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“With Abundant Success and the Blessing of Hashem Without Limit or End” — A Rare Autograph Letter of the Posek HaDor, the Gaon Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, Author of Igrot Moshe - A rare and deeply moving letter of blessing, entirely in the holy handwriting and bearing the signature of the Posek HaDor, the rabbi of all the בני הגולה and the foremost halachic authority in the United States — Rabbi Moshe Feinstein. New York, 1953. This letter is exceptional among Rabbi Moshe’s known writings. The vast majority of his manuscripts consist of profound halachic responsa sent to thousands of correspondents and later published in his monumental responsa series, Igrot Moshe. Rabbi Moshe did not head a yeshiva dependent on frequent fundraising campaigns, nor did he serve as a Hasidic Rebbe to whom masses flocked for blessings. Consequently, personal letters of blessing entirely in his handwriting are exceedingly rare. The present letter is addressed to the renowned Gaon Rabbi Tuvia Geffen, Chief Rabbi of Atlanta, United States — widely known as the first rabbi to grant kosher certification to Coca-Cola in its early years in Atlanta (see note below). From the content of the letter it is evident that Rabbi Geffen had rendered a significant favor to the author of Igrot Moshe — whether in a personal matter or a communal need — and in response he merited heartfelt and unusual blessings: “May Your Honor and all that is yours be blessed with abundant success and with the blessing of Hashem without limit or end, and may you merit to witness the raising of the horn of Torah and Israel through the coming of the righteous Redeemer speedily — with the blessing of your friend who esteems you with heart and soul and loves you, Moshe Feinstein.” Rabbi Moshe Feinstein (1895–1986) was among the greatest halachic authorities after the Holocaust, the most central and influential halachic figure in the United States, Chairman of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of Agudath Israel of America, and Rosh Mesivta of Mesivta Tifereth Jerusalem in New York. His rulings shaped the face of halachah in the modern era, and their influence endures to this day. Physical description: [1] Leaf, 28 cm. Official letterhead. Entirely in the autograph of the author of Igrot Moshe. Condition: Very fine. Fold marks. An Interesting Historical Note Because Rabbi Geffen resided in Atlanta — home to the headquarters of Coca-Cola — he received inquiries from Orthodox rabbinic colleagues across the country asking whether Coca-Cola was halachically permissible. Unaware at the time that the Coca-Cola formula was a closely guarded trade secret, Rabbi Geffen contacted the company and requested a list of its ingredients. In a remarkable corporate decision, Coca-Cola granted him access to the confidential formula on the condition that he swear absolute secrecy. He agreed. Upon reviewing the ingredient list, Rabbi Geffen discovered that one component was glycerin derived from non-kosher beef tallow. Company research laboratories subsequently worked to identify a substitute and found that Procter & Gamble produced glycerin from cottonseed and coconut oil. Once the company agreed to use the vegetable-based alternative, Rabbi Geffen granted his certification, enabling Coca-Cola to be marketed as kosher. In his writings, preserved in the archives of the American Jewish Historical Society, Rabbi Geffen explained: “Since Coca-Cola had already been accepted by the general public in this country and in Canada, and since it had become an insurmountable problem to cause the majority of Jews to refrain from drinking this beverage, I seriously endeavored to find a method to permit its use. With the help of Hashem, I succeeded in discovering a practical solution whereby there would be no question or doubt concerning its ingredients.” Thanks to Rabbi Geffen’s efforts, even the most observant Jews were able to drink Coca-Cola with full confidence in its kashrut.