Lengthy letter (2 pages, 33 lines) handwritten and signed by R. Yitzchak Ze'ev Soloveitchik. Jerusalem, 3rd Tevet [16th December] 1947.

Addressed to his friend R. Yechezkel Abramsky, head rabbi of the London Beit Din. The letter addresses the difficult situation of Orthodox Jewry in Eretz Israel at the end of the British Mandate, and the need to preserve its independence from the Zionist organizations, during the establishment of the Statute for Jerusalem, following the United Nations resolution on November 29th, 1947 [about two weeks before this letter was written] to empower a Trusteeship Council to establish Jerusalem as an international city.

He tells R. Abramsky of the efforts thirty years earlier, headed by R. Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld, to preserve Torah law in Eretz Israel. The British authorities at the time allowed Orthodox communities to separate from the secular-dominated Jewish National Council. With the change of regime, he predicts that the situation would fall apart, with the Zionists taking full control and the Orthodox communities losing their independent status in Jerusalem.

The Brisker Rav writes of expected dangers to the educational and yeshiva system, which was already facing difficulty due to lack of financial support for Orthodox education. He writes that perhaps Jerusalem would also face mandatory education under the new regime, "and for all this we must be vigilant… regarding things which are the very souls and lives of our children, as is understood to all…".

The Brisker Rav asks R. Abramsky to lobby the authorities in London, due to a newspaper report that the vice-chairman of the Trusteeship Council was an Englishman by the name of Sir Alan Burns [1887-1980, a senior British diplomat, a governor of several British colonies worldwide from 1924, and a representative of the Britain in the United Nations Trusteeship Council]. He asks him to lobby for the status quo to remain as is, noting that it would be easier for the English to retain the status quo on internal affairs.

He concludes with a blessing: "With a blessing of all good, I am his friend, esteeming and respecting him and seeking his welfare from heart and soul, Yitzchak Ze'ev son of… R. Chaim HaLevi Soloveitchik".

R. Yitzchak Ze'ev Soloveitchik, the Brisker Rav (1886-1959), son of R. Chaim HaLevi of Brisk, and grandson of the Beit HaLevi. Already at a young age, still in his father's lifetime, he was considered one of the prominent Torah leaders of the generation. In 1919 (about the age of 32), he succeeded his forefathers as Rabbi of Brisk, and with his Torah authority, he governed all religious matters in his city and the entire region. He managed to escape the Holocaust together with some of his children who fled from Brisk to Vilna, from which they immigrated to Jerusalem in 1941. His authority was recognized by the entire Torah world in Eretz Israel and abroad. His books: Chidushei Maran Riz HaLevi on the Rambam and the Torah. His oral teachings were published as Chidushei HaGriz. His teachings serve to this day as a cornerstone of in-depth yeshiva learning and form the basis for the thought of large portions of Orthodox Jewry. He was famous for his searing fear of heaven and zeal for pure truth.

The recipient, R. Yechezkel Abramsky (1886-1976), close disciple of R. Chaim of Brisk and close friend of his son R. Yitzchak Ze'ev. Shortly after his marriage, he traveled to Brisk to study under R. Chaim ca. 1910 (at the advice of his father-in-law R. Yisrael Yehonatan Yerushalimsky, a disciple of R. Chaim during his Volozhin period), where he stayed for some four months, after which point he became devoted to his Torah teachings for the rest of his life. While serving as Rabbi of Smilavichy, he visited his teacher R. Chaim, then staying in Minsk, for long periods, during which time he would clarify Torah topics with him. R. Yechezkel would say of his teacher R. Chaim's method of learning: "R. Chaim goes at once to the heart of the issue". R. Chaim greatly appreciated his disciple's wisdom, and in one letter he calls him a friend (Melech BeYofyo, p. 95). During those periods R. Abramsky became a close friend of his teacher's son, R. Yitzchak Ze'ev (R. Velvele), which led to some fifty years of friendship and a close correspondence. Some of their Torah discussions and correspondence are printed in Chidushei Maran Riz HaLevi. When R. Abramsky was living in Jerusalem (after he immigrated to Israel in 1951), they met often and dealt with Torah issues and public affairs together.

[1] leaf. Official stationery. 28 cm. Written on both sides. Good-fair condition. Stains. Folding marks and tears.

This letter, dated 3rd Tevet, is mentioned in the Brisker Rav's letter to R. Abramsky dated 23rd Tevet (printed in Igrot Maran Riz HaLevi, Jerusalem 2008, letter 132, where he writes: "…You have surely received my letter of 3rd Tever regarding the Statute for Jerusalem, and I await your response, although now the physical danger is capturing my full attention and does not leave room for thoughts on other matters…").

