Bidspirit auction | Torah Letter of Rabbi Yitzchak

Torah Letter of Rabbi Yitzchak Ze'ev Soloveitchik, the Brisker Rav – Jerusalem, 1947 - Lengthy letter (2 pages, over 33 lines), handwritten and signed by R. Yitzchak Ze'ev Soloveitchik, the Brisker Rav. Jerusalem, 4th Tamuz 1947. Torah letter, addressed to his friend R. Yechezkel Abramsky, ”glory of the generation”, head rabbi of the London Beit Din, in response to his discussion of the Ger Toshav (a non-Jew halachically permitted to reside in Eretz Israel). The Brisker Rav begins by apologizing for the tardiness of his response, over a month late, due to his wavering health, as ”to my distress, my asthma has grown worse this summer, making writing almost entirely impossible, and I sometimes decided to write to you but I was forced to stop in the middle… I have already left my bed, although I am not at my fullest health, and this is the reason for my delay in responding to you…”. The Brisker Rav also apologizes for his delay in responding at the conclusion of the letter: ”Due to my weak health, as I am still sick (may it not befall you), I am forced to be brief. May you be blessed with all good in accordance with your desire. Your friend, esteeming and respecting you and seeking your welfare heart and soul, Yitzchak Ze'ev son of my father and master, the Gaon and Chassid, leader of the entire Diaspora, R. Chaim HaLevi Soloveitchik. 4th Tamuz 1947, Jerusalem”. R. Yitzchak Ze'ev Soloveitchik, the Brisker Rav (1886-1959), son of R. Chaim HaLevi of Brisk, and grandson of the Beit HaLevi. Already at a young age, still in his father's lifetime, he was considered one of the prominent Torah leaders of the generation. In 1919 (about the age of 32), he succeeded his forefathers as Rabbi of Brisk, and governed all religious matters in his city and the entire region. He managed to escape the Holocaust and fled from Brisk to Vilna, from which he immigrated to Jerusalem in 1941. His authority was recognized by the entire Torah world. His books: Chidushei Maran Riz HaLevi on the Rambam and the Torah. His oral teachings were published as Chidushei HaGriz. His teachings serve to this day as a cornerstone of in-depth yeshiva learning and form the basis for the thought of large portions of Orthodox Jewry. He was famous for his searing fear of Heaven and zeal for pure truth. The recipient, R. Yechezkel Abramsky (1886-1976), close disciple of R. Chaim of Brisk and close friend of his son R. Yitzchak Ze'ev. Shortly after his marriage, he traveled to Brisk to study under R. Chaim, ca. 1910 (at the advice of his father-in-law R. Yisrael Yehonatan Yerushalimsky), and from that time he became devoted to his Torah teachings for the rest of his life. While serving as Rabbi of Smilavichy, he visited his teacher R. Chaim, then staying in Minsk, for long periods, during which time he would clarify Torah topics with him. R. Yechezkel would say of his teacher R. Chaim's method of learning: ”R. Chaim goes at once to the heart of the issue”. R. Chaim greatly appreciated his disciple's wisdom, and in one letter he calls him a friend (Melech BeYofyo, p. 95). During those periods, R. Abramsky became a close friend of his teacher's son, R. Yitzchak Ze'ev (R. Velvele), which led to some fifty years of friendship and a close correspondence. Some of their Torah discussions and correspondence are printed in Chidushei Maran Riz HaLevi. When R. Abramsky was living in Jerusalem (from 1951), they met often and dealt with Torah issues and public affairs together. [1] leaf. Official stationery (written on both sides). 27.5 cm. Good condition. Light stains. Wear and folding marks. Minor tears to folds. The content of this Torah letter is printed, with variants, in the letters at the end of Chidushei Maran Riz HaLevi on the Rambam (Jerusalem, 1963, p. 164).