A letter from the holy Rebbe the "Or Yisrael" of Stolin, with his holy signature – sent to the holy Rebbe R’ Dovid Zvi Shlomo Biderman of Lelov and to the heads of the Stolin Chasidim in the Holy Land – regarding the renovation of the Stolin Hasidim’s synagogue in Teveria, a synagogue that in the past belonged to the holy Rebbe, R’ Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk – Stolin, Dec. 1894.
Background: In the year 1869, the Karlin Chasidim in Teveria purchased the ruins of the home and Shul of the Rebbe R’ Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk OBM, author of "Pri Ha’aretz" (which was destroyed in the earthquake that rocked the upper and lower Galilee in Tevet 1837), with the aim of restoring it and re-establishing the synagogue. The construction took several decades due to a lack of funding, until in the year 1894, the benevolent philanthropist Rabbi Shmuel Ze’ev Shaiv stepped in to help and finish the construction of the synagogue (for further details, see the article by Rabbi Avraham Abish Shor in his book "Ketavim", p. 15 et seq.) .
In the letter before us, the Rebbe the "Or Yisrael" of Stolin relates his joy that a redeemer had been found for "the small temple that was established by our holy ancestors obm, in the holy city of Teveria". Further in the letter, the Rebbe expresses his pleasure that they included him in the Shas Society they founded, and that he chooses to study Tractate Shabbat within this framework.
The letter was first printed in the Sefer "Divrei Aharon" (Hoizman), pgs. 93-94, and was copied from there in Rabbi Avraham Abish Shor’s article in the periodical "Beit Aharon Ve’Yisrael", vol. 9, pgs. 109-110 (and from there to his book "Ketavim", pg. 25). However, the printed version omits copying the date, as well as his holy signature. Also, there are some word changes between the original letter in front of us and the printed version.
The letter was handwritten by a scribe, and the signature is the Rebbe’s own holy signature.
Here is the content of the letter in its entirety:
"B"H the 3rd day of Seder ‘and Yaakov arrived whole’ Stolin, 1894
Many greetings, as dew and gentle rain twinned together, to the honor of our beloved one, who is from our well-wishers, my relative the exalted pious Rabbi scion of holy forefathers, wise pious and complete, of honored and illustrious name Mr. David Zvi Shlomo may he live and my friend, son of my relative the extremely pious, wise and complete, Mr. Asher HaLevi may he live, and my friend, the extremely pious, wise and complete Mr. Yosef son of R’ M.A. may he shine together with all the beloved of our well-wishers may they live long and good days.
First of all be informed of our good peace, thanks be to Hashem, that we and our precious descendants, thanks be to Hashem, are all sheltered in the shade of life and health, may Hashem extend his grace with us forever, Amen. After inquiring of their good grace with great love, their letter reached me, and much satisfaction satisfied me when I saw from the walls of their letter that their words had entered In the ears of the p'[hilathropist] Rabbi Shmuel Ze’ev to accept upon himself the yoke of repairing the small temple that was founded by our holy ancestors obm in the city of Teveria, and their cry for salvation had come to me, and I did not know whence their help will come. And now we see eye to eye their salvation from Hashem and mighty men of strength who do His word, and the Creator of the world will complete this building, and the merit will be rolled out by them and enclosed here is a letter to the philanthropist as their good request.
Also came to me the letter signed by our people regarding the Shas Society that they founded on holy foundations, and they yearn to have me join in their association, and I was very pleased with it, and my desire is to take part in this holy companionship. And this is the Torah that rises between the pillars of prayer in front of the gate of heaven, and will rise to please the Lord of all who hearkens to song and prayer, and a shine and a pure spirit will appear upon us and an elixir of life for those who believe in it. I chose to study the Shabbat tractate named after the good gift from the His house of treasures, and scripture that says ‘that I have given a good portion’, that the giving is the taking, and it will not stray from our mouths and from the mouths of our descendants from now and forever, and from now on, everyone will receive the life and peace from the Lord of peace. These are the words of he who seeks your peace with great love and wishes for their good in heart and soul.
