 cm. Fair condition. Stains. Folding marks and wear. Two folds across width of leaf, repaired with acid tape, with stains from tape.

A facsimile of the present letter is printed in Melech BeYofyo, p. 264.

Lengthy letter (7 pages) handwritten and signed by R. Avraham Yitzchak HaLevi Zimmerman, Rabbi of Hlusk (later Rabbi of Kremenchuk). Hlusk, ca. 1880s.

Lengthy halachic responsum on the laws of divorce, on annulling an advance notice and ketubah payments – addressed to a certain David Shlomo who contested a divorce performed in R. Avraham Yitzchak's Beit Din. In the responsum he discusses the laws of a divorce where the husband had given an advance notice to annul any future divorce, and on the rulings issued by the Beit Din with respect to monetary payments of the ketubah. R. Avraham Yitzchak addresses the halachic arguments brought up and resolves his opinion humbly and placatingly, also begging the contestant to consider the pain of the divorcee. At the end of the letter he concludes: "…But please hear and listen to me and do not change his words, because this is truly a valuable decision for both of them, and peace is important. The respondent Avraham Yitzchak son of R. Meir HaLevi, residing here in Hlusk".

On the eighth page of the responsum is a draft of a halachic responsum on advance notices, in another hand [possibly handwritten by R. Avraham Yitzchak's brother-in-law, R. Yisrael Yehonatan Yerushalimsky – later Rabbi of Orlya and Ihumen].

R. Avraham Yitzchak HaLevi Zimmerman (b. ca. 1850-1860, d. 1917), a leading rabbi of his time. He was the son-in-law of R. Yaakov Moshe Direktor (1809-1879), Rabbi of Mush. Served as Rabbi of the Ashkenazi community of Hlusk, and established a yeshiva attended by R. Yitzchak Eizik Sher and R. Avraham Noach Paley (R. Yitzchak Eizik Sher later recounted that under him they would study four Talmudic folios daily until learning the majority of the Talmud together). Ca. 1890 he was appointed Rabbi of the Ashkenazi community of Kremenchuk, and in 1891 he was succeeded in Hlusk by his son-in-law R. Baruch Ber Leibowitz, who also served as dean of the Hlusk yeshiva.

His brother-in-law, R. Yisrael Yehonatan Yerushalimsky (1860-1917), Rabbi of Orlya and Ihumen, son of R. Yaakov Moshe Direktor (1809-1879), Rabbi of Mush (Novaya Mysh; a student of the Volozhin yeshiva and a famous wonderworker). In 1872, his father sent him off with a caretaker to celebrate his bar mitzvah in Jerusalem, to absorb its holiness and receive blessings from Jerusalem rabbis (whereupon he changed his surname to Yerushalimsky or Ish-Yerushalayim). He studied in the Volozhin yeshiva, and later married the daughter of R. Yaakov David Wilovsky (Ridvaz), Rabbi of Slutsk. In 1892 he was appointed Rabbi of Orlya (near Grodno), and in 1902 he was appointed Rabbi of Ihumen (Chervyen, Minsk region). After his untimely demise, his teacher R. Chaim Soloveitchik, Rabbi of Brisk, declared, "I do not know two other rabbis of his stature in this generation in all of Russia and Poland" (Sorasky, Melech BeYofyo, p. 49). He was the father-in-law of R. Yechezkel Abramsky, head of the London Beit Din, author of Chazon Yechezkel.

Sheet of 4 leaves (8 written pages). 22 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains and wear. Some leaves of the sheet are still attached.

Lengthy letter (two leaves with 35 lines) handwritten, signed and stamped by R. Baruch Ber Leibowitz, dean of the Kamenets yeshiva. 15th Elul, 1933.

Addressed to his relative R. Yechezkel Abramsky, rabbi of the Machazikei HaDat community in London (their wives were cousins – Rebbetzin Beila Zimmerman of Kremenchuk, mother-in-law of R. Baruch Ber, was the sister of R. Yisrael Yaakov Yerushalimsky, father-in-law of R. Abramsky].

