Bidspirit auction | Letters Against Smoking by Rabbi

Letters Against Smoking by Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, and others ”I hereby declare that I never joined those who permit smoking in our times!” * A rare and fascinating collection of five letters addressing the dangers of cigarette smoking, from moral, halachic, and medical perspectives, written by leading rabbanim and roshei yeshiva of the last generation. The letters are from: * The posek hador Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach , Rosh Yeshiva of Kol Torah and author of Minchas Shlomo. A large handwritten and autographed letter. * Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, the posek of the following generation. A medium-sized handwritten and autographed letter. * Rabbi Shlomo Wolbe, veteran mashgiach, author of Alei Shur. Printed letter with his signature. * Rabbi Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg, Rosh Yeshiva of Torah Ohr. A printed letter with his signature. * Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Zalaznik, Rosh Yeshiva of Etz Chaim. Handwritten and autographed letter. The letters were sent to Rabbi Dov Ettinger, author of Pe’er Tachas Eifer, a sefer devoted to all aspects of smoking. It is fascinating to see how each Rav touches upon a different aspect of smoking in his letter: * Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, as a posek, discusses smoking on Yom Tov, a topic widely debated among the Achronim, and the halachic implications of damage caused gradually over time (such as smoking). He concludes emphatically: “I hereby declare that I never joined those who permit smoking in our times!” *  Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv underscores the seriousness of smoking from both halachic and medical standpoints. * Rabbi Shlomo Wolbe, the mussar giant, addresses yeshivah students and avreichim, imploring them to refrain from smoking. He notes that while some gedolei hador of previous generations smoked, experts have testified to him that today’s cigarettes are far more harmful. * Rabbi Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg focuses on the severity of smoking in shuls and batei medrash. The subject of smoking has been discussed in halachic literature for already hundreds of years: In earlier times, it was considered beneficial to one’s health — thus the Pnei Yehoshua permitted it:  ”It seems that smoking tobacco benefits the body, aids digestion and appetite for food; therefore, there is no prohibition.” (Pnei Yehoshua, Shabbos 39b).  Similarly, the Pri Megadim smoked himself, and the Yaabetz testified that his father, the Chacham Tzvi, was a smoker (Mor U’Ketziah, siman 511).  However, with the passing of time and the advancement of medical knowledge, the perception changed. As the health dangers became clear, the majority of poskim ruled against smoking to various degrees of prohibition. Jerusalem, 1987–1989. A total of five letters, three of which are handwritten and two are printed with a handwritten signature. Various formats. Condition: Good.