Kedem Auction House in Jerusalem just revealed a historic letter written by the Frierdiker Rebbe that was never publicized until today. The letter, dated Warsaw 1935, was written in response to a letter by the Rosh Yeshivah of Toras Emes Hagaon Harav Shlomo Zalman Havlin (1877-1936) who entreated the Rebbe to ask Hagaon Harav Avraham Yitzchak Hakohein Kook, Israel’s Chief Rabbi, to cease intervening in the yeshivah’s sidrei limud.
In his letter, the Rebbe replied: “I am astonished that you request this of me, as you know very well that I am not one to deliver orders or instructions…If not for the fact that we share a longstanding relationship, I would rebuke you for this.” He also expresses his surprise to the Rosh Yeshivah regarding the unseemly delay in reporting the circumstances to him.
“Harav Kook’s interference in the yeshivah certainly did not occur overnight, so why did you not tell me what was happening? Then I would have known what to choose, and I would have come to a decision about this.”
At the end of his letter, the Rebbe Rayatz expresses that the situation causes him grave distress. “The state of affairs is worrisome, that this conduct forces outside intervention in order to rectify an edifice that was built upon the Holy of Holies.”
In his closing, the Rebbe signed off with the customary, “Yedido hadoresh b’shlomo,” adding the letters בגו”ר, an acronym for ‘b’gashmiyus u’b’ruchniyus, in materialism and spiritualism.’
Another captivating letter revealed by Kedem Auction House was addressed to Rabbi Shlomo Yehuda Leib Eliezerov (Rav Shilo) (1863-1952) regarding the Rayatz’s delayed journey to Eretz Yisrael. “For various reasons, I was compelled to delay my trip to Eretz Hakodesh for a period of time,” he writes. The letter likewise discusses the Rebbe’s son-in-law, the Rashag’s, plans to settle in Eretz Yisrael. “My honored son-in-law Harav Shmaryahu Gurarie and his daughter Basya are planning to settle in Eretz Hakodesh.” (Between 1935-1938, the Rashag dwelled sporadically in the Tel Aviv-Jaffa area.) Later in the letter, the Rebbe delivers his blessing, “And in honor of the New Year…I bless you and your family…with a ksivah vachasimah tovah for a good, sweet new year materially and spiritually.” The letter concludes with the customary, “And I, his friend, who seeks out his welfare,” but adds the words in his handwriting, “and I honor him and bless him.”
Both of these letters, along with dozens of other historical items, shall be up for public auction tomorrow (Tuesday). Another related item is the famous letter written by the Rayatz on the day of his arrival in America, 9 Adar II, 5700 (1940 when he inscribed, “On this day, Tuesday of the week of Tzav, on the ninth of the month of Adar II, we arrived successfully in the Port of New York.” In his letter, he described the honorable delegation of Lubavitcher chassidim and representatives of Jewish American organizations that assembled at the port to welcome their spiritual leader.
Meron Eren, co-owner of Kedem Auction House in Jerusalem, shares: “We were delighted and honored to receive this collection of letters by the Rayatz which were never yet published. Each letter contains fascinating historical content that addresses and regards famous persons and events in the history of Chabad. We are delighted with the privilege to catalogue and handle these priceless items. It’s thanks to these items, and others that have passed through our hands throughout the years, that we’ve become the global center for precious items that once belonged to previous Lubavitcher Rebbes.”
Does anyone know about this? This is the first time I have ever seen something mentioned. Please share more info. Thanks in advance
The letter, lot 43 on Kedem, states
וביתו בתי תחי׳
Which translates to : and his wife (literal: his home), my daughter tichye
https://il.bidspirit.com/ui/lotPage/source/catalog/auction/13082/lot/156873/lot?lang=en
It’s a mistake, if you look inside the letter on auctions website, you will see that it says “Ubeisoy (his wife), Biti (my daughter)” , referring to Rashag’s wife, Chana. I guess someone read “Biti” like Basya