Bidspirit auction | Extremely Rare Historical-Religious Item! The

Extremely Rare Historical-Religious Item! The Only Chidushei Torah that Survived by the Gaon Rabbi Naftali Wasserman and His Letter to the Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Shmuel Rozovsky - ”מצרף כאן קונטרס חידושי תורה שנתחדש לי בע”ה בימי חג הפסח העבר, ואבקשך שיהיה שמור אצלך, כי שמא אצטרך לו”. Ten large leaves of Chidushei Torah by the Gaon Rabbi Naftali wsserman, the son of the Gaon Rabbi Elchonon Wasserman author of the Kovetz Shi'urim. Rabbi Naftali is considered one of the foremost Iluyim of Lithuanian yeshivas. Baranovich, Nissan 1937.  The Chidushei Torah were written during the Bein hazmanim of Nissan, when he returned from the Mir Yeshiva to his home in Baranovich, where his father lived and is referred to by him as ”אאמו”ר שליט”א”; the Chidushei Torah were sent to his close friend, Rabbi Shmuel Rozovsky in the Lomzha Yeshiva of Petach Tikvah - who would eventually become one of the foremost Rosh Yeshiva after the Holocaust.  With the Chidushei Torah, Rabbi Naftali enclosed a letter handwritten by him. The letter is a rare and touching document enabling a peek at the world of two future Torah giants, when they were young yeshiva students. The letter indicates sharpness of mind, humility, virtues, fiery Ahavat Torah and a yeshiva sense of humor, demonstrating what the Chazal said: ”שיחת חולין של תלמידי חכמים צריכה לימוד”. Mir, Tishrei, 1937.  The letter reflects the Lithuanian Yeshiva world at its height: a deep connection between two young Iluyim, whose future names would be engraved in Torah history. Alongside cahrming expression such as ”וברוך שעשה לי נס שלא נטבעתי בים המליצות”, Rabbi Naftali writes to his friend: ”זה כמה נכסוף נכספתי לחדש ימינו כקדם... הרבה עונג היה לי בשמעי עליך שאתה בקי בש”ס.” The letter was sent in 1938 - the last days of glamour of the Lithuanian Yeshiva world, in the eve of the terrible destruction. Within a few years, the writer, his father, his rabbis and most of religious Jewry of Lithuania went up in flames.  In his letter, Rabbi Naftali refers to the visit of Rabbi Reuven Katz, the Rav of Petach Tikvah, who sent him regards by Rabbi Shmuel Rozovsky. He also refers to his father's trip to the USA, after which he had to return to Baranovich for Zeman Choref.  In his humilty, Rabbi Naftali does not disclose the true reason for his return to Baranocivh. Yet, we know that he used to replace his father and deliver the general lesson at the yeshiva. Rabbi Elchonon himself wrote about this in one of his letters: בעת שהנני פה יגיד נפתלי יחי' שיעור במקומי, ושלשום הגיעני מכתב מברנוויטש, מאדם גדול, והוא מוסר לי דעת התלמידים שומעי השיעור כי 'יפה כח הבן מכח האב' ב”ה”! (Mamrim VeIgrot, Section II pp. 123).  One of the most touching passages of the letter is Rabbi Naftali's request from Rabbi Shmuel to hold onto the enclosed Kuntres:  ”מצרף כאן קונטרס חידושי תורה שנתחדש לי בע”ה בימי חג הפסח העבר, ואבקשך שיהיה שמור אצלך, כי שמא אצטרך לו.” Indeed, of all his Chidushei Torah, almost nothing remained. His writing went up in flames with the Lithuanian Torah world. This Kuntres, which was kept by his friend, is the only knonw remnant of his Chidushei Torah - thus its historical and religious value. Most of these Chidushim were published in Kuntres Zecher Naftali at the end of the book Zichron Shmuel by Rabbi Shmuel Rozovsky. The two last leaves of this Kuntres, however, were never published .  Chidushei Torah : 10 large leaves. Approx. 20X33 cm. Typewritten, with several corrections handwritten by him.  The letter : one leaf. Approx. 13X21 cm. Handwritten and signed by him. Restored. Tears affecting the text.  Good overall condition. Aging stains. Wear and small tears. In one leaf, a large open tear affecting the text. *** The Gaon Rabbi Naftali Binush Wasserman (1914-1942) the eldest son of Maran the Gaon Rabbi Elchonon Wasserman, the Rosh Yeshiva of Baranovich and author of Kovetz Shi'urim. Was a disciple of his father, Rabbi Shimon Shkop and Maran the Rav of Brisk. He studied at first at the Baranovich Yeshiva and then at the Mir Yeshiva. Was famed as a great Iluy and Matmid. Sometimes, he replaced his father in Baranovich, when his father travelled for the Yeshiva. During the Holocaust, he was with his father in the Kovno Ghetto, where they studied together Hilchot Kiddush Hashem, which unfortunately, they had to apply during those terrible days of rage. About Rabbi Elchonon's trip to the USA before the Holocaust, referred to by Rabbi Naftali in this letter, it was written : ”בפרוץ מלחמת העולם השניה היה הגאון הקדוש רבי אלחנן בונם ווסרמן הי”ד בארצות הברית בשליחות הישיבה כששמע את בשורות האימים ארז חפציו לשוב לפולין; התחננו בפניו שישאר עד יעבור זעם ויביא לארצות הברית את שני בניו רבי נפתלי ביינוש ורבי צבי ליב, והוא ענה: 'לא שני בנים לי אלא ארבע מאות ילדים ואיך אוכל לעזבם!'” [At the outbreak of World War II, the Gaon Rabbi Elchonon Bunim Wasserman was in the United States on a mission for his yeshiva. When he heard the terrifying news,