Bidspirit auction | Rare and Touching Letter Handwritten

Rare and Touching Letter Handwritten by the Tzaddik Rabbi Aryeh Levin - to the Mayor of Tel Aviv Yisrael Rokach - Jerusalem, 1947 - Letter with unique and touching content handwritten entirely by the Jerusalem Tzaddik Rabbi Aryeh Levin and with his handwritten signature. Jerusalem, Nissan 6, 1947. A rare letter by Rabbi Aryeh Levin, written to support and encourage the Mayor of Tel Aviv Yisrael Rokach.  The letter was sent about a year before the establishment of the State to the first and mythologic Mayor of Tel Aviv, Yisrael Rokach.  The uniqueness of the letter lies precisely in the fact that it contains no request for help, support, or intercession - which might perhaps have been expected in an appeal to the mayor of the most important economic center in Eretz Yisrael. Rabbi Aryeh Levin, a member of the Old Yishuv, the Mashgiach of the Etz Chaim Talmud Torah, and a figure deeply identified with Chareidi Jerusalem, appeals to a non-religious, Zionist mayor out of a completely different motive: a pure desire to encourage, strengthen, and express gratitude . With his deeply compassionate and rare heart, which drove him throughout his life to seek ways to do good for every person - underground resistance prisoners, leprosy patients, common folk, and people of authority alike - Rabbi Aryeh saw a need to also support leaders of the public. Out of his profound human sensitivity, he understood that even people in power require a kind word and encouragement. The background to the writing of the letter is especially moving: following the Vatikin prayer at the Zoharei Chama synagogue in the Machaneh Yehuda neighborhood, Rabbi Aryeh overheard several worshippers from Tel Aviv speaking in praise of the mayor. The words touched his heart, and he quickly sat down to write a lengthy personal letter containing expressions of appreciation and blessings to the recipient. The letter rarely reflects Rabbi Aryeh's benevolent gaze and his extraordinary human approach. At a time when many rabbis of the Old Yishuv sharply distanced themselves from the leaders of the non-religious Zionist movement, Rabbi Aryeh chose to see a person's virtues and honor him wholeheartedly. Among other things, he writes: ”איש דגול, ראש משביר, אשריך שזכית לשם טוב...” [A distinguished man, a chief provider, fortunate are you to have merited a good name...].  [1] leaf. 21 cm. Handwritten entirely by Rabbi Aryeh Levin.  Very good condiiton. Filing perforations.  Enclosed:  * Confirmation by the office of the Mayot that the letter was received,   * A letter by Rokach to his personal secretary in which he notes that he cannot decipher Rabbi Aryeh's micrographic script.  * Summary of the content of the letter written by the secretary: ”הכותב איש ירושלמי, מספר שבבואו לבית־הכנסת... שמע דברי שבח לראש העיר ומוצא לחובתו למסור לכבודו על כך”. * Typewritten version of the letter, apparently made for the Mayor.  ***. The Jerusalem Tzaddik Rabbi Aryeh Levin (1885-1969) the son of Rabbi Binyamin Beinush. He was Mashgiach at the Etz Chaim yeshiva in Jerusalem and one of the greatest figures of the city. He was known for his charity and became known as Father of the Priosners or Rav of the Prisoners for visiting prisoners every Shabbos for more than 25 years, since the British Mandate. He studied at the Volozhin yeshiva under Rabbi Refael Shapira, and received his Rabbinic Semicha from Rabbi Chaim Berlin. Upon the establishment of the State of Israel he established the yeshiva now named after him, Beit Aryeh. Rabbeinu was the father-in-law of the Gaon Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv and his descendants include Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky and Rabbi Yitzchak Zilberstein, Rav Kook of Tiberias and many others. Many stories were told about his virtues and many deeds of charity. His last request was not to be eulogized.