“May Hashem send her a complete recovery … May Hashem send healing … May Hashem quickly send her a complete recovery among the ill of the Jewish people” (from the blessings of the Chiddushei HaRi”m)
Rare and lengthy Chassidic letter [approximately 180 words!] the likes of which has never been seen at auction. Entirely handwritten and signed in full, with his name and his mother’s name, by the leading Admo”r of Poland, the gaon Rabbi Yitzchak Meir Alter of Gur, author of Chiddushei HaRi”m . Warsaw, 1865.
The letter was sent as a kvittel to the elder Admo”r of his generation, the sacred Rabbi Ya’akov Aryeh of Radzymin, known in his generation as a sacred wonder-worker. Aside from the many blessings for recovery, this letter is loaded with sacred historic details about the founding patriarchs of the Gur dynasty and their pure spouses.
In this rare letter, written in the final year of the Chiddushei HaRi”m’s life, the Rebbe writes unusually openly to the Admo”r of Radzymin, his close friend from their days as followers of the Rebbe Reb Bunim of Peshischa, about his most personal experiences and feelings: “I am growing old, and the burden of my home is becoming difficult for me”; regarding his pure wife Rebbetzin Faigah’s tremendous pain: “She is a very upstanding woman and has done many good deeds”; about the challenges of raising the orphans of his deceased son Rabbi Avraham Mordechai, who were being raised in their home by the Chiddushei HaRi”m and his Rebbetzin: “I cannot raise my late son’s orphans without her”; about his grandson, R’ Leibeleh, later the ‘Sefat Emet’ of Gur, whose wife Rebbetzin Rivkah Yocheved had been ill for over a year. Chilling and exciting!
Rare and extremely important Chassidic content appears later on in this letter – a Chassidic-theological question grappled with by many fine people. In this letter, we observe as the rabbinic leader of Poland, the Chiddushei HaRi”m himself, contends with this question – is it proper to suffice with praying and being mentioned by tzaddikim, without consulting doctors, which is what the Rebbetzin desires, or are they required to pursue natural cures and become occupied with doctors? The Chiddushei HaRi”m signs with his name and his mother’s name in the margins of this important and rare letter: “Yitzchak Meir ben Chayah Sarah, ” as is customary for tzaddikim.
Refer to the Hebrew catalog text for brief biographies of the writer, the Admo”r Rabbi Yitzchak Meir Alter – founder of Gur Chassidism, and the addressee, the Admo”r Rabbi Ya’akov Aryeh Gutterman , founder of Radzymin Chassidism.
[1] double leaf paper, 21×17 cm – approximately 180 words handwritten and signed by the Chiddushei HaRi”m. The recipient’s address appears on the back, approximately 20 words in the Rebbe’s hand, with wax marks. This letter was printed in the book Meir Einei HaGolah .
Fine-very fine condition. Light tears in the folds, professionally restored without damage to the text. Magnificent new leather binding.