A rare early handwritten letter from Maran HaGaon HaRav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, to one of Jerusalem’s kabbalists

A rare early handwritten letter from Maran HaGaon HaRav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, to one of Jerusalem’s kabbalists

A letter in the holy handwriting and signature of the Rosh Golat Ariel, the great gaon Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv. Sent to his friend, the Jerusalemite kabbalist, the holy gaon Rabbi Zevulun Hamburger, author of Sha'arei Zevul. Jerusalem, 16 Cheshvan 5728 [1968].

The letter was sent in 1968 on the occasion of the publication of Sha'arei Zevul on Tractate Bava Kama and was printed in subsequent editions of the book.

One of the early letters of Rabbi Elyashiv, written when he was 58 years old, at the time serving as a dayan in the Great Rabbinical Court—about 45 years before his passing.

At the bottom of the letter, the well-known scrupulousness of Rabbi Elyashiv in matters of monetary law is evident. He was known to always attach payment for a book, even when it was sent to him for an approbation.

[1] sheet of paper, 24x17 cm. Official letterhead.

Very fine condition. Fold marks.

Maran Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv [1910-2012], grandson of the holy kabbalist, author of Leshem Shevo V'Achlama. Already in his childhood (before his bar mitzvah!), he merited to transcribe portions of the third volume of Leshem Shevo V'Achlama from the holy mouth of his grandfather, who refers to him in his work with the exalted title: "Fortunate is she who bore him."

For over seventy years, Rabbi Elyashiv was among the greatest halachic decisors, renowned for his immense diligence and deep, fundamental mastery of all areas of Torah, enabling him to rule on any matter with absolute clarity from within the sugya. In later years, he became the foremost posek of the generation, and in the last twenty years of his life, he led the Torah world in Israel and abroad.

The recipient, the great gaon and kabbalist Rabbi Zevulun Hamburger [1942-2019], was known in Jerusalem for his exceptional righteousness and ability to discern a person's traits and actions through a brief observation of their facial features and palm lines.

He published 14 volumes of Sha'arei Zevul, containing novel insights, explanations, and precious gems on both peshat and drush across all areas of Torah, in both the revealed and mystical realms.

At the end of Tevet, he claimed to have been struck by an ayin hara and sought the intervention of kabbalists to remove it so that he would not suffer harm. A month later, he passed away.