The letter begins with warm, heartfelt Shanah Tovah wishes: "May a pleasant Ketivah VaChatimah Tovah in the book of the completely righteous, immediately for good and sweet life, be given to my distinguished relative… R. Yechezkel, rabbi in London of the Machazikei HaDat community… along with the family of my sister-in-law the righteous Rebbetzin and all your descendants. May they all be written and signed in the book of the completely righteous immediately, for good and blessed life with all the blessings and successes, a year of peace, satiety, satisfaction, happiness, peace and quiet, a year of redemption and salvation and the coming of our Messiah, amen".

R. Baruch Ber goes on to write of the great difficulties in supporting the yeshiva and assisting the emissary tasked with collecting donations for the yeshiva, his son-in-law R. Yitzchak Turetz, who traveled to London to that end:

"Regarding the rescue of our holy yeshiva, which is a foundation and pillar to the holy Torah with G-d's great kindness, please be of assistance to my son-in-law R. Yitzchak Turetz who is working with all his might in your country for the sake of the Torah which is in need of aid, to establish and encourage it… This requires the service of one wise of heart, like the building of the Tabernacle which was built all by the labor of those of wise heart. Therefore I beseech you in all ways to remember our early friendship and also that we are kin, to save the Torah of our holy yeshiva. And may the merit of… R. Yitzchak Elchanan, whom it is named for, always stand steadfastly for you…".

On the second leaf, R. Baruch Ber requests assistance for R. Gershon Henich (the brother-in-law of their relative R. Moshe Schneider, dean of the Frankfurt yeshiva), who had fled Germany for England, and wished to establish a yeshiva school in London: "I ask on his behalf that you embrace him and assist by publicly declaring his greatness in Torah, which will enable him to do this holy thing, and it will be a great merit for you to thereby elevate the righteous and establish a yeshiva in a new place, which is a fulfillment of the verse 'If you extract the precious from the vile'. And trusting in your righteousness and in your desire which adheres to the Torah I will not speak about this at length".

At the end of the letter he concludes again with many blessings and a Shanah Tovah: "I give the blessing that you be written in the book of the completely righteous with all of your family and descendants, and that you may spread the holy Torah by the blessing of G-d… in comfort, and may we all see the salvation of Israel and the raising of their pride, the pride of the Torah and the pride of our Messiah, amen. Seeking his welfare, respecting him and blessing him, his relative, Baruch Dov Leibowitz, dean of the Beit Yitzchak yeshiva".

R. Baruch Dov (Ber) Leibowitz (1864-1939), author of Birkat Shmuel, leading Torah disseminator in his times. He was a disciple of R. Chaim of Brisk in the Volozhin yeshiva, and the son-in-law of R. Avraham Yitzchak Zimmerman, Rabbi of Hlusk (son-in-law of R. Yaakov Moshe Direktor, Rabbi of Mush). After his father-in-law went to serve as rabbi of Kremenchuk, he succeeded him in Hlusk and established a yeshiva. After a 13-year tenure, he was asked to head the Knesset Beit Yitzchak yeshiva in Slabodka. During World War I, he wandered with the yeshiva to Minsk, Kremenchuk and Vilna, before finally settling in Kamenets. He authored Birkat Shmuel on Talmudic topics. His teachings and writings are classics of in-depth yeshiva study.

Lengthy letter handwritten and signed by R. Chaim Ozer Grodzinski. Druskininkai [a spa city near Vilna], 20th Elul 1932.

Addressed to R. Yechezkel Abramsky, a rabbi in London and an intimate associate of his. Most of the letter relates to the initiative to send food packages to the Jews in the Soviet Union who were left behind the Iron Curtain.

R. Chaim Ozer writes of the request of the English activist R. A. M. Keiser "who asks me to send an announcement to our brethren in England to encourage them to send aid to our brethren in Russia through them". R. Chaim Ozer shares his ambivalence with R. Abramsky: "Since there is much surveillance I am conflicted about this; however, I promised to provide him with an announcement since before Passover… He also asks me to ask the Chafetz Chaim to sign it, but I am concerned that this letter not be used in other faraway countries. Please inform me of your opinion on this as soon as possible…".

