A letter from the Gaon of Tchebin in his final years, after losing his eyesight, may Heaven have mercy

A letter from the Gaon of Tchebin in his final years, after losing his eyesight, may Heaven have mercy

A letter from the final years of the Torah luminary, the Gaon of Tchebin, Maran Rabbi Dov Berish Weidenfeld, written by his attendant and personally signed in his sacred handwriting. 8 Sivan 5724 [1964].

An endorsement letter given on the occasion of the publication of the first volume of the renowned series Sha’arei Zevul by the gaon and kabbalist Rabbi Zevulun Hamburger. The letter was printed in the author's subsequent books.

The letter was written after the Gaon of Tchebin lost his eyesight, may Heaven have mercy. However, out of respect for the recipient—an esteemed Torah scholar at the time [who later became one of the great kabbalists of Jerusalem]—the Gaon of Tchebin made an effort to sign in his own holy handwriting. This effort is evident in his trembling yet entirely clear signature.

[1] sheet of paper, approx. 20x14 cm.

Attached to a larger sheet with a few small pieces of adhesive tape for formatting and printing purposes.

Good to very good condition. Fold mark.

The Gaon Rabbi Dov Berish Weidenfeld [1881-1966], one of the greatest Torah scholars of Galicia, was known as the Sar HaTorah and Posek HaDor. From childhood, he was regarded as an illui (prodigy), yet he refused to accept a rabbinical position and instead engaged in commerce for his livelihood. This continued until the Gaon Rabbi Meir Arik "cursed" him that he would lose all his money and be forced to accept a rabbinical position—and so it was. He was then appointed as Av Beit Din of the city of Tchebin and established an important yeshiva there.

After the Holocaust, in which he lost his sons, who were among the great Torah scholars of Europe, he immigrated to Jerusalem and reestablished his yeshiva, Yeshivat Tchebin. The Gaon of Tchebin was revered by all the great sages of his generation, both Chassidim and Misnagdim. The Admor of Gur, the Imrei Emes, once honored him with an aliyah to the Torah and remarked: "Today, we have honored the Torah itself with an aliyah to the Torah."

In his later years, he lost his eyesight, may Heaven have mercy, and studied with study partners who would read aloud from the books. However, each time they made a mistake in their reading, the Gaon of Tchebin would correct them from his phenomenal memory. (See attached excerpt from the book HaGaon MiTchebin by Rabbi Betzalel Landau).