“I sign בהר”ב, and here, בהר”ב is missing!”
Lengthy and respectable letter spanning two folio pages [approximately 450 words] handwritten and signed by the Admo”r Rabbi Avraham Weinberg (I), founder of Slonim Chassidut, known as the author of Yessod HaAvodah . Slonim, 1880s.
The letter is addressed to and discusses Slonim Chassidim in Tiberias, including names such as the disciple of the Yessod V’Shoresh HaAvodah, Rabbi Hirsch Michel Shapira, and others. Looking into the letter closely, one can infer that the Rebbe is dealing with a concealed matter with respect to Tiberias. The manuscript has not been closely examined as befits the significance of such a lengthy letter from the author of Yessod HaAvodah . It was revealed for the first time about 150 years after it was written and gives us a final chance to read new things from the Yessod HaAvodah.
It is interesting to note that the Rebbe writes in this letter, inter alia , “I sign בהר”ב, and here, בהר”ב is missing!” and indeed, it is missing. Apparently the Yessod HaAvodah is attempting to prove that a certain letter that was published in his name was actually fraudulent, and the proof is that he did not write his name with the conclusion ‘בהר”ב.’ What is interesting is that in the letter here as well, the Rebbe signs using only his first name, “Avraham, ” without בהר”ב…
Refer to the Hebrew catalog text for a brief biography of Rabbi Avraham Weinberg, the first Admo”r of Slonim, author of Yessod HaAvodah.
As his teachers did, the Yessod HaAvodah considered the mitzvah of settling the Land of Israel as important, and he headed the Reisin Kollel. In a rare step, he sent three of his grandsons to ascend to the Land of Israel at the age of 13 during the period of 1870-1874. Because, he said, “A time of terrible concealment will come …” He wanted to plant some of his community in the Land of Israel so that there would be someone around whom to consolidate. His Chassidim consider this step to have been Divine inspiration, as in this way he assured himself a legacy. Most of the Chassidim were killed in the Holocaust, and this group in the Land of Israel rehabilitated Chassidut in the Land of Israel. One of the grandsons he sent to the Land was Rabbi Noach Weinberg, father of the Admo”r of Slonim, Rabbi Avraham Weinberg (III), father-in-law of the Admo”r Rabbi Shalom Noach Berzovsky of Slonim, father of the Admo”r shlit”a of Slonim.
[1] leaf divided into [2] leaves, 13×15 cm each. [Approximately 450 words handwritten and signed by the Yessod HaAvodah.]
Fine condition. The script is slightly faded. The letter has been professionally restored with damage to individual words.