Letter handwritten and signed by R. Yehuda Grünwald Rabbi of Satmar, to his disciple R. Yosef Shlomo Wachtenheim. Satmar, Tevet 1909.
Letter of recommendation and "Morenu" certificate accorded to a student of his yeshiva, Yosef Shlomo Wachtenheim, on the occasion of his wedding: "…who studied in our yeshiva for several consecutive years, all equal for the good, he rose onwards and upwards… and now, the day of his nuptials has come, and I wish to honor him with a crown which is becoming of him… Morenu Yosef Shlomo… I set my hand to this in the honor of the Torah, and in honor of this beloved student, here Satmar… Yehuda Grünwald". Alongside the signature, a faded stamp: "Yehuda Grünwald Rabbi of Satmar and the vicinity".
R. Yehuda Grünwald (1848-1920), author of Zichron Yehuda, a leading rabbi and yeshiva dean in Hungary. An outstanding Torah scholar, renowned since his youth as a holy, G-d fearing man. A disciple of the Ketav Sofer, and son-in-law of the latter's brother R. Yozpa Sofer son of the Chatam Sofer (his teacher the Ketav Sofer acclaimed him at his wedding as "Holy of Holies"). Already as a student, he was a close friend of his fellow students R. Chaim Sonnenfeld (later rabbi of Jerusalem) and R. Moshe Grünwald (later rabbi of Khust, author of Arugat HaBosem), and maintained close ties with them throughout his life. He served as rabbi of Sobotište and Bonyhád, and in 1898, was appointed rabbi of Satmar. Wherever he served as rabbi he also maintained a large yeshiva, which in Satmar numbered hundreds of students, many of whom later served as rabbis and dayanim in Hungary and Romania (his renowned disciples include: R. Yosef Nechemia Kornitzer Rabbi of Selish and Kraków; R. Shemaya Löw Rabbi of Kerestir; R. Chaim Betzalel Paneth Rabbi of Reteag; R. Moshe David Ostreicher Rabbi of Cimpa; R. Naftali Herztke Hönig Rabbi of Sharmash [Sărmaşu]; and others).
During his tenure as rabbi of Satmar, the community seceded from the Neologs, with the Orthodox faction maintaining control over the existing community institutions, while the Neologs established their independent community. This transformed Satmar into the stronghold of Orthodox Jewry in the region, headed by R. Yehuda Grünwald, who was renowned from his youth as a staunch defender of faithful Orthodox Judaism. When R. Yoel Teitelbaum settled in Satmar as a recently married young Torah scholar, he was held in high esteem by R. Yehuda Grünwald, who drew him close and supported him financially. When slanderers tried contending that R. Yoel was not truly needy, since he distributed much money to charity, R. Yehuda was moved, and exclaimed that in such a case, he was even more needy, and he thereafter increased his regular support. Years later, when R. Yoel served as rabbi of Satmar, he was very careful not to alter the halachic customs of the Shechita in the city, which were based on the holy instructions of the Zichron Yehuda.
[1] double leaf. 23 cm. Good condition. Folding marks and light wear.

Letter handwritten and signed by R. Akiva Sofer Rabbi and yeshiva dean in Pressburg. Pressburg (Bratislava), [Tevet 1922].
Words of encouragement and blessings addressed to his disciple R. Michael Schay, following his marriage to the daughter of R. Alter Shaul Pfeffer, and his trip to the United States: "…I hope that you have already reached your destination and have settled down, to reside in the tent of Torah with your father-in-law… may you grow and continue… delving into Torah… to collect in your hands all goodness, and goodness refers to Torah…". Further in the letter, he writes that he is sending him also "a certificate, which I promised you, to be for you a remembrance, and I hope you will be satisfied with it…".
The Gaon of Pressburg - R. Akiva Sofer (1878-1960), author of Daat Sofer, son of R. Simcha Bunem author of Shevet Sofer, who was the son of the Ketav Sofer. He served as rabbi and yeshiva dean in Pressburg since the passing of his father in 1907. Following the Holocaust, he reestablished his yeshiva and community in Jerusalem. He was a leader of the Moetzet Gedolei HaTorah.
The recipient of the letter, R. Michael Schay (1894-1979, HaChatam Sofer VeTalmidav, p. 648), was a rabbi in New York. He studied in the Pressburg yeshiva, and in the yeshiva of R. Yosef Tzvi Dushinsky in Khust. He was the son-in-law of R. Alter Shaul Pfeffer, rabbi of the Hungarian Beit Midrash in New York. Following his wedding, he served as rabbi in New York, succeeding his father-in-law in 1936.
[1] double leaf, official stationery. 23 cm. Approx. 12 autograph lines. Good-fair condition. Wear and minor tears to folds.

