KOTLER, AARON

KOTLER, AARON
(Rosh Yeshiva of Kletzk, and Beth Medrash Govoha of Lakewood, 1891-1962). Group of nine letters, written to Michel Ben Zion Rubin and Yaakov Feldstein of San Francisco, all in Hebrew on Yeshiva letterhead.
Pertaining to the funding and support of Yeshiva Eitz Chaim in Rechovot, Israel, headed by R. Kotler’s brother-in-law R. Tzvi Yehudah Meltzer. Includes: Four Autograph Letters Signed, two Typed Letters Signed (with several additional lines autograph), one Typed Letter Signed R. Tzvi Yehudah Meltzer, and two others (including R. Goder of Torah Voda’as), as well as six charitable receipts from Yeshiva Kletsk (including one, while in Shanghai).

New York & Lakewood: 1950-57
The Yeshivath Eitz Chaim-Kletzk in Rechovot was originally founded in Pardes Chana by R. Tzvi Yehuda Meltzer as a branch of his brother-in-law, R. Aaron Kotler’s Yeshiva, of Kletzk. Later it relocated to Rechovot where it became known as Yeshivath Hadarom. Messrs. Rubin and Feldstein were two of the original founders and supporters of this Yeshiva.===These letters contain many little known, interesting details pertaining both to the Yeshiva and Rabbi Kotler personally. Recorded are details of a visit to Israel during the summer of 1951 upon the request of his father-in-law, R. Isser Zalman Meltzer who was weak and could not give shiurim. R. Kotler here describes the corner-stone laying ceremony for the Yeshiva in Rechovot which was held under his supervision. R. Kotler is emphatic that this Yeshiva, located in the center of the “Darom” where thousands of new immigrants to Israel are settling, will serve as a spiritual fortress against the dangerous flow of heresy in this area (letter dated 5 Nitzavim, 1951). R. Kotler relates his anguish upon discovering that Mr. Feldstein visited Rechovot during vacation time when no one was there to greet him, although Rabbi Elazar Menachem Shach sought to find him (letter dated 9 Nissan 1951). Rabbi Shach served as Rosh Yeshiva before famously moving on to Ponevezh.