מכתב מרבי יוסף זונדל הוטנר אב"ד דרעטשין ואיישישוק

A letter on Torah matters and rabbinical affairs, from the Gaon Rabbi Yosef Zundel Hutner. Dreczin, 5647 (1887). The letter was sent to his brother-in-law, the renowned Gaon Rabbi Hayyim Aryeh Leib Rotenberg-Mishkovski, Av Beit Din of Stavisk (5596–5658), among the celebrated gaonim and righteous men of Lithuania. The letter opens with a halakhic discussion concerning the question of treifot relating to sinews. The letter then continues with a recommendation for securing a rabbinical position for "my dear brother, cherished as my own soul, the great Rabbi renowned for his acuity and erudition, a profound thinker possessed of sound reasoning and a noble spirit, our master Rabbi Avraham Yaakov, may he live." Rabbi Yosef Zundel Hutner (5606–5679), among the foremost gaonim of Lithuania. He studied in havruta for several years with Rabbi Meir Simha HaKohen; when the rabbinate of his native city of Dvinsk was offered to Rabbi Yosef Zundel, he feared that the burden of a rabbinate in a large city would interfere with his learning, and passed the offer to his colleague, the author of the Or Sameah. From 5641 he served as rabbi of Dreczin, and from 5657 as Av Beit Din and Rosh Metivta of Eishyshok. He authored the works collectively titled Hevel Yosef [the collective title of his celebrated works on the four sections of the Shulhan Arukh: Ulam HaMishpat, Hadrei Da'ah, Ginzei Hayyim, and Hukei HaEzra]. His father-in-law was Rabbi Avraham Kretschmer, the emissary of the Volozhin Yeshiva, who was also the father-in-law of the letter's recipient, Rabbi Hayyim Leib of Stavisk. He was revered as a holy man by the author of the Hafetz Hayyim, who would regularly send to him people who came seeking counsel and salvation, saying that "he is a great tzaddik — travel to him and he will pray on your behalf." Well known is the story that the Hafetz Hayyim sent him a special messenger to receive his blessing, and the messenger, not understanding its import, was apprehensive about conveying the blessing of Rabbi Yosef Zundel, who had blessed the Hafetz Hayyim that he should merit to walk barefoot and carry stones — meaning that he should merit to serve as High Priest, bearing the stones of the Hoshen and walking barefoot in the Temple service. When the Hafetz Hayyim heard the blessing, he said that even one part of it would suffice him — namely, that he might merit to serve in the Temple as an ordinary priest. The Hafetz Hayyim also sought his approbation for his work Likkutei Halakhot. 2 pages, 21 cm. More than 20 lines in his handwriting, with his signature. Fair condition. Tears and wear. Mounted on paper. Staining.