Letter of Blessing by the Chafetz Chaim
Radin, 1925
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From Radin to New York
Letter replete with warm blessings from the Chafetz Chaim, to Rabbi Moshe Zevulun Margalies, elder of the American Rabbanim of his time. In this letter, the Chafetz Chaim expresses gratitude for his generous support of the great yeshivah in Radin.
The Chafetz Chaim added with his own pen
“Blessing you with a g’mar chasimah tovah and great success. Yisrael Meir Hakohein.”
The legendary Radin Yeshivah was founded by the Chafetz Chaim in 1869, and he endeavored tirelessly to sustain it attending to its needs and fundraising extensively in order to support his talmidim.
In the margins of the letter there is a personal note from the Chafetz Chaim’s grandson
Rabbi Yehoshua Leib Levinson Hy”d, who was his right-hand man and administrator of the Radin Yeshivah. The latter, who was the only son of the Chafetz Chaim’s son-in-law Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Levinson, was a student of the Kelm Yeshivah, a tzaddik with a noble spirit who guarded his tongue meticulously.
Following his father’s passing in 1921, the Chafetz Chaim assigned him to deliver mussar shiurim in the yeshivah. During the final decade of the Chafetz Chaim’s life, his grandson served him faithfully and assisted him in every realm. He delivered a tearful eulogy at the Chafetz Chaim’s levayah.
With the outbreak of World War II, Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Levinson was exiled along with the talmidim of the yeshiva to Eišiškės, Lithuania and later to the Kovno Ghetto. During these tragic years, he lifted the spirits of the downtrodden Jews, and risked his life to fulfill mitzvos. From Kovno, he was taken to the Dachau where he sacrificed his life al kiddush Hashem. (HaChafetz Chaim U’paalo Vol. 2 pp. 503-509).
Rabbi Yisrael Meir Hakohein Kagan (1839-1933), universally renowned as the Chafetz Chaim after his famous sefer, was one of the last of the Achronim. He was “Rabban shel Yisrael” in every sense of the word. He was regarded as most brilliant, humble and pious among the Achronim, and there are few sages whose legacy impacts the contemporary Torah world as the Chafetz Chaim. His landmark sefarim, including Mishnah Brurah, Chafetz Chaim and Shemiras Halashon are studied universally by young and old, men, women and children alike.
Rabbi Moshe Zevulun Margalies (1851-1937) was one of the great American sages of the 20th century. He was among the founders of Agudath HaRabbonim in America and stood at its helm for many years. Rabbi Margalies served as the primary address for supporting the great yeshivos in Lithuania and maintained close ties with the Chafetz Chaim and Rabbi Chaim Ozer Grodzinski.
Radin, 1925. Chafetz Chaim’s personal stationery. Page size: 27×21 cm. Good condition.
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