Bidspirit auction | Mysterious Content: Letter by the

Mysterious Content: Letter by the Gaon Rabbi Reuven Dov Dessler the Rosh Yeshiva of Kelm - Letters by Him are Rare - Letter with interesting, polemic content, dealing with an unknown affair of the Lithuanian Torah world, handwritten by the Gaon Rabbi Reuven Dov Dessler, one of the leaders of the Mussar Movement in Lithuania, the head of the Talmud Torah of Kelm and father of the Gaon Rabbi Eliyahu Eliezer Dessler author of Michtav MiEliyahu. Kelm, Rosh Chodresh Iyar, 1924.  The letter is addressed to the Gaon Rabbi Avraham Eliyahu Kaplan who headed the Beit Midrash for rabbis of Rabbi Hildesheimer in Berlin.  As an aside, it is most possible that this letter, which was written in Kelm  on Rosh Chodesh Iyar, and was sent from Lithuania to Germany, did not reach the addressee. About two weeks after the letter was written, Rabbi Eliyahu Kaplan passed away suddenly in Berlin, being thirty four years only.  The mysterious content of the letter relates to a close family member of Rabbi Reuven Dov [whose name and pedigree are mentioned in the letter]. Rabbi Dessler describes him using extraordinarily sharp expressions, which is most unusual since Rabbi Reuven Dov was known as taking caution regarding Loshon Hora and revealing someone else's secrets. It seems this is a grim affair, which is almost unknown, peratining to a figure of the Lithuanian yeshiva world and this short letter is possibly one of the only remnants indicating its existence.  [1] postcard. Approx. 15 cm.  Very good condition.  ***  Rabbi Reuvan Dov Dessler (1863-1935) one of the leaders of the Mussar Movement in Lithuania, a disicple of the Saba of Kelm. Was known as a Kadosh and Tzaddik. Was the son-in-law of Rabbi Eliyahu Eliezer Grodzinsky and brother-in-law of the Gaon Rabbi Chaim Ozer Grodzinsky. Since 1918 headed the Talmud Torah of Kelm. In 1931 he moved to London, where he lived near his only son, the Gaon Rabbi Eliyahi Dessler author of Michtav MiEliyahu.  The Gaon Rabbi Avraham Eliyahu Kaplan (1890-1024) studied in Telz, Kelm and Slabodka and was a close disicple of the Saba of Slabodka. Rabbi Natan Zvi Finkel. After his marriage, he was appointed Ram at the Beit Midrash for rabbis founded by Rabbi Hildesheimer in Berlin and later headed the institution. Was also known as a talented poet and philosopher.