WHO SAVED THE YOUNG CHOFETZ CHAIM FROM BEING DRAWN TO THE MASKILIM?
Letter from the Leaders of the Vilna Community Addressed to the Leaders of Jerusalem; 1850
Letter from Rabbi Chaim Nachman Parness and Rabbi Zalman Zev, presidents of the Eretz Yisrael charity in Vilna, addressed to the leaders of the Ashkenazic community in Jerusalem, Rabbi Yosef Zundle Salant; Rabbi Yeshaya Bardakey; and Rabbi David Tabli of London.
These signatories served as the presidents of Vilna’s Eretz Yisrael charity fund, and all monies collected for Eretz Yisrael throughout Lithuania passed through their hands.
This letter was written by the renowned Vilna scribe, Rabbi Avraham David Strassen. The final signature belongs to him.
Rabbi Chaim Nachman Parnas (circa 1749-1854) was a prominent Torah leader and the son-in-law of Rabbi Ephraim Zalman Margolis, author of Beis Ephraim. Following his wife’s passing, he relocated to Vilna where he served as president of the Eretz Yisrael charity. He was the teacher of many great Torah scholars, including the Chofetz Chaim.
The Chofetz Chaim related that Rabbi Chaim Nachman served as his mentor during those trying times in Vilna, saving him from the clutches of the Enlightenment.
Rabbi Zalman Zev was the son of Rabbi Yechezkel Faivel who was the Maggid of Vilna. He served first as ab”d in Dretschin and later followed his father, becoming a renowned speaker. He served as a borer in the Volozhin Yeshiva in 1854. He authored Avoda Tamah and Mussar V’Da’as on Rambam.
Dated Vilna, 1850.
