‘Hashem will keep us from bad times which come, and the mercy of Hashem will surround our brethren from now and forever’. A letter of blessings for protection and remeberence for mercy and a good year, entirely handwritten by Maran Rabbi Shmuel Halevi Wosner, the ‘Shevet Halevi’, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Chachmei Lublin and Gaavad of Zichron Meir – from the leading Poskim of our generation, with reference to the difficult situation in the Holy Land.
There are almost no such original letters from Rav Wosner from these later years.
The letter was sent to the great Gaon Rabbi Eliyahu Schlesinger, Rabbi of the Giloh neighborhood in Jerusalem. During that time, the neighborhood was constantly being bombed by Arabs from the nearby neighborhood of Beit Jallah, near Beit Lechem, and there was great danger in walking in the streets, especially those facing the Arab neighborhood.
Maran the Shevet Halevi refers to this in his letter, and blesses the entire population of the neighborhood , as well as all other Jews, that they should be saved from all the evil times that come upon the world.
The letter also contains a Halachic ruling, where Rav Wosner is doubtful and reluctant to accept Rabbi Schlesinger’s opinion regarding accepting verified Jews, based on their own recognizance stated to the Rabbonim.
[1] official letterhead. Clean and new. Light fold mark. Very good condition.