Historic Letter by the Nesivos Shalom of Slonim. Baranowicz, 1933
Stirring, expressive handwritten letter by the Admor Harav Shalom Noach Barzovsky of Slonim to his future brother-in-law Harav Zelig Weinberg, son of the Birkas Avraham of Slonim.
In this letter, the Nesivos Shalom describes his excitement and anticipation pending his imminent journey to the holy land of Eretz Yisrael where he would be counted amongst the Chevraa Kaddisha in Teveria. He likewise describes the difficulty of parting from his family and friends “and above all, the Rebbe shlit”a.” back in his hometown of Baranowicz.Toward the end of the letter, he relays the latest news occuring within the Holy Court of Slonim and of the collective visit to the kever of the Beis Avraham on his first yahrtzeit.
Letters from this period in the Nesivos Shalom’s life are extremely rare.
Years later, the Torah world would acknowledge that the Nesivos Shalom’s voyage to Eretz Yisrael at this stage in history was a heaven-sent gift, enabling him to re-establish and rebuild the Slonim Chassidus after the Holocaust inferno.
In 1942, when rumors of the terrible atrocities and bloodshed in Europe reached Eretz Yisrael, the Nesivos Shalom expressed tragically, “If we cannot save their bodies, let us save their spirits!” With that, he embarked on the mission of rebuilding Slonim Institutions in Eretz Yisrael.
The Nesivos Shalom of Slonim (1911-2000) was one of the illustrious Rebbes of the past generation. A son-in-law of Harav Avraham of Slonim, author of the Birkas Avraham, he rebuilt the Slonimer Chassidus after the Holocaust, founding numerous yeshivos and Torah institutions. He also served as Nasi of Chinuch Atzmai in Eretz Yisrael and a member of Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of Agudas Yisrael. His popular series Nesivos Shalom is regarded as a foundational work in Chassidic philosophy and chinuch and is studied in depth around the world.
Baranowicz, 11 Kislev, 5634 [November 29, 1933]. Double-sided letter handwritten on his father’s stationery. Slight omission of text on the fold mark.
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