‘it will be imperative to either travel to Vilna or to flee entirely from here.’ An historic letter, handwritten by Maran, the Gaon Rabbi Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky in the time when he led the Yeshiva in Pinsk, before he emigrated to the Holy Land, dealing with the dire financial situation of the yeshiva. Undated.
In this letter, which was written shortly before he emigrated to Eretz Yisrael following his brother-in-law the Chazon Ish, Maran the Kehilos Yaakov complains bitterly about the dire financial situation of the Pinsk Yeshiva, and repeatedly begs the heads of Vaad HaYeshivos in Vilna to send support for the struggling yeshiva. The Steipler Gaon led the yeshiva in Pinsk during the years 1928-1933, and then emigrated to the Holy Land.
The Steipler notes that should funds not be sent, ‘it will be imperative to either travel to Vilna or to flee entirely from here. Were they to know of our true situation, they would put their utmost effort to prevent bloodshed, and this amounts to approximately eighty Dollars, let them at least send half.’
The Steipler ends his grim letter with
“may He who said ‘enough’ to His world also say to the poverty of all learners of Torah and all of Israel ‘enough’”.
The Steipler signs this historic letter with the words
‘he who writes and begs and begs again, Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky’.
[1] short, lined paper. Fold punctures which were fixed. Slight damage to the signature. Stains and various notations. Good condition.
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