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“And to repair that which I have damaged” – A rare letter by Rebbe Baruch Yerachmiel Yehoshua Rabinowitz of Munkacs - A long and rare letter by Rebbe Baruch Yerachmiel Rabinowitz, the only son-in-law and successor of the Minchat Elazar of Munkacs. Written after the Holocaust, during his tenure as Chief Rabbi of Brazil. São Paulo, 1950. The letter is addressed to Rabbi Zev Gold, one of the leaders of the Mizrachi movement worldwide and a signatory of Israel’s Declaration of Independence. In his letter, Rabbi Rabinowitz discusses Jewish religious and communal life in Brazil. At the end of the letter, he writes of his hope to return to the Holy Land, “and to repair that which I have damaged.” Among other things, Rabbi Rabinowitz writes to Rabbi Gold: “The concerns expressed in your letter [apparently due to Rabbi Rabinowitz’s status as the son-in-law of the leading Hungarian zealot], that perhaps I would choose to remain distant from Mizrachi due to local complications, are without any basis, and I assure you that I will work with all my strength and as far as my hand can reach.” At the beginning of the letter, Rabbi Rabinowitz mentions being occupied with “visiting the infant whom I circumcised the previous day.” It is noteworthy that two great Rebbes of our generation—the Rebbe of Vizhnitz, shlit”a, and the Rebbe of Amshinov, shlit”a—were both circumcised by Rabbi Baruch Yerachmiel Rabinowitz. Rebbe Baruch Yerachmiel Rabinowitz (1915–1998) married the only daughter of the Minchat Elazar of Munkacs, in a wedding described in the press of the time as the largest Jewish wedding ever held in Hungary. Following his father-in-law’s passing, in 1937 he assumed his place as Av Beit Din and Rebbe of Munkacs. Despite his young age—just 22—he led the great community for three years, until the outbreak of World War II. During the war he suffered greatly after being expelled from Munkacs by the authorities (due to his Polish citizenship). After much wandering he survived the Holocaust and reached Jerusalem in 1944 with his entire family. Shortly after their arrival, his wife, Rebbetzin Chaya Fruma, fell ill and passed away, leaving five young orphans. [Two of his sons from this first marriage are today the renowned Rebbes of Munkacs and Dinov, shlit”a, in the United States.] [1] Sheet of paper, 26 cm. Official stationery. Typewritten, with the autograph signature of Rabbi Rabinowitz. Condition: Good–very good. Folding marks. Filing holes.