Autograph letter signed by R. "Ben Zion son of R. M. Aryeh Leib". Eišiškės, Tishrei 1871.
Semicha for the rabbinate and for giving halachic rulings to R. Meir son of R. Yitzchak of Kėdainiai. "…I have discussed many halachic issues with him…and have found him full of G-d's blessing in [his knowledge of] Talmud and poskim with straight logic…and reach halachic conclusions, and he is fitting to be a dayan and posek in all Jewish communities and any city which will welcome him…will bring blessing into their homes…".
R. Ben Zion Sternfeld Rabbi of Bielsk (1835-1917) was a foremost Torah scholar in Lithuania. He was a childhood companion of the Chafetz Chaim and the latter applied to him for approbations on his books Chafetz Chaim and Mishnah Berura. From a young age, he was acknowledged as a prominent Torah scholar and served in the rabbinate of Lithuanian towns: Khislavichi, Kalvarija, Sharashova and Eišiškės, but was primarily renowned for the decades he served as Rabbi of Bielsk. At the time he served in the Eišiškės rabbinate, he headed the famous "Kibbutz" which produced many Lithuanian rabbis including the Chafetz Chaim. R. Sternfeld was celebrated for his profound unceasing study. His book Sha'arei Zion contains deep highly brilliant thinking and his halachic conclusions were accepted by leading poskim. He was the close teacher of R. Yitzchak Ya'akov Rabinowitz of Ponevezh (R. Itzele Ponevezher). Recounted at the end of the book Pe'er HaDor (Vol. 1 p. 253), is that the Chazon Ish would repeatedly tell with great awe of his meeting in his youth with the elder R. Ben Zion of Bielsk who left upon him a rare impression of his enthusiastic service of G-d and his incessant diligence. The Chazon Ish would not forget to note that he himself saw him study an entire night, standing on his feet,
absorbed in study and that he did not sit to rest even for one moment. The Chazon Ish also spoke of his fear of Heaven and utter faith.
Leaf, approx. 20 cm. 11 handwritten lines. Fair condition, wear and restored tears, damages to text.
225. מכתב בדברי תורה מהגאון רבי יוסף זונדל הוטנר אב"ד איישישוק
מכתב בדברי תורה מהגאון רבי יוסף זונדל הוטנר. איישישוק, תרס"ג (1903). [לא נדפס].
המכתב נשלח לרבי יצחק מייזיל (אוצר הרבנים 10810) ובו תשובה על השגות שהקשה לו רבי יצחק על דבריו בספרו. בתוך הדברים הוא מתאמץ ליישב קושיא על בעל ה"תפארת ישראל" והוא כותב לו: "...קושיא גדולה הקשה, ונפלא מאד טעות כזה על אדם גדול דרב גובריה, וכדי לקיים דברי חכמים שלא יהיה כטועה ח"ו, נראה לי לדחוק בסברתו...".
רבי יוסף זונדל הוטנר (תר"ו-תרע"ט), מגדולי גאוני ליטא. למד בחברותא מספר שנים עם רבי מאיר שמחה הכהן, וכשהציעו לרבי יוסף זונדל את רבנות עיר מולדתו דווינסק, חשש שעול רבנות עיר גדולה יפריעהו מלימודו, והעביר את ההצעה לרעו בעל "אור שמח". כיהן משנת תרמ"א ברבנות דרעטשין ומשנת תרנ"ז אב"ד ור"מ איישישוק. מחבר ספרי "חבל יוסף" [שם כולל לספריו הנודעים על ארבעה חלקי שו"ע, "אולם המשפט", "חדרי דעה", "גנזי חיים" ו"חוקי העזרה"].
נערץ כאיש קדוש אצל בעל ה"חפץ חיים", שהיה רגיל לשלוח אליו אנשים שפנו אליו לעצה וישועה, באמרו כי "הוא צדיק גדול - סעו אליו והוא יתפלל בעדכם". מפורסם הסיפור שה"חפץ חיים" שלח אליו שליח מיוחד שיברכהו, והשליח לא הבין וחשש להשיב את ברכתו של רבי יוסף זונדל, שברך את החפץ חיים כי יזכה לילך יחף ולסחוב אבנים [כלומר שיזכה להיות כהן-גדול הנושא את אבני החושן והולך יחף בעבודת בית המקדש]. כששמע החפץ חיים את הברכה, אמר כי די לו גם בברכה האחת, כלומר שיזכה לעבוד בבית המקדש ככהן הדיוט. החפץ חיים אף ביקש ממנו הסכמה לספרו "לקוטי הלכות".
21 ס"מ, כ-20 שורות בכת"י קדשו וחתימתו. מצב טוב מאד.