In the years following his departure from Russia, the Rebbe Rayatz initiated a complex international operation to raise funds and attain permits to send packages of shmura flour and matzot to the Jews of Soviet Russia. He was assisted by several leaders of the generation, including the Chafetz Chaim and R. Chaim Ozer Grodzinski in Poland, R. Yechezkel Abramsky in England, R. Meir Hildesheimer in Berlin, R. Kook and R. Sonnenfeld in Eretz Israel, and others. Letters were dispatched to rabbis worldwide, and various announcements were made and fundraisers were held. The food packages were brought into Russia by calling for individuals worldwide to send flour and matzah packages addressed to their relatives and to particular addresses sent to them by the committee.

The present letter discusses the commission of the Jews of England to the project, and the signing of a special announcement for English Jews about the issue. It is unclear which activity attracted the surveillance R. Chaim Ozer mentions, and why he was concerned that the letter not be used in faraway countries. Notably, in the winter of that year an announcement dated 22nd Shevat 1932 was printed, calling for individuals to send flour to Russian Jews, signed by the Chafetz Chaim, R. Chaim Ozer and the Rebbe Rayatz of Lubavitch (see: Yahadut HaDemamah, I, pp. 317-319). Moreover, two days before the date of the present letter, a call for help was already printed in Vilna, dated 18th Elul 1932 [Kedem catalogue, Auction 054, Lot 602], containing a letter of the Chafetz Chaim and R. Chaim Ozer Grodzinski of Vilna calling for all the Jews of England, Vienna and all the free countries to assist in sending food packages to the Jews of Russia: "…to send food to individuals… and for every individual to send to his relative or friend", especially on the eves of festivals when the need to send food and the merit of so doing is great, due to "the terrible condition of our poor brethren in Russia, whose basic finances are totally out of their hand, and hundreds of thousands of Jews, whoever are called Deklassierter [disenfranchised], are without bread and food, and especially the rabbis, the Torah scholars, who have no rights at all, and are suffering from literal famine…".

Apparently, the present letter, as well as the letter dated 3rd Tishrei 1933 (appearing in the next lot), relate to another initiative to have rabbis sign another announcement assigning each individual a duty to join the program for assistance [perhaps this was to be a wide-reaching program like the Global Central Relief Committee of the Rebbe Rayatz of Lubavitch, requiring rabbis and community leaders in every country to commit to take action. See R. Chaim Ozer's letter to R. Abramsky in the next lot dated 3rd Tishrei 1933 (and his letter to R. Yaakov Rosenheim dated 29th Elul 1932 – printed in Igrot R. Chaim Ozer, II, letter 709), on the Rebbe Rayatz's initiative to establish and expand the fundraisers].

At the beginning of the letter R. Chaim Ozer writes that he agrees to R. Abramsky's suggestion to send R. Yisrael Soloveitchik to South Africa [R. Yisrael Soloveitchik, a rabbi of South Africa (d. 1951), son of R. Avraham Baruch Rabbi of Smolensk and cousin of R. Yitzchak Ze'ev Soloveitchik, the Brisker Rav].

At the beginning of the letter R. Chaim Ozer concludes with a Shanah Tovah blessing: "Peace and blessing, may you and all your friends be blessed with a new year blessing of a Ketivah VaChatimah Tovah for a good, lengthy and fit life, as is the desire of your dear soul and that of your faithful friend seeking your welfare, Chaim Ozer Grodzinski".

On the margins of the letter, R. Chaim Ozer adds (as an update to his place of residence) his plan to return to Vilna from the spa town Druskininkai: "Tomorrow I will return with G-d's help to my home".

R. Chaim Ozer Grodzinski (1863-1940) was a foremost rabbi of his generation and leader of European Jewry. He was the son of R. David Shlomo Grodzinski Rabbi of Iwye. He was renowned from his childhood for his exceptional brilliance. He entered the Volozhin yeshiva at the young age of 11, and became a disciple of R. Chaim of Brisk. At the age of 24, he was appointed rabbi and posek of Vilna, succeeding his father-in-law R. Eliyahu Eliezer Grodnansky, a posek in Vilna (son-in-law of R. Yisrael Salanter). He assumed the yoke of public leadership from a young age, and his opinion was conclusive on all public issues which arose throughout the Jewish world for close to fifty years.

