Letter of Semicha by Rabbi Bezalel HaCohen of Vilna (Teacher of the Chafetz Chaim) - Eišiškės, 1873

Letter of Semicha by Rabbi Bezalel HaCohen of Vilna (Teacher of the Chafetz Chaim) - Eišiškės, 1873
Letter of rabbinical ordination (semicha), handwritten and signed by R. Bezalel HaCohen of Vilna. Eišiškės, [1873].
Letter of semicha written at R. Bezalel HaCohen's visit to the Kibbutz HaPerushim in the city of Eišiškės. R. Bezalel writes of the glory of the city of Eišiškės replete with Torah scholars and recounts the eminence of the rabbi receiving the ordination: "Upon my passing through the Eišiškės community the glorious city… from its outset it was a haven of Torah which produced great Torah scholars who enlightened a number of holy Jewish communities…". He praises the "recipient of the semicha" R. Chaim Natanson from the city of Pukeliai and writes: "We have found him among all the great Torah scholars who gather there… one of the most excellent there… R. Chaim of Pukeliai and he showed me… his Torah eminence and his admirable novellae on the Talmud and early and later poskim… He is capable of passing judgements and rulings for G-d's People… in kashrut and monetary matters, Yadin Yadin and Yoreh Yoreh according to Torah law and halachic clarity in practice…".
R. Bezalel HaCohen of Vilna (1820-1878), an outstanding rabbi in his times, was known from his childhood as an exceptional prodigy. At his bar-mitzvah meal which was also his marriage feast, he made a siyum upon concluding the entire Talmud and delivered a sermon that amazed all of Vilna's venerable Torah scholars. At the age of 18, the author of Mishkenot Ya'akov sent him his book to review and at 23, he was appointed rabbi in his city, Vilna (abounded with outstanding Torah scholars), and for years he was considered the chief posek and spiritual leader of the Vilna community. Among his renowned disciples were his younger brother R. Shlomo HaCohen of Vilna, author of Cheshek Shlomo and R. Yisrael Meir HaCohen, author of the Chafetz Chaim. He authored the Reshit Bikurim responsa, his glosses Mareh Cohen printed in the Vilna Talmud and in the Vilna Shulchan Aruch, the Minchat Bikurim glosses on the Tosefta, and more.
Recipient of the semicha: R. Chaim Natanson (1838-1903) served as Rabbi of his native city Pukeliai (Northern Lithuania) and from 1879 relocated to serve as Rabbi of Židikai. Authored Siftei Chen (Vilna, 1900) and Divrei Chen (Petrikov, 1904).
[1] leaf, 32 cm. Fair-good condition. Worming on text. Wear to folding marks.