Bidspirit auction | “Is my strength the strength

“Is my strength the strength of stones?” Fascinating Handwritten Teshuva by the Maharsham of Brezhan 1890 * A handwritten and autographed halachic teshuva by the towering gaon Rabbi Shalom Mordechai HaKohen Shwadron, Av Beis Din of Brezhan, one of the great pillars of Torah and among the leading meshivim of his generation. The teshuva addresses the halachos of mekach u’memkar and extends into the laws of inheritance. Several times, the Maharsham refers to his own work, citing his first sefer, Mishpat Shalom (Lemberg 1871). At the beginning of the teshuva, the Maharsham writes that he is deeply burdened with the printing of his sefer, and despite these many pressures, he is responding, though only “briefly, almost by way of hint.” At the conclusion of the teshuva, the Maharsham added some interesting lines that reveal the number of questions reaching him: “I began to answer on Tuesday, and many distractions interrupted me, as well as the numerous letters that encompassed me this week, and even now there still lie before me many letters urgently needed for practical halacha from Gatiminah and Bariz and Sanik and Dinov and Ostreich and Gitiver and Batishan – is my strength the strength of stones?” He continues: “And if I delay a day or two, more will come, as every morning new ones arrive with each postal delivery…” He concludes with a remarkable expression of affection: “And I am a friend to all who pursue the religion of truth and seek Torah, and I await salvation. The humble Shalom Mordechai HaKohen, Av Beis Din of the aforementioned community.” Rabbi Shalom Mordechai HaKohen Schwadron , known as the Maharsham (1835 – 1911), was Av Beis Din of Brezhan and author of Shu”t Maharsham. He was the leading posek of his era and authored thousands of teshuvos. The most complex and intricate halachic questions in the world were sent to him, and he answered them with exceptional clarity and in an organized fashion. The teshuvos were published in his sefarim. When he was still a youth, the Sho’el U’meishiv regarded him as his future successor, and the Sar Shalom of Belz blessed him that his Torah should not “remain closed in a box but be readily available for use at all times.” From 1882 until his passing in 1911, he served as Rav of Brezhan for a total of 30 years. Brezhan, 1890. A page and a half in the holy handwriting and signature of the Maharsham. Condition: Good–fair, fold marks with slight tears. Stains. This letter was printed from the present manuscript in Shu”t Maharsham vol. 9, siman 147. (In the printed edition, the date appears as 1910, but this is certainly an error, and it should be 1890.)