Handwritten and signed letter with words of Torah from Rabbi Chaim Mordechai Roller – 1946, written in his final years, just before his passing.
Halachic discussion on the topic of “almanah v’ger lo t’onen,” wherein the rabbi describes at length the caution one must use when dealing with orphans and widows, and the great obligation to support them – to tithe one’s salary every week and to give it specifically to them, and the mitzvah to search for their merit in judgement, as a covenant has been established (supporting) them. Along the entire length of the letter, the rabbi’s caution and fear in judging a widow’s judgement is recognizable, lest he, Heaven forbid, cause damage. [‘How can I get into the thick of it’ etc.]
Rabbi Chaim Mordechai Roller [ 1868-1946] was rabbi of Targo Niametz for about fifty years. Author of Shu”t Be’er Mordechai and Shu”t HaRashbi”d . Descendant of Rabbi Naftali Katz and the Maharal of Prague, a chassid of Rabbi David Moshe Friedman of Tchortkov and Rabbi Yitzchak Friedman of Bohosh. Known for his holy conduct – most of the day he learned Torah wearing a tallit and Rabbeinu Tam tefillin. He learned kabblah every Shabbat from midnight to dawn. It is told that he went to find a minyan during a pogrom when he chanced upon a gang who attacked him and he was miraculously saved. Following this, he printed his book Barchi Nafshi . He immigrated to Palestine in Tammuz 1946 and settled in Jerusalem. Rabbi Eliezer Zusha of Skulin said of him, “Almost none as great as him in Torah and mitzvas are to be found in many lands.” The “Roller” synagogue in Ashkelon and the Vizhnitz chassidut’s “Be’er Chaim Mordechai” Talmud Torah in Bnei Brak were established in his memory. He dealt a lot with freeing agunas, after the Holocaust he freed Rabbi Meir Arik’s daughter, Gittel. His short compilation, Kuntress Be’er Chaim Mordechai was used in many cases of freeing agunas following the Holocaust.
[1] leaf, written on both sides. 30×21 cm. Fold marks. Fine condition.