Unknown Letter from the Admor, Author of ‘Ahavas Yisroel’ of Vizhnitz to the Author of ‘Arugas HaBosem’ of Chust
Vizhnitz, 1908
A letter with the holy handwritten signature of the holy Admor Rabbi Yisroel Hager, author of ‘Ahavas Yisroel’ of Vizhnitz, addressed to the holy Gaon Rabbi Moshe Greenwald, patriarch of the Pupa dynasty.
The letter concerns the great controversy regarding the Eretz Yisrael charity funds in the Marmara region, shortly after a ruling was issued by the arbitrators, headed by the Rav of Chust.
In the letter, the Admor asks the Rav of Chust to use his influence on the other party to uphold the ruling:
"And upon his honor’s greatness, may he live long, the matter rests, and it is a holy obligation upon him to bring the matter to completion and to bring forth our judgment according to the ruling that came from him and the Beis Din… and also what is in his power to protest… may he be willing in his goodness to act for the love of Tzion and devotion to Jerusalem, and for the sake of the poor of the Holy Land.
And may the merit of the Holy Land and the merit of Rabbeinu Moshe ben Nachman protect us that we merit to see the building of Ariel, that the crown of Torah and the crown of Israel be uplifted."
He signed his name in his holy handwriting:
"The Katan Yisrael son of the holy Rav, our teacher Rabbi Baruch of blessed memory", with several additional words.
The holy Rabbi Yisrael Hager of Vizhnitz, author of ‘Ahavas Yisroel’ (1860-1936) was the son of Rabbi Baruch of Vizhnitz, author of ‘Mekor Baruch’. He grew up in the shadow of his grandfather Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Vizhnitz, author of ‘Tzemach Tzaddik’. In 1875 he moved to the home of his father-in-law Rabbi Meir Horowitz in Dzikov and in 1878 returned to Vizhnitz where he was the right hand of his grandfather and greatly beloved by him. In 1893, at the young age of thirty-three, he was appointed Rebbe. He expanded the boundaries of the Chassidus, established a yeshiva and Torah institutions and loved each student as his beloved son. He was known primarily for his Ahavas Yisrael (love of fellow Jews) that he had for everyone.
The holy Rabbi Moshe Grunwald of Chust, author of ‘Arugas HaBosem’ (1853-1910) was among the renowned Torah giants, distinguished disciple of the Ksav Sofer. Besides his rabbinical positions in the communities of Pupa and Chust, he served as Rosh Yeshiva to thousands, even in his youth. He became close to the holy Rav author of ‘Yitav Lev’, the ‘Divrei Yechezkel’ of Shinova and other tzaddikim.
Regarding this episode see: R. Yitzchok Alfasi, BiSdeh HaChassidus, pp. 204-205.
Vizhnitz, 1908.
Size: 14.5X23 cm.
Includes the Rebbe’s holy signature. The body of the letter is in a scribe’s writing. The top features his personal stamp: "Yisrael son of the Rav the tzaddik our teacher Rabbi Baruch of blessed memory from Vizhnitz."
Condition: Good; minor stains.
