A letter in the handwriting of the Rebbe and Kabbalist Rabbi Yehuda Zvi Brandwein of Stretin – a request for support from the Ezrat Torah organization in order to marry his daughter to the young man Rabbi Aryeh Leibush Halberstam, son of the Av Beit Din of Zimigrad.
Specifications: [1] official documents paper leaf. 21×28 cm. Tel Aviv, 1944.
Unique Features: A long letter with details of his family ties to the great Chassidic leaders. The Rebbe Rabbi Mordechai Shalom Yosef of Sadigura added a few lines of recommendation in the letter’s margins, in his handwriting and with his signature, part of the signature is torn. His stamp partially appears on the page of the letter, and again on the rear side of the page. The Rebbe of Stretin’s original address, as printed on the leaf, is Jerusalem, and his address in Tel Aviv is written by hand.
Background: The Rebbe Rabbi Yehuda Zvi Brandwein of Stretin, a descendant of Rabbi Zvi Aryeh of Alik, son-in-law of Rabbi Avraham of Stretin. He was born in Safed in 1903. During the First World War he travelled to Hungary and studied from the Rebbe Rabbi Yoel of Satmar. After an year and a half he returned to Jerusalem where he met the Kabbalist Rabbi Yehuda Leib Ashlag, Ba’al HaSulam. He became his primary disciple, and assisted him in editing his works and with his famous commentary on the Zohar. Rabbi Yehuda himself published and edited a 14 volume work of the writings of the Ari with source references and punctuation etc. [refer to Encyclopedia L’Chassidut volume 2 pages 50-51].
Condition: Fine condition with the exception of a blemish at the bottom of the leaf which also damages the signature of the Rebbe Rabbi Mordechai Shalom of Sadigura, filing holes with slight tears around them without damage to text, folding marks in addition to these blemishes.