Lengthy letter (20 lines) handwritten and signed by R. Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook, Chief Rabbi of Eretz Israel. Jerusalem, Iyar 1927.

Rabbinical ordination for R. Tzvi Yehudah Meltzer, son of "my dear friend, the great Gaon, glory of the generation, R. Isser Zalman Meltzer, head rabbi of the Beit Din of Slutsk… and head dean of the Etz Chaim yeshiva here in the holy city". R. Kook writes of him: "'A wise son brings joy to his father'. I have known of him ever since I met him that he has absorbed much of the Talmud, halachic authorities, rishonim and acharonim, and gained the fragrance of the Torah of the contemporary Geonim in the great yeshivas by attending to Torah scholars… In halachic depth he is like one of the greats who are worthy of resolving disputes and crowned as a rabbi, to judge and issue rulings among the Jewish people… 'Yoreh Yoreh' and 'Yadin Yadin' in accordance with Torah law, and I am sure that he will constantly rise in levels of holiness… among the great rabbis of the Jewish people in our generation…". R. Kook goes on to write of the community that will take R. Tzvi Yehudah on as its rabbi: "Blessed shall be the community that chooses him as chief, leader, rabbi, head of Beit Din, posek and judge in every matter of law, and may G-d be with them… May they be blessed on his behalf with all good things, and may there be peace at their wall, serenity in their palaces…".

R. Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook (1865-1935) was a friend of R. Isser Zalman Meltzer (1870-1954) ever since they were fellow students in Volozhin. During their Jerusalem period, when R. Isser Zalman Meltzer headed the Etz Chaim yeshiva (where most of the students opposed R. Kook's appointment to the Jerusalem rabbinate), R. Isser Zalman respected R. Kook highly and protested various acts of R. Kook's opponents, calling for "honor of the Torah".

The recipient of the ordination, R. Tzvi Yehudah Meltzer (1899-1969), son of R. Isser Zalman Meltzer and son-in-law of R. Tzvi Steinman, first Rabbi of Rehovot. Studied in the Mir, Slutsk and Novardok yeshivas, and served as mashgiach in the Kletsk yeshiva (of his brother-in-law R. Aharon Kotler). He immigrated to Eretz Israel in 1925 along with his father, where he began to disseminate Torah. In 1936 he was appointed Rabbi of Pardes Hanna, where he established the Kletsk yeshiva and Midrashiat Noam. In 1947 he was appointed Rabbi of Rehovot, succeeding his father-in-law R. Tzvi Steinman, and established the Kletsk yeshiva (later renamed Yeshivat HaDarom). In 1951 he retired from his position as Rabbi of the city, appointing R. Elimelech Bar Shaul as his successor, while he continued to serve as head of the city's Beit Din and dean of Yeshivat HaDarom.

Provisional halachic ruling from a discussion of the leading rabbis in the United States: "Regarding the disagreements between the Peilim Committee in America with their agent, the Peilim Committee in the Holy Land".

The halachic rulings states: "After we listened to the arguments of both parties, we the undersigned decided based on Torah law as follows: 1) It is by no means permitted to hold two special fundraisers in America in any form, as this involves much dissent, desecration of G-d's name and dishonor of Torah learners… 2) Since the local committee has been working for several years, they are considered to have the prevailing right, and their agent, the committee of Eretz Israel, is not permitted to collect by itself for Peilim, nor to conduct a special campaign, nor to cause any disturbance to the work of the local committee. 3) The American committee is required to answer the Eretz Israel committee in a Torah lawsuit in a distinguished court with each party selecting a judge, or in a court agreed upon by both parties… 4) Until the Torah lawsuit is held, the agent of the Eretz Israel committee is permitted to enter as a member of the local committee and to be present at the meetings of the committee… in accordance with the agreement of last Tamuz… 5) An agent of Peilim of Eretz Israel is permitted to participate in the treasury management, in accordance with the agreement of last Tamuz. 6) Both parties are obligated to conduct everything peacefully and uprightly, and not to cause any loss to the office and the overall matter. 7) Each party is allowed to call the other to a Torah lawsuit for a decisive arrangement on coordination of work with the Eretz Israel committee, but until the Torah lawsuit is held they shall act in accordance with the above paragraphs…".

[1] leaf. 27.5 cm. Good condition. Folding marks.

The present leaf was brought to Kedem for auction along with the following letters sent to Jerusalem relating to this issue – see following lots.