The recipient of the letter, R. Yechezkel Abramsky (1886-1976), was a confidant and agent of R. Chaim Ozer of Vilna ever since developing close ties with him in his youth while studying under his influence in Vilna. In winter of 1806, the "prodigy of Masty" Yechezkel Abramsky was forced to leave the Telshe yeshiva and flee to Vilna [which was then under Polish control] to avoid conscription to the Russian army. In Vilna he was accepted into the Ramailes yeshiva and joined the elite class of students who listened to the advanced lectures of R. Chaim Ozer (based on Melech BeYofyo, pp. 29-33). While subsequently serving as Rabbi of Smilavichy and Slutsk, he served often as R. Chaim Ozer's agent in various communal affairs. R. Abramsky smuggled the manuscript of Part I of his Chazon Yechezkel from Slutsk to his teacher R. Chaim Ozer in Vilna, who was involved in its publication in Vilna, 1925, through his confidant R. Aharon Dov Alter Voronovsky (R. Abramsky's wife's cousin). When R. Abramsky was arrested by the Soviets and sent to Siberia in 1930, R. Chaim Ozer made every possible effort to release him. After his release in 1931, R. Chaim Ozer and the Rebbe Rayatz of Lubavitch joined with R. Abramsky to initiate the project of sending Pesach flour and food packages to Jews under the Bolshevik regime in Russia (see lot No. 224). Likewise, R. Abramsky was active on missions for R. Chaim Ozer for yeshivas in Poland and Lithuania and for rabbis of Europe. They also cooperated on many public issues, including the struggles for Jewish marriage and against the anti-Semitic laws in Germany and Europe forbidding Jewish shechitah (requiring stunning animals before slaughtering, which renders the meat non-kosher), and on rescue activity for rabbis and yeshivas who fled as refugees to Vilna at the start of the Holocaust. The present letter reflects some of their cooperation on wide-ranging public activities.

Letter handwritten and signed by R. Chaim Ozer Grodzinski. Vilna, 9th Tevet [December 21] 1939.

The beginning of the letter appears to be written in scribal writing, but the last five lines are handwritten and signed by R. Chaim Ozer Grodzinski.

Addressed to R. Yechezkel Abramsky, a rabbi in London and his close associate. The letter addresses the rescue of the yeshivas that were exiled to Vilna and Lithuania at the outbreak of World War II. R. Chaim Ozer tells him of the activities of Mr. A. M. Keiser of England, R. Abramsky's emissary to save the rabbis and yeshivas:

"Mr. Keiser visited me twice the day before yesterday, and he joined a meeting in my house with the leading yeshiva deans to confer about the situation. Almost all the yeshivas are here with their deans and directors; the number of students is about 1500. There is also a class of students who are great in Torah who organized themselves into a special kollel, and there are also several important rabbis, headed by R. Yitzchak Ze'ev Soloveitchik, the head rabbi of the Brisk Beit Din, and including the families, the total number is about 2000 people. Among the yeshivas, the Mir yeshiva received an authorization from the government to relocate to Kėdainiai. R. A. Kotler of Kletsk also received a permit to travel to Jonava, but they are still here. My brother-in-law R. E. Wasserman established his Torah yeshiva in Trakai, as the committee for support of refugees wishes to take as many refugees out of the city as possible. You will surely hear the details from Mr. Keiser".

R. Chaim Ozer recounts in detail what is going on with R. Yitzchak Ze'ev, the Brisker Rav – R. Abramsky's close friend. "The Rabbi of Brisk is faring well, and a special group was organized for him to lecture to". In the margins of the letter after the signature, R. Chaim Ozer goes on to clarify the use of the funds R. Abramsky had sent for the Brisker Rav: "The sum of 1250 from the list of Mr. Keiser is next to the Rabbi of Brisk. I am unsure whether it is for him or for the yeshiva, since the yeshiva students are very few, from a few individuals. Please inform me".

