Important Letter Handwritten by the Admo"r, the Divrei Shmuel of Slonim, to his Sacred Father

Important Letter Handwritten by the Admo"r, the Divrei Shmuel of Slonim, to his Sacred Father

"I mentioned [you] today to the tzaddik for a complete recovery"

Rare family letter with important content. Entirely handwritten and signed by the second Admo"r of the Slonim dynasty, the sacred Rabbi Shmuel Weinberg. Sent to "My dear father and mother ..." Usiatyn, Monday of parashat VaYechi [c. late 1840s].

The letter is addressed to the Mahara"sh's mother and father, the tzaddik Rabbi Yechiel Michel Aharon, only son of the Yessod HaAvodah of Slonim, known for his immense humility, who refused to lead the people. The leadership fell to his son, the Mahara"sh, while he was still a young avreich of about thirty years old. Admo"rim of Slonim over the generations have been known to express their astonishment at the degree of his humility. Due to the refusal of the tzaddik Rabbi Yechiel Michel Aharon to accept the leadership, Rabbi Avraham HaMalach - who was one of his primary followers - said about the Yessod HaAvodah: "Rabbis and other fine Jews will yet arise, but there will never be another like him."

In his letter, the Mahara"sh discusses his mother's health; the letter reveals his extreme distress over her ill health. He expresses his desire to come see his parents, but at present "I am forcibly delayed." The rebbe writes to his mother, "I mentioned [you] today to the tzaddik for a complete recovery." According to the location it was written, "Usiatyn" - this is apparently referring to the sacred Rebbe, Rabbi Mordechai Shraga Feivush of Husiatyn (patriarch of the Husiatyn dynasty, son of the sacred Rabbi Yisrael Friedman of Ruzhin) who was followed by the Mahara"sh of Slonim.

Later on in the letter, the Mahara"sh of Slonim tells his parents about what is happening with him, his fine state of health - so that they don't worry about him: "With respect to my health, baruch Hashem, I am fulfilling the commandment to guard it closely, eating meat every day and sleeping the amount required for me, and baruch Hashem, all is well ..."

It is known that manuscripts by Admo"rim over the generations are used as tried-and-true amulets for all types of salvation. How much more so a letter about healing from the Mahara"sh of Slonim - one of the leading Admo"rim of the generations, dealing with both his mother's recovery and his own health.

Refer to the Hebrew catalog text for brief biographies of the Admo"r Rabbi Shmuel Weinberg and of the addressee, his father, the tzaddik, Rabbi Yechiel Michel Aharon Weinberg.

[1] leaf, 14x22 cm. The entire letter is handwritten and signed by the Mahara"sh of Slonim.

Fine condition. Fold marks. Aging stains. Tiny tears in the folds and in the margins.