Certificate of rabbinic ordination for the accomplished young man Rabbi Yehudah Leib Grodzovsky, entirely handwritten and signed by the gaon and tzaddik Rabbi Simchah Zelig Riger, the famous dayan of Brisk (teacher of Rabbi Aharon Leib Steinman). The certificate is stamped with the stamp of the Beit Din of Brisk. Brisk, 1932.
Rabbi Simchah Zelig is more expansive here than is customary, possibly due to the recipient of the certification still being unmarried. Rabbi Simchah Zelig writes as follows, inter alia: “Studied in the Mir and Kaminetz yeshivahs … I have found him to be very successful in his studies, innovative and deliberative … I have also spoken to him in matters of rabbinic instruction and he is very capable and fit to be a rabbinic instructor; he may be relied upon.” Rabbi Simchah Zelig concludes with a blessing: “May he be supremely successful in his Torah ascension, and may Hashem desire his success. May he be a glory to the Jewish people and his banner honorably raised. Signed, Simchah Zelig, moreh tzedek here in Brisk.”
The gaon Rabbi Simchah Zelig Riger [1864-1943] was one of the leading disciples of the Volozhin yeshivah. Rabbi Chaim of Brisk brought him to Brisk especially to serve as an adjudicator and dayan at the Brisk beit din. Rabbi Chaim once said of him: “On the subject of instruction, Rabbi Simchah Zelig is unique in his generation!” It is known that the Brisker Rav almost never cites Later Authorities in his books; however, he quotes the words of Rabbi Simchah Zelig three times, calling him, ‘My friend the Rash”z.’ Even after R’ Chaim of Brisk’s passing and the appointment of his son Rabbi Yitzchak as successor to the city’s rabbinate, Rabbi Simchah Zelig continued in his position and worked together with the rabbi, who admired him to the extreme. Rabbi Simchah Zelig Riger was murdered in the Holocaust together with the rest of the Brisk community in Cheshvan 1942. His known disciples include Rabbi Aharon Leib Steinman; Rabbi Simchah was the one who granted him rabbinic ordination.
[1] leaf paper, approximately 19×12 cm. Entirely handwritten and signed by Rabbi Simchah Zelig Riger. Stamped with the Beit Din of Brisk’s stamp.
Fine condition. Aging stains. Ink smudges. Tear without lack in the center of the leaf. Tiny tear. Placed in a laminate envelope; has not been examined outside the envelope.