Yisrael son of the Rabbi our teacher Asher obm"
The Rebbe the "Or Yisrael" of Stolin (1868 – 2nd day of Rosh Hashanah 1921) was the son of Rabbi Asher II of Stolin ("the Young Rebbe") and grandson of the "Beis Aharon" ("the Elder Rebbe"), and the son-in-law of Rabbi Dovid of Zlatopol (son of the holy Rebbe R’ Yochanan of Rahmastrivka). He was orphaned from his father at the age of four and a half, and despite his young age, the Chasidim kept their eyes on him in light of the lofty statements they heard about the greatness of his soul from his father and his grandfather (see below). For this he was nicknamed "the Yenuka" – the infant. On the day of his Bar Mitzvah, he received coronation letters from the elders of the Chasidim. After his marriage, the court of Karlin-Stolin returned to its glory and tens of thousands of Chasidim were linked to him in heart and soul with all strength and power. His behavior was marked by highest secrecy and modesty to an extreme extent. He was specially talented in the performance of song and musical instruments. This he viewed as true holy work. Before he started playing music he would wash his hands. At the "Melave Malka" meals – the feast of King David the Anointed – he would play musical instruments together with three of his holy sons. In the summer months of 1921 he went to a convalescent town in Germany for medical purposes, where he passed away on the second day of Rosh Hashana 1921. The next day he was buried in nearby Frankfurt (as per his will). That is why he was known by his second nickname "The Frankfurter".
His father and grandfather spoke most wonderful things, emphasizing the glory and sanctity of his soul. Several times his grandfather, the "Beit Aharon" said of him that his soul is the soul of the Holy Rashi, and that such a soul descends to this world only once every five hundred years. Rabbi Baruch Mandelboim, Av Beis Din of Torov, one of the most important of the Karlin-Stolin Chasidim, wrote a long and well-known letter about him at the beginning of his enthronement, in which he gives several testimonies, among others: "as my ear has heard from the mouth of the holy of holies the holy Elder Rebbe of blessed and holy memory (the Beis Aharon), who clearly told me that
Eliyahu Hanavi will always be with this child and he told me a prophetic dream about this that cannot be told in a letter. And he would always rise before him whenever the child came to his holy house with adoration…
and they said that he is the soul of the Ba’al Shem Tov, and in a hint the holy Elder hinted to me that he is the soul of our righteous Moshiach… and I heard a wonderful hint the holy Elder Rebbe of blessed and holy memory that the child is from the world of correction in the secret of the new M"H to correct the 288 sparks that fell that are hinted at in the verse ‘the spirit of Elokim hovers’, and as is written in the midrash that it is the spirit of the King the Moshiach" ("Ketavim", p. 994 et seq.).
He also writes later in his letter what his grandfather, the "Beis Aaron" said about the sanctity of his holy grandson’s hand:
"The hand of the child is a guardian."
Here we have before us a letter that was signed with his signature in his holy hand, capable of divine safekeeping!
Regarding the special spiritual connection between the holy synagogue of the Rebbe of Vitebsk and the "Or Yisrael" from Stolin, we find in the writings of the step-brother of the "Or Yisrael", Rabbi Yerachmiel Moshe of Koznitz, who tells in his writings that on the night of the "Vach Nacht" of the "Or Yisrael", the night of 17 Kislev 5729 (Dec. 1, 1868) the property deed of the estate of the Rebbe of Vitebsk, which had been sold to the followers of Karlin, came into the hands of "Beis Aharon" , and the "Beis Aharon" rejoiced with immense joy, and then said: "There is a ruling from the righteous Rebbe of Shpituvka obm that those who bought a share in the land of Israel, even when the Messiah comes, they will not be able to take it away from him" ("Letters", p. 21).
[1] page. 28 cm. Good condition. Fold marks.
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