"And Aharon was Silent": Awe-Inspiring Letter from Rabbi Shmuel Rosenberg of Unsdorf Following His Son’s Passing to Rabbi Akiva Yosef Schlesinger, Author of ‘Lev HaIvri’
An autographed and handwritten letter by Rabbi Shmuel Rosenberg, Av Beis Din and Rosh Yeshiva of the Unsdorf Yeshiva Gedolah and among Hungary’s Torah luminaries.
Shortly before writing this letter, Rabbi Shmuel’s son – Rabbi Ephraim Yehuda Rosenberg, son-in-law of Rabbi Hillel Las"h of Kolomyia, and brother-in-law of the recipient Rabbi Akiva Yosef Schlesinger – passed away in the prime of his life.
In the letter, Rabbi Shmuel writes that he had always struggled to understand why the Torah’s statement, "And Aharon was silent" (Vayidom Aharon) is considered praise for Aharon HaKohen. After all, just before that, Moshe Rabbeinu tells him, "This is what Hashem has spoken, saying: “Through those closest to Me, I will be sanctified.” If so, Aharon should have accepted that this was the will of the Creator, so why is his silence considered meritorious?
Rabbi Shmuel then reflects: "Now I see that they were greater than both you and me." Meaning, after the passing of his own beloved son, he now fully grasps the greatness of Aharon HaKohen, who completely accepted Hashem’s will. His ultimate praise was that "he accepted it with love".
He then asks Rabbi Akiva Yosef to pray for the elevation of his son’s soul and describes his son’s virtues, calling him "a soul so precious and good beyond words."
Finally, he blesses him in honor of the approaching Shavuos holiday:
"May Hashem soon grant us the merit to bring actual Bikurim to our holy and glorious Temple, and to serve Him together in unity on the sacred mountain in Jerusalem."
He signs the letter with his name and that of his righteous mother for prayer:
"The katan [humble one] Shmuel Rosenberg, son of Leah Tzivia."
Rabbi Shmuel Rosenberg (1842 – 1919), author of ‘Be’er Shmuel’, was one of the greatest disseminators of Torah in Hungary. For thirty-five years, he served as the Rav of Mattersdorf, and from his yeshiva, thousands of students emerged as community rabbis, roshei yeshiva, and halachic authorities throughout Hungary.
He was renowned as a miracle worker and many flocked to his door seeking blessings and salvation. His numerous disciples recounted wondrous stories of his Ruach Hakodesh. (see Sefer Toldos Shmuel, essay on Ruach HaKodesh).
Unsdorf, 1890. All in Rabbi Shmuel’s holy handwriting. Size: 17 x 21 cm.
Condition: Fold marks with tiny holes and slight tears at the margins.
