Bidspirit auction | “Only Acquire Sefarim of the

“Only Acquire Sefarim of the Slavita Press” Fascinating Handwritten Letter by Rabbi Zundel of Salant on Importance of Acquiring Sefarim * A lengthy and remarkable handwritten and autographed letter with the double signature of the saintly tzaddik Rabbi Yosef Zundel of Salant zt”l. Letters of Rabbi Zundel are exceedingly rare! The letter opens with words of gratitude: ”Many thanks to Hashem, I and all the members of my household, may they live, are all well and at peace.” He then requests that several fundamental halachic sefarim be acquired for him, emphasizing twice that he desires them only from the Slavita chassidic press: ”I am reminding you once again to purchase for me the Shulchan Aruch Yoreh De’ah and Choshen Mishpat… all of the above specifically of the Slavita Press, for they are much needed by me…”, and again he reiterates: “However, only purchase from the Slavita Press.” Despite the poverty that prevailed in Jerusalem, Rabbi Zundel worked hard to save money for buying sefarim, declaring: ”It is known that it is better to cut spending on clothing and other matters than to spend less on sefarim!” Besides the sifrei yesod from the Slavita press, Rabbi Zundel also requests 10–15 copies of Dikduk Eliyahu “by the great and holy Gaon Rabbi Eliyahu of Vilna, of blessed memory, ” of whose teachings Rabbi Zundel was one of the chief transmitters. These copies were intended for distribution among the impoverished scholars of Jerusalem, “to bring merit to the many, for nearly all of them need to study the discipline of grammar, and with this sefer it is possible to attain understanding in just a few days and then review briefly. As you know, I tested it in our group, and with Hashem’s help they succeeded and bore fruit in a short time.” He also requests to obtain a rare composition of the Shaagas Aryeh on the halachos of Eretz Yisrael: “Furthermore, I ask Your Honor to remind my esteemed friend Rabbi Avraham David, may he live, to instruct that a copy be made from the sacred writings in the possession of my dear friend, the honorable Rabbi G. of Amsterdam, may he live, of a small pamphlet called Chovas Karka, authored by the illustrious gaon, the Shaagas Aryeh, of blessed memory, concerning the laws of Eretz Yisrael for it is of utmost necessity and held most dear here. He will thereby be a shaliach mitzvah to bring merit to the public.” At the end of the letter he concludes: ”Let it not seem strange to his honor that here [in Jerusalem] there is poverty, and I ask him to purchase sefarim; ”It is known that it is better to cut spending on clothing and other matters than to spend less on sefarim which are needed at all times!” The letter was sent from Jerusalem to Minsk, addressed to Rabbi Zev Assia of Salant, renowned physician and Torah scholar and hometown friend of Rabbi Zundel. Rabbi Zev was then preparing to immigrate to Eretz Yisrael (and indeed moved there in 1846). Rabbi Zundel blesses him twice: ”May Hashem grant you success according to the desire of your soul and the soul of your friend who longs to see you here soon, in life and peace, Zundel of Salant”; ”And may Hashem send success for your journey, and may you and all those traveling with you arrive here, the holy city, in life, peace, and joy with heartfelt blessings from your dear friend, Zundel aforesaid of Salant.” This letter was printed a century ago directly from the present manuscript, in the sefer The Tzaddik Rabbi Yosef Zundel of Salant (Jerusalem, 1927, pp. 39–40), though one line appearing in the present original letter was accidentally omitted in print. Jerusalem, before 1846. Twenty-two lines in the handwriting of Rabbi Zundel, signed twice. Written on the verso, in a different handwriting: “To Minsk, from Rabbi Zundel, to the distinguished scholar Rabbi Ze’ev Asia of Salant.” Leaf size: 10.3 × 13.2 cm. Condition: Good to fair, tears. Provenance: Rabbi Eliyahu Mordechai Eisenstein, one of the closest associates of Rabbi Shmuel Salant. Rabbi Eliezer Rivlin, editor of the aforementioned sefer on Rabbi Zundel, whose initials ”א. ר-ן” appear at the foot of the letter. Rabbi Yosef Zundel of Salant (1786–1866) was one of the prime disciples of Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin who instilled in him the lessons that he had learned directly from his rebbi the Vilna Gaon. Rabbi Zundel thus became known as the “third mouth [generation] from the Vilna Gaon”. He was the father-in-law of Rabbi Shmuel Salant, future leader of the Jewish community in Jerusalem and the primary rebbi of the father of the mussar movement, Rabbi Yisrael of Salant. His student Rabbi Naftali Amsterdam testified: ”Rabbi Yisrael Lipkin of Salant would often speak of him [Rabbi Zundel], relating even his smallest deeds, how he conducted himself with supreme precision and spiritual awareness, with words of holiness beyond human conception, for his acts of righteousness were wondrous and awe-inspiring to all who heard of them.