The rescue letter
Historic-Torah letter, sacred and important unlike any other, from the renowned gaon Rabbi Baruch Ber Leibowitz, one of the spiritual giants of Lithuania, rosh yeshivah of Beit Yitzchak in Kaminetz and one of the progenitors of the yeshivish method of study. The letter deals with the rescue of the glory of the Kaminetz yeshivah, the gaon and tzaddik Rabbi Moshe Schwab, author of Me’archei Lev , later among the gedolei hador , who served as mashgiach ruchani of the Gateshead yeshivah in England. Kaminetz, just before the Holocaust, 17 Iyyar 1938.
Most letters from the Birkat Shmuel were written by the secretary, but this letter, due to the critical importance of the subject and the greatness of the addressee (both issues addressed in the content of the Birkat Shmuel’s letter), includes a rare addition [approximately 38 words!] with huge blessings handwritten by Rabbi Baruch Ber, and with his full signature!
Background to the letter: In 1938, right before the outbreak of the world war, the Polish government decided to deport all German citizens from Kaminetz, which was within its boundaries. Rabbi Moshe Schwab, one of the yeshivah’s prize students was a German citizen, hence required to comply with the deportation. Rabbi Baruch Ber describes his situation, “He is in deeply distressed.” (This distress ended up benefiting him, though, when he took this letter with him to England, where he survived. Most of his fellows at the yeshivah were martyred, may Hashem avenge their blood.) Rabbi Baruch Ber mentions the prominence of this disciple of his in this letter, “He devotes himself to Torah and fear of Heaven. He is most precious to us, exalted in his fear of Heaven and his good character.”
The Birkat Shmuel then adds another four lines in his hand, with lofty blessings that were fulfilled. “For our sharp and in-depth disciple, Moshe Schwab of Frankfurt am Main, who is destined for greatness, G-d willing.” Rabbi Moshe Schwab was only twenty-one years old at the time, but Rabbi Baruch Ber already anticipated what would become of him, and he eventually became one of the gedolei hador . Rabbi Baruch Ber then added important blessings, “May he be blessed with all blessing and success, and may he merit seeing the ultimate redemption and the coming of Mashiach, sincerely … Baruch Dov Leibowitz.”
Aside from the Birkat Shmuel being one of the leading rashei yeshivot of his generation in reason and depth, he was also the leading disciple and recorder of the lessons by the gaon Rabbi Chaim of Brisk – founder of the yeshivish study method. His sefer , Birkat Shmuel , is considered one of the most important fundamental yeshivish sefarim , used as a milestone and a cornerstone of understanding the depths of the sugyot to this very day. Rabbi Baruch was also known for his sacred conduct – uncharacteristic of other Lithuanian geonim , for his blessings and devotion to his rabbi, almost like a Chassidic Admo”r [due to his Admo”r-like conduct, there was a legend that Rabbi Baruch Ber’s name was given by his father for his birth between the 18th and 19th of Kislev. Given that the 18th of Kislev is the yahrtzeit of the Admo”r Rabbi Baruch of Mezhibuzh, and the 19th of Kislev is the yahrtzeit of the maggid Rabbi Dov Ber of Mezeritch, his father named him after these two tzaddikim – Baruch Ber. This legend has never been verified.]
It is important to note what is written in the introduction to the first part of Me’archei Lev – Rabbi Moshe Schwab’s series of sefarim , about the wonder enacted for him after his arrival with this letter to his parents’ home – they had already relocated to London. It says there: “Rabbeinu arrived in London when the enemy planes were carrying death-bombs over the capital city. When the sky darkened, an air-raid siren sounded indicating that the citizens should descend into the shelters. His elderly parents refused to go down, as they did not have the strength to bring their things with them to the shelter. Rabbeinu carried all the household goods on his back and put all his parents’ things in the shelter and arranged them comfortably, until his parents finally got down and bombs were already dropping on the city. A short time later, a bomb fell on the building over their shelter and destroyed part of the building, and their home was badly damaged. Yet his parents and their property were saved in their son’s merit, he who suddenly arrived from the camp, and he even managed to convince them to go down to the shelter, and he saved their possessions!” This letter was also saved (or perhaps it was the reason for the rescue) then, this very letter.
Refer to the Hebrew catalog text for brief biographies of the gaon Rabbi Baruch Ber Leibowitz and the gaon and tzaddik Rabbi Moshe Schwab .
[1] leaf paper, 27 cm. High-quality paper with watermarks. Official stationery. The first part is written by the secretary and the second part [five lines] is handwritten and signed by the Birkat Shmuel.
Fine condition. Fold marks. Professional restoration along the vertical fold.