Sacred Letter from the
Chasam Sofer
Pressburg 1837
‘May Hashem have mercy on us and quickly bring us home from exile’
Autographed and Handwritten Letter
By the Holy Chassam Sofer
Regarding Fundraising
Following The Terrible Earthquake in Tzfat
Important letter completely handwritten and signed in the holy hands of the Chasam Sofer – Rabbi Moshe Sofer Ab”d of Pressburg. In this letter, the Chasam Sofer determines which communities the emissary from Tzfas, Rabbi Samchon can fundraise for.
In the letter the Chasam Sofer confirms the authenticity of the emissary’s documents based on his recognition of the signatures of
Rabbi Yisroel Mishklov and
Rabbi Gershon [Margolios], ‘which are well known to me’.
The letter’s background:
Following the great earthquake that struck Safed in 1837, Rabbi Moshe Samhon, who was one of the sages of Morocco and immigrated to Tiberias and was already in Europe at the time, was asked to act and raise funds for the residents of Safed, most of whose houses were destroyed and residents were left homeless and destitute.
During his travels, he came to Perssburg to the Chasam Sofer’s house to ask for his help. The Chasam Sofer confirmed that Rabbi Samchon showed him documents proclaiming he was a designated emissary to raise funds on behalf of the Sephardim and the Ashkenazim communities in Tzfas. The Chasam Sofer writes that he can confirm the document’s authenticity from the signatures of the Gaon Rabbi Yisrael Shklov and Morenu R’ Gershon [Margaliot] which are familiar to him.
However, the Chasam Sofer writes in the letter that shortly after he left, the Chasam Sofer received another letter from the Ashkenazic community, stating that other emissaries were appointed for fundraising on behalf of the Ashkenazi congregation in Tzfas. Therefore the Chasam Sofer concluded that although he is familiar with the signatures of the above-mentioned Rabbis he can only endorse Rabbi Simchon as an emissary of the Sephardic community ‘and it is appropriate to have mercy on him’, ‘however from the Ashkenazi charity I could not testify in his support’.
Aside from the Chasam Sofer being preoccupied with leading the Rabbinate of Pressburg, Heading and teaching Torah in the Yeshivah of Pressburg, and corresponding halachic responses to all over the world, he also put tremendous effort into assisting and supporting the poor living in Eretz Yisroel. He strongly encouraged those who support and assist in this great mitzvah. This letter testifies to his well-known efforts for the poor in Eretz Yisroel.
The Chasam Sofer delivered a profound eulogy for the deceased in the terrible earthquake in Tzfat and called out to help theTzfat residents and the emissaries sent from Tzefas. (see Derashos Chasam Sofer p. 389b-390b).
This letter was sent to the city of Trieste in Italy, to the Gvir Ya’akov Minerbi and Rabbi Yehuda Brandiburg (see about him, Ishim Betshuvas Chasam Sofer, O. 207 and Otzros Hasfer, 15, p. 3)
The Gaon Rabbi Yisroel mentioned in the letter – is the renowned Rabbi Yisroel of Shklov famed talmid of the Vilna Gaon and author of the Peas Hashulchan and Taklin Chadtin. The Chassam Sofer had close ties with him and wrote a Haskama to his sefer Peas Hashulchan (Tzfas 1834) and delivered a eulogy upon his passing in 1839 (Derashos Chassam Sofer p. 370b )
The Moreinu Rabbi Gershon mentioned in the letter – is Rabbi Gershon of Margaliot Ab”d of Skalit who immigrated to Tzfat and was one of the leaders of the Chassidic community there, he was a student of the ‘Beer Maim Chaim’ and mechutan of the Admor Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev and the son-in-law of Rabbi Levi Yisochar Ber of Zlotshuv – author of Mevaser Tzedek and Bas Eini. In the year 1833, he printed the Sefer Thilim in Tzfas with commentary from the Zohar.
See more about Rabbi Moshe ben Samchon and his emissary, in Shluchei Eretz Yisrael yari p. 644, the fact of his being in Perssburg is not mentioned there or in other sources and is known only according to this letter. On the verso of the page there are 3 lines in his handwriting about sending the letter to Italy.
The letter was printed for the first time in Kovetz Otzros Hasefer 31 (2021) p. 9 but with errors and omissions, based on a copy of the letter (as mentioned there) and not according to this original letter.
Pressburg 1837 entirely in his holy handwriting with his sacred signature, a few stains and slight damage on the margins only.
Provenance: collection of Mr. Yehoshua Neustein. Riverdale
– Bronx, New York
The Unparalleled Segulos of the Chasam Sofer’s Handwriting
A Segulah for Yiras Shamayim
Maharam Banet expressed that a mere glance at the sacred writing of the Chasam Sofer is segulah for yiras Shamayim. It is told that Maharam Banet once received a handwritten teshuvah from the Chasam Sofer and spent a great deal of time perusing it. When his students asked if the letter perplexed him, he replied, “No, but I am delving into this teshuvah, since the mere sight of his sacred writing increases fear of heaven.” (Drashos Chasam Sofer, Preface, p. 6)
The Admor Rabbi Yoel of Satmar similarly expressed that seeing the handwriting of the Chasam Sofer can lead one to attain fear of heaven.
A Segulah for Protection
It is known that the Chasam Sofer’s family members and descendants would safeguard his letters and writings as a segulah for protection and security, affirming that they are auspicious for protection from trial or tribulation. Whenever his son Rabbi Shimon Sofer, Av Beis Din of Cracow, faced the Austrian Parliament, he would remove a letter written from his father from his breast pocket and carefully peruse it before rendering his decision.
A Segulah for Health and Recovery
The Daas Sofer would instruct sick patients to place a handwritten letter of the Chasam Sofer beneath their pillow as a segulah for health and recovery. (Beis Sofrim p. 173)
A Segulah for Easy Childbirth
The Chasam Sofer’s family would also place a handwritten letter by the Chasam Sofer beneath the head of a woman in the throes of difficult labor as a segulah for swift and safe childbirth. (Shu”t Shevet Halevi Vol. 6 Ch. 162 #2)
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