Bidspirit auction | Mussar Letter that was Never

Mussar Letter that was Never Published by the Gaon Rabbi Eliyahu Eliezer Dessler Author of Michtav MeEliyahu - Important Content - Gateshead, 1947 - ”יש מי שיש לו פרסום גדול - אבל אין זה שם טוב,     אלא שם רע... שם הבא מתוך פעמונים מצלצלים” Rare letter that was never published with Divrei Mussar and fundumental guidance by the leading Baal Mussar of the recent generation, the Gaon Rabbi Eliyahu Eliezer Dessler author of Michtav MeEliyahu. The letter is handwritten and signed by him. Gateshead, England, 1947.  The letter was sent to the Gaon Rabbi Hillel Medalia. The letter implies that he had consulted with Rabbi Dessler about establishing a yeshiva in Europe after the destruction. In his response, Rabbi Dessler refers to the foundations upon which a Torah institution muct be built, emphasizing a surprising one; the yeshiva's success does not depend only on the organization, resources or people who heaf it but first and foremost, on the purity of the foundations on which it is built. As he writes:  ”להקים ישיבה כדבעי - היינו להתחיל בסקוהל על טהרת הקודש ממש ממש, שתהיה מכינה לישיבה ממש, בלי שום פשרות, דבר ממש ולא חצי דבר”. The uniqueness of the letter lies in its second page. There, Rabbi Dessler explains the true meaning of the concept of ”שם טוב” - a concept that many identify with publication and public acknowledgment, whereas Rabbi Dessler believes these are actually two opposites. Rabbi Dessler defines what is a true ”שם טוב” and how a person achieves it. He also explains the relationship between the concept of ”שם”  and G-d's names. Among others, he writes:  ”יש מי שיש לו פרסום גדול אבל אין זה שם טוב כלל... כי השם מפורסם, אבל לא שם טוב אלא שם רע ממש ממש. איזהו שם טוב? רק שם טוב הבא מחמת מעשים” ! These are significant words of Mussar which, to the best of our knowledge, were not published in the Michtav MeEliyahu series nor in any other of his books. In addition to being an original manuscript, this letter is another layer in the Torah of Rabbi Dessler which was not included in his published writings.  [1] sheet of paper divided into 2 leaves. 21X13 cm. per leaf.  Good overall condition.  *** Maran the Mashgi'ach Rabbi Eliyahu Eliezer Dessler (1892-1954), the great-grandson of Rabbi Yisrael Salanter, the founder of the Mussar Movement, and the son-in-law of Rabbi Nachum Zeev Ziv, the son of the Saba of Kelm. Served as Rav in England and later as the Mashgi'ach of the Ponovezh Yeshiva of Bnei Brak. Many residents of Bnei Brak who were not students of the yeshiva came to listen to his deep Sichot which were based on Mussar and Chassidut. His Sichot were published in his monumental book Michtav MeEliyahu, which soon became a Sefer Yesod for anyone taking his first steps in the world of Torah.