(RABBIS, LITHUANIAN).

AUCTION 62 | Thursday, June 26th, 2014 at 1:00

Fine Judaica: Books, Manuscripts, Autograph Letters, Graphic and Ceremonial Art

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Lot 209

(RABBIS, LITHUANIAN).

A group of three interesting letters by three of the most prominent Lithuanian Rabbis of the 19th/20th century: * 1. R. Tzvi Hirsch Rabinowitz (Rabbi of Kovno. 1848-1910). Autograph Letter Signed, written in Hebrew with his stamp, to R. Eliyahu Gordon. Congratulating him upon his appointment as Rabbi of Kamai. Kovno, 11th Shevat, 1899. * 2. R. Eliyahu David Rabinowitz-Tumim (Adereth) (Rabbi of Jerusalem, Mir and Ponovezh. 1843-1905). Autograph Letter Signed, written in Hebrew with his stamp, to R. Chaim Chezkiah Medini, Rabbi of Hebron (The Sdei Chemed). Beseeching him not to allow a modern school to open in Hebron. Jerusalem, Chol Hamoed (Pesach), 1904. * 3. R. Elijah E. Dessler (Rabbi in London and Bnei Brak. 1891-1954). Autograph Letter Signed. Written in Hebrew, to Rabbi Dr. Dov Heiman. Congratulations and blessings with a mussar insight upon the Bar Mitzvah of his son. Bnei Brak, 1953. Various sizes, various condition.

v.p.: v.d

Est: $1,000 - $1,500

PRICE REALIZED $1,400

1. R. Tzvi Hirsch Rabinowitz was the son of Rabbi Yitzchak Elchonon Spector of Kovno. In 1896 he succeeded his father as Rabbi of Kovno. Previously, he served as Rabbi of Mitau and as Chief Dayan and Maggid of Vilna. 2. The Adereth left Lithuania in 1901 and emigrated to Jerusalem to serve as assistant to the aging Rabbi Shmuel Salant, Chief Rabbi of the Ashkenazi Perushim community. In regard to the present letter, is interesting to note he deemed the issue so important he wrote it on Chol Hamoed! He writes: “I have heard that “Anshei Resha” (evil people) are opening a house of iniquity to extinguish the burning coals that are left in the nation of Israel. Please do your utmost to fence this breach. After the Passover holiday I will write at length.” 3. Rabbi E. E. Dessler is considered one of the last great proponents of the Lithuanian Mussar School founded by R. Israel Salanter. In this most individual letter, he records an insight from Maimonides’ and then continues, “Yet I came [in this letter] to bless, although my thoughts flew to other worlds, so I will now return to the world of blessings…”