Lengthy, important and interesting letter handwritten and signed by ‘the mashgiach’ Rabbi Yechezkel Levenstein to his friend, the rosh yeshivah of Ponovezh, Rabbi Shmuel Rozovsky. Bnei Brak, 1956.
The letter was written against the backdrop of the request that Rabbi Rozovsky leave the Ponovezh yeshivah for about a year to be appointed a dayan in the chief rabbinical court. The mashgiach Rabbi Yechezkel dissuaded him from this, because dissemination of Torah is the highest value. In this letter, the mashgiach thanks him for responding favorably to him, and not leaving his position at the yeshivah. The mashgiach adds, with his renowned instinct for self-criticism, “and I ask myself how I do not feel such a great matter, which is the principle reason for man’s creation.” The mashgiach’s intention is that Rabbi Rozovsky’s leaving the yeshivah would have caused a desecration of G-d’s name: “How great the disgrace of this change would have been.”
Rabbi Yechezkel (R’ Chatzkel) Levenstein [1885-1974] was one of the great mussar leaders. He served as spiritual dean of the following yeshivahs: Mir, Lomza, and Ponovezh. He was a disciple of: the author of Chafetz Chaim , Rabbi Yerucham Levovitz, Rabbi Nachum Ze’ev Ziv (son of the Alter of Kelm) and of Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Broide. He benefited very little from this (material) world. He fasted more than he ate, and his gaunt body held up only thanks to the gentle soul within. Rabbi Shach said of him: “Don’t think that before the World War there were many people like him, even during that great generation, he was one of the very few!” During his eulogy for him, he said, “The mashgiach was the greatest servant of Hash-m I saw my whole life.”
[1] leaf paper, 25 cm. Entirely handwritten and signed by Rabbi Levenstein; fine condition. Fold marks. Tiny tears in the folds, without lack.