Handwritten copy of a Beit Din act recording the giving of a get (divorce document), handwritten, signed and stamped by R. Mordechai Vorhand Rabbi of Nitra. Nitra, Nisan [1938?].
In this copy, the rabbi copied in his handwriting the signatures of the dayanim in his Beit Din who had signed on the original Beit Din act: "Zalman Leib Halberstam" and "Chaim Dov Meislik".
R. Mordechai Vorhand (1886/1887-1944), son of R. Moshe Rabbi of Makova, disciple of R. Eliezer Deutsch author of Tevuat Sadeh, the Kedushat Yom Tov of Sighet and the Arugat HaBosem. In his youth, he frequented the courts of Rebbe Mordechai of Nadvorna and Rebbe Yechezkel of Shinova. In 1909, he was appointed dayan and posek in Bethlen (Beclean), Hungary, and in 1912, he began serving as rabbi and dean of Nitra, Slovakia, where he headed a large yeshiva. He was particularly drawn to manuscripts of Rishonim and clarifying their early versions. During his stay in Italy in 1924 for health reasons, he spent many hours in the Vatican Library, attempting to locate various manuscripts. In that time, he also recorded an index, in which he describes numerous manuscripts which he saw. During this visit, he held a lengthy and sensitive audience with Pope Pius XI. He composed over forty books in Halacha and Aggadah, some of which were published. His halachic works which were printed in his lifetime was very well received, and earnt enthusiastic approbations from leading Hungarian rabbis.
[1] double leaf, official stationery of the "Beit Din of the Nitra Community". 23.5 cm. Good condition. Light stains and folding marks.

Responsum letter handwritten and signed by R. Shmuel HaLevi Wosner. Zichron Meir, Bnei Brak, Iyar 1974.
Addressed to R. Efraim Greenblatt of Memphis, USA (author of Rivevot Efraim), concerning the laws of Amira LeAkum - instructing a non-Jew to perform a forbidden activity on Shabbat, for the purpose of a mitzvah, regarding having a non-Jew heat up the mikveh on Shabbat, and transporting in the public domain on Shabbat (this responsum is printed in Responsa Shevet HaLevi, IV, Orach Chaim, section 29).
R. Shmuel HaLevi Wosner (1913-2015), author of Shevet HaLevi, was a leading Halachic authority of the past generation. Born in Vienna, he was a disciple of R. Shmuel David Ungar, rabbi of Nitra, R. Yosef Elimelech Kahana, rabbi of Ungvar (both perished in the Holocaust) and later a close disciple of Rabbi Meir Shapiro at the Chachmei Lublin yeshiva. In 1939, he immigrated to Eretz Israel with his wife. He first settled in Jerusalem, where he studied under the leading rabbis of the city. He soon thereafter earned prominence as a leading Torah scholar and was appointed as rabbi and posek of the Geulah neighborhood. In 1947, he moved to Bnei Brak to serve as rabbi of the Zichron Meir neighborhood. He was recommended for this position by the Chazon Ish who already then discerned the greatness and strength of the young man and foresaw his illustrious future. After a short while, he was appointed rabbi of the Chug Chatam Sofer communities in the city and with time became renowned as a foremost halachic authority acknowledged by all circles. He responded to thousands of halachic queries which were published in the eleven volumes of his book Responsa Shevet HaLevi.
[1] leaf, official stationery with the letterhead: "Samuel Halevi Wosner, Rabbi of Sichron-Meir, Bnei Brak". Approx. 27.5 cm. Approx. 25 autograph lines and signature. Good condition. Tears and light creases.

Two lengthy and interesting letters handwritten and signed by R. Chaim Berlin, addressed to R. Shmuel Salant, regarding fundraising for the Etz Chaim yeshiva in Jerusalem. Vilna (Vilnius), 1890; Yelizavetgrad (Kropyvnytskyi), [1899].
The letters contain detailed reports of the fundraising on behalf of the Etz Chaim yeshiva in Jerusalem, and various details concerning the administration of the fundraising. In the second letter, dated 1899, R. Chaim outlines his plans to involve rabbis and wealthy men, who would share with him the burden of organizing the fundraising in Lithuania and Poland: "You surely know that I have been searching for a long time for notables to join me in the management of this fundraising, to replace the late R. Yehonatan of Volkovisk, and unfortunately, I have not yet found such a person, and I am here alone, I am not able to establish such a committee properly". In that letter, R. Chaim describes his loneliness in his position as rabbi of a city in the inner regions of Russia: "For I am like a juniper in the desert, here in the southern land, which is dry of any trace of Torah and holy matters, and I am here completely alone, without anyone to strengthen me, and I pray to G-d… that He draw me up from the pit… from this thick mire, which I entered upon the advice of some of the great rabbis of the generation, who lured me, and I was swayed…".
The first letter is dated: "Tuesday, the day bread rained down from Heaven, 1890. Vilna" (16th Iyar, the day the manna began falling following the Exodus of the Jews from Egypt. See Tractate Shabbat f. 87b). The second letter is dated: "The fast of the 10th month, may it become a joyous occasion, 1899, Yelizavetgrad" (10th Tevet).
R. Chaim Berlin (1832-1912), foremost Torah scholar in his generation, was an illustrious Torah figure of Lithuania and Jerusalem. Eldest son of the Netziv of Volozhin. He served as chief rabbi of Moscow, and his Torah influence spread throughout Russia. He served for a while as yeshiva dean and rabbi in Volozhin, and as rabbi of Kobryn and Yelisavetgrad (Kropyvnytskyi). He immigrated to Jerusalem in 1906, where he soon became recognized as a leading rabbinic authority in the city.
Two letters: A double leaf and a single leaf (4 written pages). 20.5 cm. Good condition.