“May it be His Will that the angel Raphael be present at the operation tomorrow and bring about a complete healing and may Hashem enact a great miracle”
Lengthy letter [over 120 words], used as a real amulet, with names of angels and wondrous unequivocal promises, entirely handwritten and signed by the renowned wonder-worker, the wondrous Rabbi Itzikel of Pshevorsk – one of the leading Admo”rim of his generation. Antwerp, 1960s.
In all the letters by the wondrous tzaddik Rabbi Itzikel of Pshevorsk, there are concealed matters, such as the acrostic ‘Love’ [‘אהבה’] at the top of his letters. But the letter before us was written as a real amulet, and it would not be an exaggeration to say that of all the letters (few in number, it must be said) ever presented at auction – this letter is the most wondrous, and it is evident that Rabbi Itzikel wrote it as a real amulet! (Although in his special Chassidic way, he would hide his heavenly greatness in earthly attire.)
This letter was written for a distinguished Jew in Strasbourg, France, who was about to undergo a complicated operation. Rabbi Itzikel, at the beginning of his letter – which opens, as expected, with the acrostic ‘Ahavah’ – sends his blessing for a complete recovery as in the rest of his letters: “May our Father in heaven send a complete recovery quickly.” Rabbi Itzikel then cites a story from the great maggid of Mezeritch, and following the story, Rabbi Itzikel writes chilling sentence, which is no less than the oath by angels used in amulets: “May it be His Will that the angel Raphael be present at the operation tomorrow and bring about a complete healing and may Hashem enact a great miracle so that [name of patient] shall be healed and study our holy Torah in his eyes and will be the glory of Heaven …” And Rabbi Itzikel concludes the letter – an amulet with his special signature: “The youth Moshe Yitzchak, grandson of the rabbi of the entire Jewish people, Rabbi Elimelech [of Lizhensk] …” The mention of his name in writing by his righteous grandson has the power to enact miracles.
At the letter’s conclusion, Rabbi Itzikel sends regards to the renowned rabbi of Strassbourg, the gaon Rabbi David Horowitz (later a member of the Bada”tz in Jerusalem): “May he be blessed by the Source of all blessing, with a life of spiritual and material satisfaction among the Jewish people.” As such, aside from being an amulet for healing, this letter also contains blessings for material and spiritual success.
The Admo”r Rabbi Moshe Yitzchak Gewirtzman – Rabbi Itzkel of Pshevorsk [1882-1977] was the leading Admo”r in Europe and a leading Admo”r of his generation. He established the Pshevorsk Chassidic court and was the first Admo”r in Antwerp, Belgium. He was a fifth-generation descendant of Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk, as mentioned in his signature here. (The renowned story regarding the splitting water in Rabbi Elimelech’s goblet on Seder night was with Rabbi Itzikel’s grandmother – granddaughter of Rabbi Elimelech. She herself told this story to Rabbi Itzikel.) He was known for his sanctity, his asceticism and his righteous deeds. Jews flocked to him from around the world for blessing and salvation. Wonders and Divine inspiration were standard in his court, just as with ancient tzaddikim. People sought by the law who could not leave the country were known to have received a compilation – Zemirot Shabbat – that was the same size as a passport, and cross through airports throughout the world with no delay whatsoever by the authorities.
[1] postcard, 10×15 cm. Official stationery.
Very fine condition.