Bidspirit auction | Brisker Rav: Rabbi Baruch Ber

Brisker Rav: Rabbi Baruch Ber is “One of the Outstanding Gedolei Hador” – Rare Letter from Rabbi Baruch Ber Leibowitz and the Brisker Rav * A letter from the Rosh Yeshiva of Kamenitz, the great gaon Rabbi Baruch Ber Leibowitz, author of Birkas Shmuel, calling upon the public to assist the emissary of the yeshiva traveling to Argentina. The body of the letter was written by a scribe, and afterward, Rabbi Baruch Ber affixed his signature in his own handwriting: “From one who extends blessings and holds you in high regard and honor, Baruch Dov Leibowitz, Rosh Mesivta of the holy Yeshiva Beis Yitzchak.” Afterward, an additional approximately five lines of endorsement were added in the holy handwriting of the Brisker Rav, Rabbi Yitzchak Zev HaLevi Soloveitchik, son and successor of Rabbi Chaim of Brisk. In his words, the Brisker Rav writes about Rabbi Baruch Ber: “The Rosh Mesivta, the gaon Rabbi Baruch Dov, shlita, is one of the outstanding Gedolei Hador!” Regarding the yeshiva, he writes: “It is a great and important yeshiva, ” and he blesses those who assist it: “Fortunate is the portion of those who support the aforementioned holy yeshiva, for they will merit life and happiness granted to those who uphold and support Torah, and they shall be blessed with the blessing ‘that he shall uphold the words of this Torah.’” He signs: “The words of Yitzchak Zev, son of my master, my father, my teacher, Rav of all Bnei Hagola, Moreinu VeRabbeinu Rabbi Chaim HaLevi Soloveitchik, zt”l.” It is exceedingly rare to find the holy handwriting of the two Gedolei Hador together. To the best of Zaidy’s knowledge, this important letter has never been publicized. The letter includes a historical description of the yeshiva, its history, and its greatness : “It is famous worldwide, with thousands of students, among them rabbanim, geonim, and roshei yeshivos, and even during the terrible years of the war, it did not cease from its holy work, and they studied with true mesirus nefesh, under conditions of hunger and mortal danger… It is also home to many refugees from Russia, who were persecuted for their religion and fled for their lives to shelter in the study of Torah, and they learn day and night with great diligence, under great strain and deprivation…” Rabbi Baruch Ber Leibowitz (1870–1940) was one of the greatest Lithuanian Roshei Yeshivos and Torah luminaries in the pre-WWII era. His riveting shiurim attracted the crème de la crème of aspiring Torah scholars for their brilliance, enthusiastic presentation, depth, and analysis, which followed the learning methods of his rebbi, Rabbi Chaim Soloveitchik of Brisk. Like his teacher, he was a man of truth and integrity who showed no favoritism, yet he was also gentle and compassionate, a fatherly figure to his talmidim, and always concerned with their every need. His sefer Birkas Shmuel is one of the most important lomdishe sefarim in yeshivos, and he mentions several chiddushim in it from the Brisker Rav. Rabbi Yitzchak Zev HaLevi Soloveitchik (1886–1959) , known as the Brisker Rav,   was one of the great Torah leaders in the generation of the Holocaust. He continued in the path of his father, Reb Chaim, and his grandfather, the Beis HaLevi, in the transmission of Torah and in the fight to preserve its authentic mesorah. All the Gedolei Hador regarded his views with the utmost reverence. He authored Chiddushei Maran Ri”z HaLevi on Rambam and other sefarim. The Brisker Rav knew Rabbi Baruch Ber very well – he was the greatest student of his father, Rabbi Chaim, and at times the three of them even learned together. Kamenitz? and Brisk, 1929. Written by a scribe, with a line in Rabbi Baruch Ber’s handwriting and his signature, followed by approximately five lines in the handwriting and with the signature of the Brisker Rav. Official letterhead of Rabbi Baruch Ber. Size: Approx. 22 × 28.5 cm. Condition: Medium to medium-good, with tape stains across the width and length of the letter. Tears along the margins. - - - - - - - - - - - - -  A fascinating detail regarding the present letter is that the letter of Rabbi Boruch Ber is undated, whereas the letter of the Brisker Rav bears the date 8 Adar II, 1929. At the time the addition of the Brisker Rav was written, Rabbi Boruch Ber was in America! In the latter half of 1928, Rabbi Boruch Ber traveled to America, where he remained for approximately a year and a half. By Iyar 1928 he was already in New York, where he was received with great honor. It is not known whether Rabbi Boruch Ber’s letter was written in Kamenitz prior to his departure, with the addition of the Brisker Rav appended about a year later; or whether Rabbi Boruch Ber wrote it in America during his travels in 1929, the emissary then carrying the letter to Lithuania, where he received the blessing of the Brisker Rav, and from there continued on to Argentina.