Handwritten & Autographed Teshuvah by the Admor Rabbi Yechezkel Shraga Halberstam of Shinova regarding a Heter Meah Rabbanim. 1894
Newly-revealed handwritten and autographed teshuvah by the Admor Rabbi Yechezkel Shraga Halberstam of Shinova, author of ‘Divrei Yechezkel’, in regard to the “heter meah rabbanim” for a man that his wife refuses to accept a get.
The Divrei Yechezkel’s teshuvah is written on the same page of a teshuvah written by Rabbi Chaim Fried, Av Beis Din of Sanpeter, regarding a woman who had violated the customs of Jewish women and thus halachically required a get but still refused to divorce two years later.
In his teshuvah, the Shinova Rebbe concurs with Rabbi Chaim Fried’s rulings and notes, “I also join this mitzvah of permitting the above man from the shackles of aginus…to marry a woman in addition to [his current wife] through the power authorized by 100 Rabbanim.” He then presents instructions for arranging a “Heter Meah Rabbonim”.
Rabbi Yechezkel wrote and signed his name while he was in Kriynka, located in the region of Sanz.
The Shinova Rebbe was renowned as a miracle-worker and for his efforts to free Jewish men and women from the shackles of aginus.
To this letter the following Rabbonim added their endorsement:
His son, the
Admor Rabbi Moshe Halberstam of Shinova and Sanz and contains 2 of his handwritten lines.
The Admor
Rabbi Avraham Yehoshua Heschel Rabin, Av Beis Din of the Austrian-Hungarian congregation in Tzas. He was a grandson of the Admor Rabbi Asher Yeshaya of Ropshitz.
As well as noted Rabbanim and dayanim from Tzfas:
Rabbi Refael Silberman, Av Beis Din of Tzfas;
Rabbi Yitzchak bar Yisrael, a dayan and
Rav in Tzfas; and
Rabbi Aryeh Meir Landau, Av Beis Din of Teshitash, a talmid of the Divrei Chaim and one of the noted dayanim in Tzfas.
The
Admor Rabbi Yechezkel Shraga of Shinova (1811-1899) was the author of ‘Divrei Yechezkel’ and eldest son of the legendary Admor Rabbi Chaim of Sanz. Rabbi Yechezkel Shraga was crowned Rebbe during his father’s lifetime and drew thousands of chassidim who revered him for his piety, genius and the miracles he engendered for the masses. After his father’s passing, the majority of Gedolim of his era and the ensuing generation flocked to his Court to bask in his holy presence, and he endeavored greatly on behalf of Klal Yisrael and especially the residents of Eretz Yisrael.
The Gaon of Shamloy described in his sefer: “A tzaddik who is the foundation of the world, from whom all the tzaddikim of the generation draw their [wisdom]…From him the bounty of parnassah descends… This is the tzaddik of the generation, the holy elder of whom we said, ‘In his shadow, we shall live.’ The entire world recited after him, ‘He is holy; he is holy, ’ and [after his passing] there remained no one in the generation like him.” (Even Shlomo, Vayechi)
The Admor Moshe Halberstam of Shinova (1843 – 1919) was the son of the holy Shinova Rebbe Rabbi Yechezkel of Shinova. Rabbi Moshe was renowned as a miracle worker and venerated for his exceptional piety and holiness. His father attested that he was “born completely spiritual, ” and his grandfather the Divrei Chaim of Sanz, foresaw an illustrious future for him. Rabbi Moshe succeeded his father as Rav of Shinova until his appointment as Rav of Sanz in 1904. Upon his passing, the Minchas Elazar himself insisted on performing the taharah, and he was buried near his revered grandfather the Divrei Chaim in the Ohel of Sanz.
Rabbi Chaim Fried, Av Beis Din of Santpeter was a great Hungarian sage and a talmid of the Kol Aryeh, Beis Yatozer and Yitav Lev. He married the daughter of Rabbi Yitzchak Glick, author of ‘Yad Yitzchak’. His Torah legacy was eternalized in ‘Nesivei Chaim’ [Bnei Brak, 1908).
The teshuvah authored by Rabbi Chaim Fried is incomplete and missing the beginning.
To the best of Genazym’s knowledge, his letter and the letter of the Shinova Rebbe were never printed.
1894-1896. Page Count: [1] leaf. Page Size: 21×31 cm.
Condition: Fold marks and minor tears, but with all text intact. Old reinforcements.
