Letter (23 lines), handwritten and signed by the kabbalist R. Shlomo Elyashov, author of Leshem Shevo VeAchlamah. Šiauliai (Lithuania), Iyar 1893.

Addressed to his friend and relative, R. Shraga Meir Leizerovitz of Kelm, regarding his young son Shmuel Shalom Leizerovitz, who departed to study Torah in Šiauliai: "…I address you since your dear son Mr. Shmuel Shalom is now studying here in Šiauliai, and he is, thank G-d, very close to his relative R. Eliezer Leizerovitz and R. Leibchik regarding his necessities, and he hired one of the extraordinary rabbis studying Torah in the Landkremer Kloiz for a salary of 15 silver rubles for this summer, and thank G-d he is studying diligently and behaving well and justly, garnering the admiration of those who fear G-d for being wise beyond his years. I too love him heart and soul, as he customarily visits me too (today is his bar mitzvah, Mazal Tov, may G-d have him grow with a good reputation and eternal blessing)…".

He goes on to ask him to send his son tuition money: "Now he asked me to write to you to see to send him fifteen silver rubles for tuition, and although it is hard for me to write about this to you, because I know that if G-d had granted you some means of getting money you would certainly have sent it to your poor wife and family, so why should I distress you, G-d forbid, by asking for this? But your son importuned me and due to my great love for him I couldn't send him back emptyhanded, so I came to remind you about this. If perhaps G-d will allow you to support him with this tuition, please make every effort to send it to him, because he will certainly bear fruit in his studies. And as for his mother, your wife, you know well that she has no ability whatsoever to send him the above sum. And so your son's eyes are dependent only on his father, and all of us on our Father in heaven to have pity on His people and declare our troubles enough, and provide enough to sustain every single person sufficiently, for you along with the rest of the Jewish people, to provide His holy assistance and raise your pride higher and higher, as is your pure desire and mine, your devoted friend, your relative, Shlomo Elyashov".

In the margins of the letter, he writes: "When G-d grants you to send the above sum, you can send it to my address, Shlomo Elyashov, Šiauliai – peace to you forever".

R. Shlomo Elyashov (Elyashiv; 1851-1926), a leading kabbalist in Lithuania – "the divine kabbalist, master of secrets, unique in his generation…" (as his disciple R. Aryeh Levin described him in the title page of the biography he authored), born in Žagarė (northern Lithuania), married the daughter of R. David Fein of Šiauliai and moved there. He studied in the yeshivas of Telshe, Kelm and the region, where he became close to the senior kabbalists of the tradition of the Vilna Gaon and R. Yitzchak Eizik Chaver, who deemed him fit to be instructed in kabbalistic secrets.

R. Shlomo became renowned at a young age for his proficiency in kabbalah, and he arranged for printing most of the kabbalistic writings of the Vilna Gaon. His glosses on Etz Chaim were printed in the Warsaw 1891 edition under the name "SheVaCh" (Shlomo ben Chaikel). His series of books on Kabbalah, Leshem Shevo VeAchlamah, were published in 1909-1948, and are considered fundamental works on the study of Kabbalah. His books and writings were composed amidst much holiness and purity (he reputedly also used the "adjuration of the pen"). He entertained a close relationship with the Chafetz Chaim, who visited him in his home in Šiauliai and Gomel several times (the Chafetz Chaim once spent a Shabbat with him in Šiauliai, and on that occasion, the women of the family ate the meals in a different room; see letter of R. Tzvi Ferber, Yeshurun, V, p. 663, no. 6). The Chafetz Chaim urged his disciple R. Eliyahu Dushnitzer to go visit the Leshem, saying that in this world one may still merit to see him, while in the World to Come, his place will be in the highest spheres, and we will be far from him.

During World War I, the Leshem fled from Šiauliai to Gomel (Ukraine; present-day Belarus), along with his daughter and son-in-law R. Avraham Levinson-Elyashiv who served as rabbi and posek in Gomel (1878-1943; in his visa to Eretz Israel he changed his name to match that of his father-in-law), and their only son, Yosef Shalom (1910-2012, who later became famous as a leading posek of our times). In 1924 they immigrated to Jerusalem together. Upon their arrival, he was greeted by the leading Sephardi and Ashkenazi kabbalists, notably R. Shaul Dweck (dean of the Rechovot HaNahar yeshiva), who had corresponded with him over the years, the disciples of the Ben Ish Chai who had heard of R. Shlomo's greatness from their master, and Chief Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook (who was his disciple in kabbalah while still in Šiauliai).

The recipient of the letter: R. Shraga Meir Leizerovitz (1840-1929) was a native of Kelm (Kelmė). He was a pious person and a kabbalist, close to R. Leibele, the Chassid of Kelm. He was a childhood friend and intimate associate of the foremost kabbalists of Lithuania (the Leshem, R. Aryeh Leib Lipkin of Kretinga, R. Aharon Shlomo Maharil, R. Yitzchak Meltzan and others) and of the leading disciples of R. Yisrael Salanter. He arrived in England in the early 1890s, where he served for many years as rabbi of the Talmud society. In his later years he immigrated to

[1] leaf. 21 cm. Fair-good condition. Dark stains. Wear and creases. Minor marginal tears.