At the conclusion of the letter, R. Chaim Ozer tells of his personal health situation and intense occupation: "My health situation is, thank G-d, unchanged. The increasing concerns are certainly beyond my capacity; I was also sick for a few days with a light flu, and I hope to Him Who gives strength to the weary. I would very much like to know how you and your friends are doing. His friend, esteeming and respecting him, seeking the welfare of his Torah, Chaim Ozer Grodzinski".

R. Chaim Ozer Grodzinski (1863-1940) was a foremost rabbi of his generation and leader of European Jewry. He was the son of R. David Shlomo Grodzinski Rabbi of Iwye. He was renowned from his childhood for his exceptional brilliance. He entered the Volozhin yeshiva at the young age of 11, and became a disciple of R. Chaim of Brisk. At the age of 24, he was appointed rabbi and posek of Vilna, succeeding his father-in-law R. Eliyahu Eliezer Grodnansky, a posek in Vilna (son-in-law of R. Yisrael Salanter). He assumed the yoke of public leadership from a young age, and his opinion was conclusive on all public issues which arose in the Diaspora for close to fifty years. He was involved in communal matters locally and in other countries.

At the beginning of the Holocaust, at R. Chaim Ozer's instruction, many yeshivas fled Poland, which had been conquered by the Germans and Russians, to Vilna and other cities in independent Lithuania. At the time R. Chaim Ozer assisted the leaders of the wandering yeshivas while taking care of their sustenance, doing everything to provide for their needs. The exiles to Vilna included R. Yitzchak Ze'ev Soloveitchik, the Brisker Rav (mentioned in the present letter), who reached Vilna with some of his family members and students, who escaped and immigrated with him to Jerusalem in 1941.

The recipient of this letter, R. Yechezkel Abramsky (1886-1976), was a confidant and agent of R. Chaim Ozer of Vilna ever since developing close ties with him in his youth while studying under his influence in Vilna. In winter of 1806, the "prodigy of Masty" Yechezkel Abramsky was forced to leave the Telshe yeshiva and flee to Vilna (which was then under Polish control) to avoid conscription to the Russian army. In Vilna he was accepted into the Ramailes yeshiva and joined the elite class of students who listened to the advanced lectures of R. Chaim Ozer (based on Melech BeYofyo, pp. 29-33). While subsequently serving as Rabbi of Smilavichy and Slutsk, he served often as R. Chaim Ozer's agent in various communal affairs. R. Abramsky smuggled the manuscript of Part I of his Chazon Yechezkel from Slutsk to his teacher R. Chaim Ozer in Vilna, who was involved in its publication in Vilna, 1925, through his confidant R. Aharon Dov Alter Voronovsky (R. Abramsky's wife's cousin). When R. Abramsky was arrested by the Soviets and sent to Siberia in 1930, R. Chaim Ozer made every possible effort to release him. After his release in 1931, R. Chaim Ozer and the Rebbe Rayatz of Lubavitch joined with R. Abramsky to initiate the project of sending Pesach flour and food packages to Jews under the Bolshevik regime in Russia (see Lot 224). Likewise, R. Abramsky was active on missions for R. Chaim Ozer for yeshivas in Poland and Lithuania and for rabbis of Europe. They also cooperated on many public issues, including the struggles for Jewish marriage and against the anti-Semitic laws in Germany and Europe forbidding Jewish shechitah (requiring stunning animals before slaughtering, which renders the meat non-kosher), and on rescue activity for rabbis and yeshivas who fled as refugees to Vilna at the start of the Holocaust. The present letter reflects some of their cooperation to rescue and provide for rabbis and yeshiva students in exile, who continued to study Torah even under those harsh conditions.

[1] leaf. Official stationery. 29 cm. Good condition. Light stains and folding marks.

A facsimile of the present letter is printed in Melech BeYofyo, p. 427, based on which it was printed in Igrot R. Chaim Ozer, III, pp. 168-169, letter 108.