Bidspirit auction | Letter from Rabbi Naftali Tzvi

Letter from Rabbi Naftali Tzvi of Stolin, Grandson of the Baal Shem Tov,   To Sir Moses Montefiore on Behalf of Teveria’s starving Jews, 1858 * Lineage of Rabbi Naftali Tzvi of Stolin: Rabbi Yisrael Baal Shem Tov His son, Rabbi Tzvi His daughter, Rebbetzin Shaina Rachel Her son, Rabbi Naftali Tzvi of Stolin A fine letter from the tzaddik Rabbi “Hershele Baal Shem’s” of Stolin, one of the leading Chassidic tzaddikim in Eretz Yisrael and son-in-law of Rabbi Yisrael of Pikov, son of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev. The letter was sent to Sir Moses Montefiore in London and contains words of blessing upon the receipt of funds for the support of the Chassidic community of Teveria. In the letter, he blesses Montefiore: “May you be blessed with a long life, full of vitality and strength.” As is well known, this blessing was fulfilled in its entirety: Sir Moses Montefiore lived to an exceptionally advanced age, passing away in his hundredth year. Rabbi Naftali Tzvi of Stolin, grandson of the Baal Shem Tov (d. 1864) , was the son of Rebbetzin Shaina Rachel, who was a daughter of Rabbi Tzvi, who was a son of the Baal Shem Tov. He immigrated to Teveria with his father in 1832 and served as administrator of the kollelim of the Volhin chassidim. In 1862, he traveled abroad as an emissary on behalf of the chassidim of Teveria. His meetings with the great Chassidic tzaddikim Rabbi Aharon of Karlin, Rabbi Yitzchak of Neshchiz, and Rabbi Yisrael of Ruzhin are well documented. Rabbi Naftali Tzvi was the son-in-law of Rabbi Yisrael of Pikov, son of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev. He possessed the personal copy of the Zohar that had belonged to his grandfather, the Baal Shem Tov, and sent it as a gift to the Rebbe of Karlin (Kovetz Beis Aharon V’Yisrael, Issue 63, p. 158). For further information about him, see: Encyclopedia of Chassidus, Vol. III, pp. 488 and 568–569. Teveria, 1858 . Calligraphic scribal script, bearing the handwritten signature of Rabbi Naftali Tzvi. Size: 21 × 26.5 cm. Condition: Good. A few stains. Tears along the fold line and at the point where the letter was opened. Old filing holes in the margins. Thin bluish paper.