Letter (about 7 lines) handwritten and signed by the Brisker Rav, R. Yitzchak Ze'ev Soloveitchik – on a letter addressed to his friend R. Yechezkel Abramsky in London. [Eretz Israel, ca. summer-fall 1950].

Written on leaf 2 of a letter signed by R. Avraham Yitzchak Winkelstein of Haifa, administrator of the Achiezer institution for educating children of refugees in immigrant camps. In his letter, R. Winkelstein mentions that R. Sorotzkin introduced them during a visit a year and a half earlier [R. Abramsky's first visit to Eretz Israel was in Nisan 1949, hence the present letter is to be dated to the latter half of 1950].
In the margins of the letter, the Brisker Rav adds seven lines in his handwriting, warmly commending the work of Achiezer in Haifa to save the immigrants' children from spiritual damage.
The Brisker Rav concludes with a blessing and his signature.

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, even during 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.

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. Fair-good condition. Stains and folding marks. Marginal open tears (not affecting text).