Lengthy letter (3 large pages) handwritten and signed by R. Tzvi Hirsch Kalischer. Thorn (Toruń, Poland), [1825].
Letter sent by mail to Posen, addressed to his teacher R. Akiva Eiger, Rabbi of Posen. At beginning of letter, R. Tzvi Hirsch begins with a line in his praise.
The letter discusses the betrothal of a girl without her family's permission, performed in an ostensibly valid manner. The father appealed to a court who ruled that the betrothal was invalid, rendering her unmarried with no need for a document of divorce. R. Tzvi Hirsch discusses the betrothal at length, and debates whether to permit the betrothed girl to remarry without a Get.
At the end of the letter, R. Tzvi Hirsch Kalischer offers his teacher wishes for a complete recovery, and apologizes for disturbing him, concluding with his signature and asking for the response to be delivered to him by priority mail in person.
In the margins of the letter, his father R. Shlomo Kalischer adds a short greeting and reiterates the request for an urgent response, with his signature.
On fourth page: Address in German addressed to Posen, and postmark from Thorn, with remains of wax seal.
R. Tzvi Hirsch Kalischer (1795-1874) was a leading Torah scholar of his generation, a close disciple of R. Akiva Eiger and disciple of R. Yaakov of Lissa (Leszno), the Netivot HaMishpat, and his uncle R. Yehudah Leib Kalischer, head of the Lissa Beit Din. After his marriage, he resided in Thorn (Toruń), where he served for many years as rabbi for no compensation. He was an early supporter of the Jewish Yishuv and purchase of land in Eretz Israel, and is considered one of the spiritual fathers of the Zionist movement, and many streets in Israel are named for him.
His father,
R. Shlomo Kalischer of Lissa (ca. 1768-1840) was a friend and relative of R. Akiva Eiger. He resided in Thorn in his final years, as early as 1825, as can be gleaned from the present letter.
[1] double leaf. 39 cm (3 written pages). Poor condition. Stains. Heavy wear and mold damage. Open tears, significantly affecting text.
