Sacred Letter by the Admor Rabbi Shalom Eliezer Halberstam of Ratzfert to His Son-in-Law, the Atzei Chaim
A sacred letter by the Admor Rabbi Shalom Eliezer Halberstam of Ratzfert, son of the Divrei Chaim of Sanz, to his son-in-law, Rabbi Chaim Tzvi Teitelbaum of Sighet, author of the Atzei Chaim.
The letter discusses preparations for the upcoming wedding of his son the Admor Rabbi Chaim Halberstam Hy”d, future Rav of Satmar.
Letters by the Admor of Ratzfert to his son-in-law, Rav Chaim Tzvi Teitelbaum, are exceedingly rare. To date, this letter is unknown.
Rabbi Shalom Eliezer was renowned as a miracle worker whose blessings were fulfilled. Countless stories and anecdotes attest to the power of his awe-inspiring blessings.
The
Admor Rabbi Shalom Eliezer Halberstam of Ratzfert (1862-1944) was one of the younger sons of the Divrei Chaim of Sanz. Although he was born during his father’s latter years, he was still privileged to reap from his bountiful wisdom and sacred ways during his early years of life. Circa 1900, Rabbi Shalom Eliezer relocated from Galicia to Hungary where he was crowned spiritual leader of Sanz chassidim in Hungary. Word of his exceptional humility, piety and righteousness swiftly spread, and for forty years, he drew thousands of avid chassidim to his Holy Court.
During the final months of the Holocaust, he was rounded up along with the Jewish residents of his town and deported to Auschwitz. Shortly before the aktion, he related that his father, the holy Divrei Chaim, had appeared to him in a dream and offered him with the choice of dying al kiddush Hashem or being rescued from the inferno, and he opted to sacrifice his life and sanctify Hashem’s Holy Name. Rabbi Shalom Eliezer Halberstam arrived in Auschwitz on 16 Sivan, 5744 (1944) wearing a kittel and tachrichim beneath his Rabbinical coat.
The present letter discusses preparations for the upcoming wedding of his son. The Admor was in a dire financial situation, and in this letter, he asks his son-in-law to obtain for him a list of donors from Russia who had supported the latter’s father, the Kedushas Yom Tov.
The chosson’s name is not mentioned in the letter, however since Rabbi Shalom Eliezer had only two sons, Rabbi Chaim and Rabbi Meshulam Zusha, it is clear that the letter can only be referring to the wedding of the elder son. The letter mentions the Atzei Chaim’s father, the Kedushas Yom Tov, who passed away in 1906, along with a blessing for his continued health and life, and Rabbi Zusha wasn’t married until 1911.
The letter was handwritten by the Rebbe’s gabbai and concludes with the Rebbe’s request and autograph:
“And please, please, do me this favor… Hak[atan] Shalom Eliezer Halberstam.”
To the best of Genazym’s knowledge, this letter is unknown and was never publicized. It does not appear in either ‘Ateres Chaim’ or ‘Tehillas Chaim’ which are anthologies of letters by the progenitors of the Sanzer dynasty or in ‘Igros Rabbeinu Hakadosh MiRatzfert’.
Ratzfert. Early 1900s, prior to 1904. [1] leaf.
Page Size: 22×14 cm. Personal stamp on the upper right corner.
Condition: Stained and small tear in left corner. All text intact.
