Bidspirit auction | Letter by the Gaon Rabbi

Letter by the Gaon Rabbi Yitzchak Aharon Ittinga, Av Beis Din of Lvov, author of Shu”t Mahari”a HaLevi — a plea from the leaders of the city of Kartshin to appoint the Gaon Rabbi Menachem Mendel Rabin as Rav of their city, to fill the place of his illustrious father, the Gaon and Tzaddik Rabbi Shmuel Rabin, Av Beis Din of Kartshin. Lvov, Elul 1877 — Never Printed Thus writes Rabbi Ittinga in his letter: “In light of the report that has reached us… that Hashem has taken your master from upon your heads, the beloved of Hashem, the Gaon and Tzaddik Rabbi Shmuel Aharon zt”l. I knew this great man, mighty in Torah; there is no comparison to his work, which he published—words sweeter than honey… And now, my dear ones of the city of Kartshin… take for yourselves his son, the sharp Gaon Rabbi Menachem Mendel... to be your leader. He shall be your Rav, and you shall support him and his widowed mother. Fortunate is one who merits to uphold this Mitzvah, to establish the name of the deceased upon his inheritance, for his throne is firmly established according to the judgment of the Torah… I earnestly request of you not to deviate from his pure will, and to accept Rabbi Menachem Mendel as Rav and Av Beis Din of your community, for I know him to be worthy of this…” Rabbi Yitzchak Aharon Ittinga, Av Beis Din of Lvov (1827–1891), was the son and foremost disciple of his father, the renowned Gaon Rabbi Mordechai Zev Ittinga, Av Beis Din of Lvov. Recognized as an extraordinary prodigy from a very young age, at thirteen he was honored by the sages of his city to deliver a derashah in the Great Synagogue of Lvov, attended by the leading Geonim of the city, including the author of Yeshu’ot Yaakov, who afterward granted him semichah “to judge and to rule.” In addition to his greatness in Nigleh, he was deeply engaged in Toras HaKabbalah. He was meticulous throughout his life to immerse daily in a Mikvah, and was distinguished for his refined Middot, particularly his humility. A man of great wealth, Torah and greatness were united at his table. In 1888 he was appointed Av Beis Din of Lvov, a position he held during the final three years of his life. He also served as president of the Chibas Yerushalayim Kollel in Eretz Yisrael, and was closely associated with the holy Rebbe of Zidichov and the Gaon of Tzanz, author of Divrei Chaim. His Halachic responsa were published in Shu”t Mahari”a HaLevi (two parts; Lemberg, 1893). Folded sheet. [1] leaf. 22 cm. Condition: fair. Stains, wear, and tears along fold lines.