Two letters handwritten and signed by R. Yaakov Kamenetsky, a dean of the Torah Vodaath yeshiva and a leader of the Moetzet Gedolei HaTorah in the United States. Netanya, Tamuz 1963 / Brooklyn, Erev Rosh Hashanah 1963.

The letters are addressed to R. Yechezkel Abramsky, a leader of the Moetzet Gedolei HaTorah in Eretz Israel, and relate to the rift between the Israeli branch of Peilim and the committee of its American branch (which later established a separate American Peilim organization).

In the first letter, written during R. Yaakov Kamenetsky's visit to Eretz Israel, he discusses the coordination of a meeting with agents of the Israeli branch of Peilim and with R. Abramsky and R. Sarna, together with R. Kamenetsky, R. Alpert and R. Plato. In the letter, R. Kamenetsky writes of his plans to travel the next week to Safed and Tiberias, to heal in the "hot springs of Tiberias".

In the second letter, written after R. Yaakov Kamenetsky's return to the United States, he begins and ends with blessings for a Shanah Tovah and lengthy life. Towards the end of the letter, for the upcoming high holidays, he requests of R. Abramsky to pray for him "that G-d assist me to attain merit and bring merit to the public, for the yeshiva work is too hard for me, and that G-d help me to find a worthy person to whom I can transfer the administration of this lofty and holy institution".

Regarding the Peilim organizations, R. Kamenetsky writes: "…I now come to what relates to the dirty business, that of the Peilim. Apparently the agreement has had no effect, since the main funds held by the Peilim here are those given to them for the purpose of building, while they for their part, so long as the yeshivas have not been legally transferred to the deans, are afraid to transmit the money to the Peilim in Eretz Israel out of concern that they might expend it on other things. And it appears from the letter that reached here that some changes have been made to the agreement itself, and the check to the committee of yeshiva deans has been changed…". He goes on to write of a telegram he received from R. Yechezkel Sarna on the matter, and he writes that "R. Yechezkel Sarna sent us a new text version and he requests of R. Moshe Feinstein, me and the agents of Peilim in the United States to sign it, and I don't know if the version is his or if it was made with your agreement as well… According to the Peilim here, they are ready to fulfill whatever has been written and signed in the agreement you wrote and signed by the Peilim both here and there, but I don't know what is holding back the two parties…".

R. Yaakov Kamenetsky (1891-1986), a head of the Moetzet Gedolei HaTorah in the United States, a leader of Orthodox Jewry and a founder of the Torah world in his generation. A leading disciple of the Alter of Slabodka. He served as rabbi in Lithuania, Canada and the United States. From 1945 he served as dean of the Torah Vodaath yeshiva in New York, and years later he moved to Monsey, where the Torah Vodaath administration established an advanced yeshiva for older students. Author of Emet LeYaakov on the Talmud, Torah and more.

2 letters. One on aerogram. Varying size. Overall good condition. Stains and folding marks.

Letter handwritten and signed by R. Moshe Feinstein, with signatures of five leading rabbis and yeshiva deans in the United States: R. Moshe Feinstein, R. Yaakov Kamenetsky, R. Menachem Mendel Zaks (son-in-law of the Chafetz Chaim), R. Yitzchak Hutner and R. Dovid Lifshitz. New York, 12th Adar 1964.

Addressed to the Torah leaders of Eretz Israel – R. Yechezkel Abramsky, R. Yechezkel Sarna and R. Elazar Menachem Shach – after a meeting of yeshiva deans in the United States where it was decided to attempt to reconcile and reunite the two Peilim organizations which had split, by coordinating their fundraiser and activity schedules.

"…Now regarding the Peilim, although an agreement has already been made, according to what we received from you that currently it is impossible in any way other than having two independent organizations, and we arranged this so that both could work at a pressing time. But afterwards, we the undersigned met; perhaps we can fix things so that it will be done in a peaceful manner, and the best and most correct thing is for them again to be one organization…".

The rabbis write that in their meeting, they decided that the Torah leaders themselves should be the treasurers of the fundraisers in the United States for the benefit of the Peilim in Eretz Israel: "That although each one of us is most occupied, we are forced to also take upon ourselves this great responsibility to be the local treasurers for all the money gathered. And we also ask that you take upon yourselves to be the treasurers in Eretz Israel, and we will send from here to you, and you will dispense the funds as you see fit…".

The rabbis ask the Torah leaders in Eretz Israel to "answer immediately to confirm the acceptance of the treasurer role, and we hope that G-d Who makes peace will bring peace among the Torah-observant and G-d-fearing people… With blessing, peace and success in the work for the sake of heaven".