Bidspirit auction | “Destined for Greatness” Reb Baruch

“Destined for Greatness” Reb Baruch Ber Lebowitz’s prophetic foresight regarding Reb Aharon Leib Steinman when he was a bochur! Kamenitz, 1936 * Remarkable handwritten letter of recommendation by Rabbi Baruch Ber Lebowitz, Rosh Yeshivah of Kamenitz, regarding the future Gadol Hador Rabbi Aharon Leib Steinman, a letter which would ultimately spare Reb Steinman’s life. In this letter of recommendation, Reb Baruch Ber extols the praises of the 19-year-old bochur Aharon Leib Steinman with the prescient accolade of “a future Gadol b’Yisrael.” This means that already then, when he was only nineteen years old, Reb Baruch Ber saw signs in him that he was destined to become a great leader in Israel! These words indeed emerged prophetic. The letter of recommendation was granted in 1936 to Rabbi Aharon Leib Steinman and to Rabbi Moshe Soloveitchik, a grandson of Rabbi Baruch Ber’s spiritual mentor Reb Chaim Soloveitchik, who at the time were both facing the threat of conscription into the Polish army. In his letter, Reb Baruch Ber delivers a heartfelt plea to Rabbi Eliyahu Botchko, Rosh Yeshivah of Montreaux, Switzerland, to endeavor on behalf of the two outstanding bachurim who were at grave risk of conscription, asserting that it is a case of pikuach nefesh. Background of Letter When Rabbi Aharon Leib reached the age of conscription, he received a draft notice for the Polish army. This order posed a grave spiritual danger to his future, and he did everything possible to avoid it. The idea arose to travel together with his friend from Brisk, the Gaon Rabbi Moshe Soloveitchik,   to study at the yeshiva of Rabbi Eliyahu Botchko in Montreux, Switzerland. However, for this, they needed a letter of invitation from Rabbi Botchko, confirming that he was inviting them to study there. Only with this letter would they be permitted to leave Poland. Rabbi Moshe Soloveitchik, who had been a student of Rabbi Baruch Ber in Kaminetz, turned to his mentor and requested a letter of recommendation for himself and for his friend from Brisk, Rabbi Aharon Leib. Rabbi Botchko agreed to Rabbi Baruch Ber's request to send them the letter of invitation, but then it was discovered that according to Polish law, they also required a letter guaranteeing that they would be financially supported in their country of destination. This led to Rabbi Baruch Ber’s request in the current letter. During those financially adverse times, Rabbi Botchko maintained a clear policy of accepting only bachurim who were self-sufficient and capable of supporting themselves. However the Rosh Yeshivah expressed, “Based on what Maran HaGaon HaRav Baruch Ber Lebowitz wrote, these talmidim will repay much to Klal Yisrael, and therefore what we shall give them now is nothing compared to what they shall repay Klal Yisrael in the future.” Rabbi Aharon Leib used to say, “I owe a great debt of gratitude for the miracle that Hashem performed on my behalf, that Reb Baruch Ber granted me this letter of recommendation to the yeshivah in Switzerland, for there was nowhere else to flee the draft.” (Tzaddik Katamar Yifrach p. 496). Ultimately, it emerged that this letter did not only spare Rabbi Aharon Leib from conscription to the Polish army, but also rescued him from the claws of the Nazis! Rabbi Steinman mercifully spent the Holocaust years in the safe haven of Switzerland after which he journeyed and settled in Eretz Yisrael. Interestingly, as part of his efforts to escape the draft threat, Rabbi Aharon Leib altered his last name from Steiman to Steinman. In the present letter, Rabbi Baruch Ber refers to him by his original name Steiman. Kamenitz, 16 Cheshvan, 5697 (November 1, 1936). On the day this letter was written, Rav Aharon Leib was exactly 19 years and 2 days old. Official stationery. Page Size: 29x23 cm. It is written on the entirety of the first page and extends for six additional lines on the reverse. Condition: Good.