“The Jewish Sages…are the foundations of the House of Israel.”
Rav Chaim Brisker’s perspective regarding the sacred role of Gedolei Yisrael in transmitting the Torah and mesorah.
Historic Handwritten Letter by Rabbi Chaim Soloveitchik and His Essay on the Role of the Jewish Rabbinate, Handwritten by His Son the Brisker Rav
1. Letter by Rabbi Chaim HaLevi Soloveitchik, Av Beis Din of Brisk.
2. Comprehensive essay by Rabbi Chaim HaLevi Soloveitchik on the role of Rabbanim in Klal Yisrael handwritten by his son and successor Rabbi Yitzchak Zev HaLevi Soloveitchik, the Brisker Rav.
Rav Chaim Brisker’s long letter is essentially a foundational essay on the fundamentals of preserving Judaism, in which Rabbi Chaim Soloveitchik outlines the important role the rabbi carries in transmitting the ‘Daas Torah’ – both the written and transmitted tradition in its pure and unaltered form to future generations.
“The concept of the Jewish Rabbinate, ” writes Rav Chaim Brisker, “is foundational in the building of a Jewish home, in all that applies to preserving the faith of our holy Torah…” “The opinion and outlook” of the Rav , “serve as a beacon to the entire nation.”
“And this has stood faithfully for Am Yisrael…safeguarding the faith of our holy Torah…and all their actions were [intended] to reinforce the Jewish home with fear of Hashem and diligence in Torah…They established Torah institutions and transmitted [the Torah] from generation to generation…”
However, “…it is now over one hundred years that there have been [spiritual] breaches among Yisrael in the name of the Haskalah, and scholars who were not crowned with the wisdom of Torah rose among the nation…” which effected a spiritual degeneration of Klal Yisrael “from generation to generation, and all Torah institutions and fortresses were slowly but surely ravaged…Yisrael was corrupted and destroyed. Testimony to this is the many countries whose majority of [Jewish] residents is ignorant of Torah…and they have no [bond] with our holy Torah.”
Rav Chaim Brisker proves this with a historical perspective, stating that in the communities whose “sages were fearful of the word of Hashem, ” they… sustained and established their communities with Torah institutions, and they established the foundations of Jewish homes”, in contrast to the enlightened rabbis who were "empty of fear of God and His Torah – and with them, their communities became distanced.’"
"Therefore, Rabbi Chaim asserts that ‘the selection of a rabbi who is great in Torah, God-fearing, and stringent in his observance of each and every aspect of Torah is a matter of ‘life and death’ for the future of Klal Yisrael.
This letter was sent to Rabbi Yitzchak Eizik Halevi, author of ‘Doros HaRishonim’ who coordinated the Rabbinical campaign to support the election of a Rav in Constantinople who would adhere to the pure mandates of Torah and halachah.
In his letter, Rav Chaim Brisker writes that he is attaching an additional letter to the voting party— the present essay handwritten by his son, the Brisker Rav, and he entreats Rabbi Yitzchak Eisik Halevi to dispatch this essay personally to each and every Rabbi.
Historical background to the letter:
When the winds of the Enlightenment began blowing throughout Europe, one of the first objectives of the liberal movements was to dismantle the institution of the traditional Rabbinate, eradicate Torah institutions that held fast to uncompromising religious observance, and replace both with “enlightened” Rabbis who would support their modern ways and institutions. During this era, Eretz Yisrael was under the control of the Ottoman Empire whose axis was in Constantinople.
Ottoman authorities traditionally bequeathed the Chief Rabbi of Constantinople, known as Chacham Bashi, a wide scope of authorities and privileges that powerfully influenced and impacted Jewish communities throughout the vast Empire. In particular, the Chacham Bashi was able to facilitate the needs of the Jewish community in Eretz Yisrael and represent them to the authorities. Also included in the Chacham Bashi’s powers was the appointment of new Rabbis in the Holy Land.
In 1909, progressive Jews exerted their influence in the Ottoman court to depose the Chacham Bashi, Rabbi Moshe Halevi, and campaigned strongly to appoint Chaim Nahum in his stead. Nahum was an Alliance and university graduate of Parisian schools.
Gedolei Yisrael of the era regarded his appointment as a severe blow to tradition, as well as a grave threat to the spiritual future of Eretz Yisrael. They waged a fierce battle to oppose the new Chacham Bashi and preserve the religious character of the Holy Land and of Jerusalem in particular.
Spearheading this spiritual battle was Rabbi Yitzchak Eisik Halevi (1848-1914), author of ‘Doros Rishonim’, to whom this letter was addressed.
For extensive information regarding the battle waged by Gedolei Yisrael, see Rabbi David Kamenetzky’s work ‘Rabban shel Yisrael’ (Jerusalem, 2021 Ch. 14).
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