Bidspirit auction | ‘The storm of war completely

‘The storm of war completely severed us from all our sources of assistance’. Letter from HaGaon Rabbi Aharon Kotler, Yanova – Lithuania, 25 Adar I 1940. Letter from HaGaon Rabbi Aharon Kotler, Rosh Yeshiva of Kletzk, to the renowned activist Rabbi Chaim Yisrael Eiss of Zurich regarding the difficult condition of the Yeshiva and the emissary of the Yeshiva who was in Switzerland. Yanova, 1940. The letter was sent from the town of Yanova near Kovno, where Rabbi Aharon transferred the Yeshiva, although this involved “great difficulties and numerous expenses, ” as he explains in another letter, “because it is a town more suitable for the spirituality of the Yeshiva, as is known” (Marbitzei Torah U’Mussar, vol. 3, p. 242). The Yeshiva remained in Yanova until Shavuos, when the Russians abolished the independence of Lithuania. [1] leaf, official stationery, printed with: 'אהרן קטלר ראש הישיבה, מתיבתא רבתא ”עץ-חיים” דקלעצק כעת ביאנאווא (ליטא)' The letter is written on both sides of the leaf by means of carbon paper and typewriter, with the handwritten signature of HaGaon Rabbi Aharon Kotler. Historical background: While Rabbi Pesach, emissary of the Slutsk-Kletzk Yeshiva, was in Switzerland, the activists there decided that in light of the circumstances — with all the Yeshiva students gathered in Vilna and in severe distress — the emissary should collect funds for all the Yeshiva students in Vilna. Rabbi Aharon agreed to this, but argued that his Yeshiva deserved compensation and should receive a larger share, and thus he writes: “‘The storm of war completely severed us from all our sources of assistance, and only in the land of Switzerland did there remain for us a single emissary, in a manner like the poor man’s only sheep, and we greatly hoped that at this time he would succeed in acting on behalf of the Yeshiva… which would enable us to ease somewhat the terrible distress prevailing among hundreds of Bnei Torah. And how great was our confusion when we heard that even in this sole remaining place we would not be able to receive the fitting assistance for which we had hoped all this time. However, since the matter has already been done and great benefit will emerge from it for all the tents of Torah, we agree that our emissary should devote all his strength to conducting the campaign generally. But we are compelled to request that our Yeshiva receive fitting compensation… and we request that they inform Maran HaGaon Rabbi Chaim Ozer Shlit”a regarding this.’” HaGaon Rabbi Aharon Kotler, Rosh Yeshiva of Kletzk and Lakewood (1892–1962) — among the greatest disseminators of Torah in the later generations and among the leaders of the Jewish people, standing in the breach and erecting barriers so that foreign influences would not penetrate the vineyard of Israel. He was entirely a burning fire of love for Torah, and all who came near him were ignited by this fire and drawn after him. From childhood he excelled with wondrous talents and immense diligence, and became known as the Illui of Svislač. In 1905, at only thirteen years old, he entered the gates of the Knesses Yisrael Yeshiva in Slabodka and merited special closeness with the “Alter.” The Alter would say that it was worthwhile to maintain all three hundred students in the Yeshiva solely in order to create the proper environment for Rabbi Aharon. His fame reached Slutsk, where HaGaon Rabbi Isser Zalman Meltzer chose him as a groom for his daughter. Rabbi Aharon came to shelter under the wings of his father-in-law in Slutsk, and from then began a new chapter in his life of disseminating Torah to students, which never ceased until the end of his days. At the age of twenty-nine he opened the Yeshiva in Kletzk, where he taught Torah and cared with self-sacrifice for all the needs of the Yeshiva. In 1940 the Yeshiva fled from Poland to Lithuania, and in 1941 he escaped to the United States, where it later became evident that Hashem had sent him there to revive the world of Torah in America. In Nissan 1943, HaGaon Rabbi Aharon Kotler established the “Beth Medrash Govoha” in the resort town of Lakewood as a continuation of the Slutsk Yeshiva. It opened with a quorum of young men and today numbers thousands of students — all through the power of that righteous man who sacrificed himself for the world of Torah. Filing holes, fold marks and creases, slight minor defects at the edges of the leaf. Good condition.