Bidspirit auction | Autograph Signature of Rav Yosef

Autograph Signature of Rav Yosef of Radivil zt”l – Family Letter to His Son-in-Law, Rav Yitzchak of Bender – Radivil, 1872 A remarkable family letter from  Rav Yosef of Radivil zt”l, addressed to his beloved son-in-law, Rav Yitzchak of Bender zt”l. Dated Tuesday Parshas Pinchas, 1868. Filled with expressions of affection befitting a father-in-law writing to a cherished son-in-law, the letter concludes with warm brachos: ”...May Hashem grant him length of days in goodness and pleasantness. May he walk in the ways of Hashem all his days and toil in the Torah of Hashem day and night, Torah lishmah. May Hashem protect you from every affliction and illness, and bestow upon you, your household, all the people of your city, and all of Klal Yisroel, mercy, life, and peace...” The letter also includes greetings penned by three of Rav Yitzchak of Bender's brothers-in-law: Rav Eliezer of Radivil-Ostila , Rav Alexander Shmuel, Av Beis Din of Vishnivitz, and Rav Mordechai Lerner of Shumsk, grandson of Rav Mordechai of Lechovitch. One of the Great Rarities of Chassidic History! Among many of the great Chassidic tzaddikim, signing one's own name was exceedingly uncommon. Even when they did sign, it was only after great preparation and lofty intentions. So it was with Rav Yosef of Radivil. A remarkable account recorded by Rav Yitzchak Landau, shamash of Rav Mordechai of Neschiz, illustrates just how rare his signature was. Following Rav Yosef's passing, his son, Rav Eliezer of Radivil, searched desperately for a document bearing his father's signature as a segulah for refuah, pleading with anyone who possessed such a letter to part with it, explaining: ”...I do not possess a single signature of my holy father. The few letters that he signed were sent to their recipients, and it was most uncommon for him to sign his name at all— only on the rarest occasions, and even then only after great preparations...” (Zikaron Tov, Piotrków, 1892). The present letter vividly reflects that practice. While the body of the letter was apparently penned by a scribe , the signature itself is entirely in the handwriting of Rav Yosef of Radivil —making it an object of the greatest rarity. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Rav Yosef of Radivil (1818–1875) was a descendant of the Maggid of Zlotchov and son-in-law of  Rav Pinchas of Ostila, he was orphaned at the age of six and raised under the guidance of his distinguished family. While still a youth, his Rebbe, the Saba kaddisha Reb Yisrael of Ruzhin, declared, ”He will yet bring about salvations among Klal Yisroel.” It is related that when Rav Nechemiah of Bychov, son of the Yehudi HaKadosh of Peshischa, heard these words, he immediately handed the young Rav Yosef a kvittel to be mentioned in prayer. By the age of seventeen, Chassidim had already gathered around him. Renowned for his siggufim, fasting, and extraordinary hanhagos of kedushah, he later became Rav of Radivil, where he was famed as a ba'al mofes whose words never returned empty. In 1868, after relocating to Vishnivitz, he was falsely accused  and imprisoned in Kremenets. After several months, his Chassidim secured his release and secretly brought him to Galicia, where he passed away shortly thereafter. His son, Rav Eliezer of Radivil-Ostila (1843–1893), continued his father's path in holiness. The Maggid of Trisk testified concerning him, ”He brings about Yeshuos as I do, ” He received semichah from Rav Shlomo Kluger, who remarked that he knew the Pri Megadim as well as one knows Ashrei . ”...A holy and pure neshamah from the Heavenly World descended from Heaven to earth—none other than my revered father-in-law, the holy tzaddik, a ba'al Ruach HaKodesh, a man of mofes, a man of wonder, known during his lifetime as Reb Yossele Radiviler.. .” (From the praises of his son-in-law, tRav Yitzchak of Bender, in his lost work Etz Yosef. )