Bidspirit auction | “ — and I have

“ — and I have been left alone!” Extraordinary Letter by the Renowned Gaon Rabbi Shlomo Kluger Brody, 1846 * Remarkable letter, virtually without parallel and never before publicized, in which we are granted a rare glimpse into the principles of communal leadership and the halachic path of one of the most renowned and influential of the Achronim — Rabbi Shlomo Kluger of Brody. In the letter, Rabbi Shlomo Kluger cries out bitterly over the state of the generation and of the rabbanim, lamenting that there is no one who will rise to repair the breach and erect safeguards to uphold the faith, declaring “And I have been left alone!” He describes his own approach to halachic ruling — “I am always stringent and not lenient” — explaining that this is the need of the generation, and declaring that it has always been his way “to avenge the honor of the Torah and to erect fences as much as possible.” Later in the letter, he writes that in earlier times, when the previous generation’s giants still lived, they were always of one mind with him, and there was not even a slight disagreement between them. As proof, he cites the respectful manner in which the Chasam Sofer addressed him, writing in his own beautiful words: “In the earlier days, when the Achronim of the previous generation were still with us, I was always aligned in opinion with them, and there was no disagreement between us even like the breadth of a hair. See an example of this in Chasam Sofer §256 — with what humility he wrote to me. But now many brazen individuals have arisen, who have no fear of Hashem in their hearts to contradict my words.” The letter was sent to the great gaon Rabbi Yitzchak Shimshon Meisels, Av Beis Din of Zolkiew and Czernowitz, one of the foremost sages of his generation. Rabbi Shlomo Kluger wrote this letter on the reverse of a copied teshuva of his own, addressed to the same recipient, concerning the issue of the Corfu esrogim — the well-known teshuva later printed in his sefer Shnos Chaim. The Controversy over the Corfu Esrogim “I am certain that they will yet be called to account on the Day of Judgment!” At the time this letter was written, in 1846, the great controversy over the kashrus of the Corfu esrogim erupted. At the head of those who forbade them stood Rabbi Shlomo Kluger, who completely prohibited them and published several teshuvos on the matter. The issue lay close to his heart, and he extended great efforts in trying to persuade rabbanim to issue letters and proclamations banning them. It was in this context that he turned, in the present letter, to Rabbi Meisels. An echo of his fierce stance appears in his opening words regarding the lenient rabbanim: “I am certain that they will yet be called to account on the Day of Judgment!” In the margin of the letter, he reinforces his position from a teshuva of the Chasam Sofer: “Therefore it is fitting to uphold our words, especially since, thank G-d, we have found a faithful witness — the gaon of Pressburg wrote explicitly in his teshuva exactly in accordance with our view, ” referring to the teshuva later printed in Shu”t Chasam Sofer , Orach Chaim §207. Rabbi Shlomo Kluger (1785–1869) was one of the greatest of the Achronim. “Shlomo was his name, and Shleima (correct) are his teachings, and the wisdom of Shlomo increased greatly, ” as phrased by the gaon R' A. Z. Margolies. He served as Av Beis Din and maggid meisharim in Brody for close to fifty years. He was one of the gedolei hador and the Chasam Sofer, in his letters to him, would sign with his mother’s name and request that Rabbi Shlomo Kluger mention him in his tefillos. He was one of the most prolific Torah authors in his era, authoring over 150 sefarim and compositions in all realms of Torah, dozens of which were printed. He testified about himself that there was no matter in the world that he did not sense (Shu”t HaElef Lecha Shlomo, Orach Chaim §367). His friend, the holy tzaddik Rabbi Meir Premishlan, expressed his admiration by saying: “Meir (referring to himself) sees in the heavens that they rule in the Heavenly Mesivta just like Rabbi Shlomo rules on earth.” Brody, 1846 Page Count: 1 leaf. Size: 20 × 25 cm. Entirely handwritten and with the signature of Rabbi Shlomo Kluger, plus two pages containing a copy of his teshuva regarding the Corfu esrogim (not complete). Condition: Small tear at the margin, not affecting the text. ------------------ “In the earlier days, when the Achronim of the previous generation were still alive” — by this Rabbi Shlomo Kluger was referring to the geonim: the Chemdas Shlomo, the Yeshuos Yaakov, and the Chasam Sofer, who passed away in the years 1839–1840. As his grandson relates in the sefer Toldos Shlomo, after the passing of these great figures, “he remained alone from the Gedolei Hador of the old generation, ” and from that point onward a new chapter opened in his life, with all the difficult matters being brought to him.