Handwritten Invitation Letter from the Ksav Sofer for his Daughter’s Wedding
Pressburg, 1869
An invitation letter in the handwriting of Rabbi Avraham Shmuel Binyamin Sofer, Av Beis Din of Pressburg and author of ‘Ksav Sofer’, for the wedding of his youngest daughter Roiza, named after the righteous mother of the Chasam Sofer.
The invitation was sent to Rabbi Menachem Mendel Paneth, of Deyzh, the ‘Ma’aglei Tzedek’.
These world-renowned Torah giants and tzaddikim knew each other from when the Rav of Deyzh was a close student of the Chasam Sofer in the Yeshiva Gedola in Pressburg.
The names of the bride and groom are not mentioned, but based on the date, this appears to be the wedding of the Ksav Sofer’s youngest daughter, the learned Rebbetzin Roiza, named after the righteous mother of the Chasam Sofer. She married her father’s beloved student Rabbi Yitzchak Tzvi Frey of Szerdahely, and their son was Rabbi Meir Leib Frey, Rabbi of Suran.
On the reverse side of the page are 21 lines of Chiddushei Torah in the holy handwriting of Rabbi Menachem Mendel on matters of ‘Breirah’.
The Ksav Sofer writes:
"To my beloved friend, the great Rabbi Menachem Mendel, Rav of Deyzh. After inquiring about your welfare, I hereby share with you our joy, as the time has come for the wedding of my daughter with my student who is like my son… on Tuesday, 15 Sivan of the coming year, God willing. I know you will rejoice in our joy, and how wonderful it would be if you could possibly join us on the appointed day…"
Their grandson Rabbi Yitzchak Tzvi Frey, son of the above Rabbi Meir Leib, told about the amazing fact that all descendants named after the bride and groom survived the Holocaust.
The Ksav Sofer, Harav Avraham Shmuel Binyamin Sofer (1815-1873) succeeded his father, the venerable Chasam Sofer, as Av Beis Din and Rosh Yeshiva of Pressburg, at just 24 years of age.
For the next 33 years, the Pressburg Yeshiva thrived, expanded and flourished under his talented leadership, cultivating generations of Rabbanim who spread Torah wisdom and fear of heaven throughout Hungary.
At the end of his life, when his illness overcame him, the Chasam Sofer placed his hands upon the head of his son the Ksav Sofer and blessed him upon his appointment to the rabbinate of Pressburg. He said: “Your grandfather Rabbi Akiva is on your right, your grandfather Rabbi Shmuel Schotten Katz is on your left, and an angel is over your head, and also I shall follow you and fulfill your words.” The Ksav Sofer later expressed that at the time the Chasam Sofer’s hands were upon his head it felt like a blazing fire.
Rabbi Shimon Sofer, Av Beis Din of Cracow, wrote in his introduction to ‘Shu”t Ksav Sofer’: "He stepped into our father’s shoes completely, and did not deviate one iota from his ways… His glow enveloped him the whole day, and his ruach hakodesh lived on within him. The Hand of Hashem was known in all his deeds, for Moshe placed his hand upon him, and all his character traits were our father’s elevated character traits – his Torah, his righteousness, his modesty and his leadership."
Rabbi Menachem Mendel Paneth, Rav of Deyzh (1817-1884) was among the leading Rebbes of his generation and an important halachic authority in Transylvania. He was the son of the Mareh Yechezkel and a prized disciple of the Chasam Sofer, in whose yeshiva he studied for five years. After his marriage, he relocated to Oheli where he formed a close relationship with the Yismach Moshe. He served as Av Beis Din of Deyzh and led a large yeshiva for thirty-five years, which produced prominent Torah leaders. He authored many sefarim, including the well-known ‘Shu"t Ma’aglei Tzedek’ on Torah.
Pressburg, 1869.
Size: 23 x 14 cm.
Condition: Good
The letter was printed in the pamphlet ‘Vehaya Bracha’ (London 1992) p. 9 (without the holy Rav of Deyzh’s writings).
