Important historic-Chassidic document, unlike any other
“Vigorous protest” – extremely sharp polemic letter, typewritten and signed in print by all the elders and prominent members of Karlin Chassidism, and with an original stamp from the Chassidut’s institutions in Jerusalem. Jerusalem, Tammuz, 1944.
The crème de la crème of Karlin Chassidut signed this shocking letter, including many gedolei tzaddikei Yerushalayim. The fury of Karlin Chassidim was aroused by Rabbi Moshe Holzberg, also known as Rabbi Moshe Rosh-Piner, due to his opening another yeshivah for Karlin Chassidim. Karlin Chassidim used extremely harsh words against him, too sharp to even transcribe here when discussing a gaon and tzaddik of such stature, and certainly when they are written by gedolim and tzaddikim [scoundrel, destroyer, sinner, sower of dissent].
In order to be able to read some of the expressions written by the righteous of Jerusalem about Rabbi Moshe Rosh Piner, with the extreme zealousness for their sacred rebbe, we will quote some of the expressions of admiration gedolei hador wrote about him (in approbations to his sefer , Imrei Moshe ): The Admo”r of Bobov: “He is the one who holds the yoke of Torah … and has been privileged to raise upright disciples … This is the Torah Moshe put before them; his nights were like days … Solidly engraved in their souls, and the level of his love and devotion to Torah study influences them for a very long time.” The gaon Rabbi Moshe Sternbach: “The wondrous gaon, the rosh yeshivah of Karlin, Rabbi Moshe Tzvi Holzberg, known as Rabbi Moshe of Rosh Pinah … I remember the days that we met almost daily; he was like an overflowing spring of wonderful insights”; The gaon Rabbi Ya’akov Chanoch HaKohen Schwadron: “Sharp and expert in all realms of Torah – pilpul , sharpness, pshat-remez-drush , halachah and aggadah, the written Torah, the oral Torah, all of which was immediately accessible in his mind, the sharp gaon Rabbi Moshe Holzberg, known as Rosh Piner, who served as our rosh yeshivah for many years [the yeshivah’s eyes are raised to the letter …] where he shares pearls of drush and iyun , and we have been privileged to hear buds and flowers of lofty concepts, presented with sweetness such that all his listeners, young and old, would gather in anticipation of his words at every opportunity; as they was like cold water poured on a parched soul.
The reason for the sharpness in this letter is the tremendous zealousness of the Chassidim for their most sacred Admo”r Rabbi Avraham Elimelech of Karlin, described in the letter as “the light of our eyes, the delight of our life, the Admo”r, shlit”a” who they wish, with all their hearts “to soon see here in our Holy Land.” When the letter was written, the Chassidim did not yet known that the sacred Rebbe was already tragically no longer alive (!); he had been murdered by the Nazis half a year earlier, but in the midst of the Holocaust, this sad news had not yet reached the Land of Israel.
[1] leaf paper, printed on one side. 33×21 cm. The letter is signed (in print) by 51 prominent members and elders of the Karlin Chassidic community in Jerusalem. Original stamps at the bottom of the Chassidut’s two synagogues in Jerusalem – “Beit Aharon” in the Old City, and “Beit Yisrael” in the Beit Yisrael neighborhood.
Fine condition. Fold marks. Filing perforations. Light creases and tears. Artistically restored letter.