R. Moshe Shmuel Shapira (1843-1917), was a prominent rabbi in White Russia. Rabbi of Kurshan and from 1899 Rabbi of Babruysk (succeeding his brother R. Refael Shapira who returned to the Volozhin rabbinate).
R. Shmuel Zalman Landau, Rabbi of Hlusk had a wonderful friendship with R. Baruch Ber Leibovitz who would sent his disciples to discuss Torah topics with R. Landau. [In the book Birkat Shmuel on Tractate Bava Kama, R. Baruch Ber Leibovitz cites R. Landau].
The recipient of the semichot is R. Yitzchak HaLevi Segal (1878-1976), who studied in the Hlusk Yeshiva in the Smarhon "kibbutz" and in Kollel Kovno. In 1906, he arrived in the US and served in the rabbinate of Bayonne and of Jersey City for 70 years and was one of the heads of Agudat ha-Rabbanim. His biography was printed in the book Halichot Yitzchak (NY, 1979) which contains all these letters.
4 letters. Size and condition vary. Good to good-fair condition. All the letters are mounted on fabric for preservation.
Four letters of semicha for the rabbinate, by leading rabbis of Lithuania and of White Russia, given to R. Yitzchak HaLevi Segal. 1902-1905.
· Autograph letter of semicha for the rabbinate signed by R. Chaim Yehuda Leib Sosnitzer Rabbi of Smarhon. Adar Aleph 1902. · Autograph letter of semicha signed by R. "Moshe Danoshevsky" Rabbi of Slabodka. Shevat 1905. · Autograph letter of semicha signed by R. Moshe Shmuel Shapira Rabbi of Babruysk. Adar Bet 1905. · Autograph letter of semicha signed by R. Shmuel Zalman Landau Rabbi of Glusk.
R. Chaim Yehuda Leib Litwin-Sosnitzer, author of Sha'arei De'ah (1840-1903) was born in Babruysk and after his wedding moved to Sosnitsa, from which his cognomen "Sosnitzer Illui" was derived. In 1871, he was appointed Ra'avad and head of the yeshiva in Brody, succeeding R. Shlomo Kluger. In 1886, he returned to Lithuania to serve as rabbi and head of the elder faction of the yeshiva in the city of Smarhon.
R. Moshe Danoshevsky, author of Be'er Moshe (1830-1910), Rabbi of Slabodka near Kaunas (Kovno). One of the heads of Kollel Kovno. He was the rabbi who bestowed semicha and guided the kollel alumni to become poskim.

Autograph letter signed by the Rogachover Gaon, Rabbi Yosef Rosen. Dvinsk, 1926.
Smicha (ordination) for a butcher attesting that he can be relied upon for the kashrut of meat he sells and his honest conduct, signed "Yosef Rosen, Rabbi from here".
The famous Torah genius R. Yosef Rosen (1858-1936), known as the Rogatchover Gaon (after his birthtown Rogachev), was a Chabad-Kapust Chassid. In his youth, he was a disciple of Rabbi Yosef Ber Soloveitchik, author of Beit HaLevi and studied together with his son Rabbi Chaim of Brisk. From 1889, he served as rabbi of the Chabad Chassidic community of Dvinsk in Latvia (a position he held for 40 years) alongside the Rabbi of the city, author of the Or Sameach. He was a remarkable prodigy, proficient in all areas of the Torah, known for his sharpness, deep comprehension and original study methods. Many stories are told about his outstanding brilliance and amazing diligence. His brilliance was also highly regarded by the general public in his days and Bialik was reputed as saying that "two Einsteins could be carved out from the mind of the Rogatchover"
Leaf, 13X13.5 cm. Good-fair condition. Folding marks and wear.

Two letters signed by Rabbi Chaim Ozer Grodzinski. Vilna, Adar-Nissan 1936.
Sent to R. Koppel Kahana Rabbi of Białowieża. The letters are about efforts to attain immigration affidavits to Eretz Israel or to England, with mention of Rabbi Yitzchak Meir Levine, Mr. Goodman from London and Rabbi Moshe Blau.
Rabbi Chaim Ozer Grodzinski (1863-1940), most prominent Torah leader of his generation, began his studies at Volozhin Yeshiva at the age of 11, and was a disciple of Rabbi Chaim of Brisk. At the age of 24, he was appointed Rabbi and posek in Vilna. From a young age, he was active in public affairs and his opinion was the unqualified deciding factor in all public issues of Jewish significance for almost 50 years. After World War I, together with the Chafetz Chaim, he expended tremendous efforts to save the yeshivot from their critical state and founded the Va'ad HaYeshivot. At that time, all over Russia and Belorussia, many rabbis lost their positions due to the Communist rule and Rabbi Chaim Ozer was very active in providing them with new positions.
The recipient of the letter: R. Koppel Kahana (1895-1978), Rabbi of Białowieża (Poland) and of Rozanai. Son of R. Shlomo David Kahana, Rabbi in Warsaw. During the Holocaust, he reached England and became a prominent rabbi in London. He authored Birkat Cohen, Nachalat Cohen, The Case for Jewish Civil Law in The State Of Israel, etc.
Two letters, written on official stationery. Scribal writing, signed by R. Chaim Ozer. Size and condition vary. Overall good to fair condition. Tears and much wear.