Sacred letter with historic content containing a sharp halachic ruling about the charity boxes distributed in people’s homes, from the Admo”r Rabbi Yisrael Shalom Yosef Hager of Otinya, sent to the gaon Rabbi Meshulam Roth, av beit din of Shatz, author of Kol Mevaser . Otinya, c. 1935. Letters from him are rare.
In his letter, the Otinya Rebbe explains the foundation of the ‘Tzedakat Rabi Meir Ba’al HaNes’ fund established by ” Rishonim who were like angels – the Ramba”n, and after him, the Beit Yosef, and all of his sacred people and those who followed them, our rabbis, the disciples of the Ba’al Shem Tov … these boxes in all Jewish homes rebuilt the ruins of Jerusalem, and the other sacred cities from the days of the Ramba”n, because when the Ramba”n arrived in the Holy Land, there were almost no Jews there, as is known from Iggeret HaRamba”n .”
As such, the rebbe of Otinya rules – and aside from his being an Admo”r to thousands, he was known as a gaon and posek who, aside from Kupat Rebi Meir Ba’al HaNes , no other charity is allowed to distribute charity boxes for homes: “And it is forbidden for any charity organization or yeshivah to collect donations by placement of boxes … and from that time on, our rabbis have enacted this restriction in their cities. It is a stringent matter, to avoid infringing on the right of this charity established by the Ramba”n …” [It is interesting to consider whether this prohibition applies in our days as well, as this prohibition is not known to have been cancelled.]
The sacred rebbe of Otinya, famed for his sanctity and wonders, and his blessings that were never left unfulfilled, blesses as follows in this letter, partially in his script: “May the merit of these kedoshim [the Ramban, the Beit Yosef and the Besh”t], the merit of the many and the merit of the Holy Land to grant salvation in all [your] heart’s desires for the good and may [you] merit to see the return of Hashem’s people speedily in our days”; “May [you] be blessed and may [you] achieve double Heavenly reward.”
Refer to the Hebrew catalog text for a brief biography of the Admo”r Rabbi Yisrael Shalom Yosef Hager of Otinya, and of the addressee, the gaon Rabbi Meshulam Roth .
[1] leaf paper, 22×28 cm. Some of the letter is in the Admo”r’s scribe’s beautiful penmanship, and it bears approximately [8] lines at the beginning and end of the letter in the Rebbe’s own script, with his signature.
Fine condition. Aging stains. Fold marks, minimal tears in the margins without damage to the text.