Question regarding names for a divorce document, from the holy gaon Rabbi Mordechai of Korets, father-in-law of Rabbi Yosef of Turchin, son of the holy Chozeh of Lublin. Sent to his cousin, Rabbi Ephraim Zalman Margoliot, the “Beit Ephraim.”
The response to this question appears in the Beit Ephraim , Gittin, siman 109, and it opens with the note that it was addressed to the Korets community. An additional proof of the writer’s identity is the remark in this letter, “I found the custom by those who arranged divorces, also in the times of … Isaac HaKohen ztz”l.” This is a reference to the author of the Brit Kehunat Olam who was Av Beit Din in Korets.
Rabbi Mordechai of Korets was the son of Rabbi Pinchas, Av Beit Din of Kalk, son-in-law of Rabbi Mordechai Margaliot of Brody, grandfather of the Beit Ephraim, so that the correspondents were cousins. He was appointed rabbi in Korets in 1798. He signed many approbations, including ones in which he is addressed with many enthusiastic honorifics. He gave approbations together with prominent disciples of the Besh”t and the Maggid of Mezeritsch to important works such as Ohr Torah , by the Maggid of Mezeritsch; Ohr HaMeir , by Rabbi Zeev of Zhitomir; Kedushat Levi by Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchov.
His only daughter was married to Rabbi Yosef of Turchin, son of the Chozeh of Lublin. (In an approbation to Ohr Pnei Moshe , Rabbi Mordechai mentions a visit to the Chozeh of Lublin: “When I arrived in Lublin to the study hall of the G-dly, holy person, Moreinu Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchak HaLevi, may he live forever …”)
Disciples of the Chozeh of Lublin considered Rabbi Yosef his father’s successor but, he passed away soon after, in 1818.
Rabbi Mordechai passed away on the 13th of Tammuz 1822. In recent years, a new mausoleum has been constructed over his grave in Korets.
[1] leaf, ink on paper, 22×18 cm, 25 lines in his holy hand. Fine-very fine condition. A expert’s authorization of the writer’s identity is included with this lot.