Letter with a halachic essay, handwritten and signed by R. Ze'ev Wolf Turbowitz, signed: "ZiV ToV author of Rosh Pina, residing here Kroz". [Kražiai, Lithuania, 1889].
Addressed to R. Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook, during his tenure as rabbi of Žeimelis, in response to the halachic article by the Netziv of Volozhin, which appeared in the Ittur Sofrim anthology (compiled by Rav Kook, 1888). The article offered a new halachic permit to read newspapers on Shabbat. R. Ze'ev Wolf responds sharply, enclosing an article with a halachic responsum challenging this permission, to be published in the Ittur Sofrim anthology. This article was not published at that time in Ittur Sofrim (whose publication ceased in 1889), but was published in R. Ze'ev Wolf's responsa book (Tiferet Ziv, section 13), and more recently, together with the accompanying letter, in Moriah (issue 255-256, Tevet 1999, pp. 54-60). R. Kook may have chosen not to publish this responsum in Ittur Sofrim, seeing it as an offense to his teacher, the Netziv, who actually read newspapers on Shabbat (see below).
"…I saw heading the articles… the ruling of the Netziv of Volozhin, and I was very surprised to see the publicizing of words which contradict the Shulchan Aruch and all Rishonim and Acharonim, based on weak arguments, and especially to be lenient regarding Shabbat prohibitions". R. Ze'ev Wolf expresses concern that publicizing this permission will cause laxity in Shabbat observance, especially amongst "the members of the new generation who will seize the opportunity and fulfill it wholeheartedly…". He writes that he therefore hurried to record his response to this ruling and requests to publicize it. He further writes that he was astonished to see this ruling - "If not for the name of the Netziv signed on this ruling, I would not have believed that a Torah Jew, let alone a foremost Torah scholar, could have penned such views…". He expresses his surprise at Rav Kook, editor of the Ittur Sofrim anthology, for publishing the words of the Netziv without countering them.
R. Ze'ev Wolf Turbowitz (1846-1921), leading Lithuanian rabbi of the later generations. Outstanding Torah scholar from a prominent family of Karlin Chassidim, he served as rabbi of Svislach, Kletsk and Wolpa (Voupa), and finally, Kražiai - a position he held for 36 years, between 1885-1921. He is renowned for his works in all realms of the Torah: Halacha, homily and Kabbalah. He authored: Rosh Pina on Shulchan Aruch Yoreh De'ah (Vilna 1879); Shir Yedidot on Eshet Chayil (Vilna 1878); Ziv Mishna on the Rambam (Warsaw 1904); Megillat Shabtai - chronicling the blood libel in Dubno, 1821; and dozens more, the majority of which remained in manuscript form and disappeared over the years.
The article of the Netziv which this letter is a response to, aroused great interest at that time. There is a famous report of R. Baruch HaLevi Epstein, author of Mekor Baruch, in his memoirs of his uncle the Netziv. He relates there that the Netziv would go through all the Hebrew newspapers of that time, and on Shabbat, he would read the HaMaggid, which was usually delivered on Friday: "And I remember that he would receive the HaMaggid on Friday afternoon, but he would not read it that evening, since Friday night was dedicated to reviewing the Mishnayot of Tractates Shabbat and Eruvin by heart... and he would read it during the day; and if it would happen that the HaMaggid was delayed, and he didn't receive it on Erev Shabbat, he would say that he felt something was lacking that Shabbat, just like one feels on the Shabbat preceding Tisha B'Av, when one doesn't go to the bathhouse like usual…" (Mekor Baruch, IV, p. 1794).
See series of articles by R. Eliezer Brodt: The Netziv, Reading Newspapers on Shabbos, in General & Censorship, published in The Seforim Blog, March 5, 2014, April 29, 2015 and July 16, 2015.
[4] leaves (8 written pages). 21 cm. Good condition.