A long & interesting letter from the famous Gaon Rabbi Shimon Yehuda Hakohen Shkop Rosh Yeshivas Grodno to his friend the Gaon Rabbi Moshe Yitzchak Segal Rosh Yeshiva of Manchester.
Grodno, 1929.
16 Lines fully in his Holy hand & signature.
"Here I was privileged to see when my sefer was published that many and even wise people will ask for it with delight.., to put it in their home, and this week I hope to send it to my friends as well… and I will ask that if you understand that anyone wants to receive a copy to let me know…
And now, I request from my dear friend to join us in the cause of our holy Yeshiva, to try to obtain an entry permit into England for a great Rabbi who desires to benefit our Yeshiva. and as… the Chief Rabbi of Liverpool (Harav Unterman) has tried to do for us twice. And his efforts bore fruit, may Hashem remember him for good."
So you should also do, and may Hashem help you. I hereby write the name of the Rabbi, who is Rabbi Yitzchak Reitzer, a Rabbi in the city of Sieni, district of Suwalki. Please treat him kindly in this matter, and may he have a share in supporting the establishment of our holy Yeshiva."
And similarly, I request in this matter my dear friend, the esteemed Rabbi Silverstein, to endeavor with him in this. Perhaps our friend Rabbi D. Shapiro, may also assist. I will send the seforim to you, please God, this week."
"And hereby, I, your friend, looking out for your well being, & bless you with all the best. Selah.
Shimon Yehuda Hakohen Shkop”.
Reverse with letter of his Son-in-law the wonderful Gaon Rabbi Shraga Feivel Hindis.
He also mentions Rabbi Unterman & requests help for the Yeshiva’s emissary Rabbi Yitzchak Reitzer Rabbi of Seini (Sejny).
10 lines & his signature ‘‘Shraga Feivel Hindis R”m & Menahel of the Yeshiva”.
The famous Gaon Rabbi Shimon Yehuda Hakohein Shkop (1860-1939) was a Rosh Yeshiva ("dean") in the Telshe yeshiva and a renowned Talmudic scholar. He was born in Torez in 1860. At the age of twelve he went to study in the Mir yeshiva, and at fifteen he went to Volozhin yeshiva where he studied six years. His teachers were the Netziv and Rabbi Chaim Soloveitchik, with whom he was very close.
Rabbi Shkop married a niece of Rabbi Eliezer Gordon and in 1885 was appointed to the Telz Yeshiva, where he remained for 18 years until 1903. While there, he developed a system of talmudic study which combined the logical analysis and penetrating insights of Rabbi Chaim Brisker with the simplicity and clarity of Rabbi Naphtali Zevi Yehudah Berlin (the Netziv) and which became known as the "Telz way of learning".
In 1903, he was appointed Rabbi of Moltsh, and in 1907 of Bransk. A famous pupil of his in Moltsh was Rabbi Yechezkel Sarna who studied under him for a year in 1906, before leaving to the Slabodka yeshiva when Rabbi Shkop himself left. During World War I, the communal leaders urged him to leave before the Germans arrived, but he refused and stayed with his community.
Between 1920 and 1939, at the request of Rabbi Chaim Ozer Grodzinski, he succeeded Rabbi Alter Shmuelevitz as Rosh Yeshiva of the renowned Sha’ar HaTorah in Grodno. He raised the level of the institution and transformed it into one of the finest yeshivos in Poland and beyond. Hundreds of young men flocked there from near and far.
He published his classic essay titled Sha’arei Yosher. Rabbi Shkop’s Talmudic novellae are still studied in yeshivos throughout the world today.
Rabbi Shraga Feivel Hindis (1878-1936), eminent son-in-law of Rabbi Shimon Shkop as well as his assistant in managing the yeshiva in Grodno. He himself studied at the Telz and Slobodka Yeshivot and from his youth was world renowned as the "Slutsk Illuy." An outstanding genius and amazing in his ability to produce novellae, he was still a young man when appointed head of the Torat Chesed Yeshiva in Lodz where he taught many disciples. Later, his father-in-law, Rabbi Shimon called him to stand by his side in managing the Brańsk Yeshiva. After Rabbi Shimon moved to Grodno, he called his cherished son-in-law to assist him in managing the yeshiva, in delivering discourses and in managing the yeshiva’s finances.
Upon his arrival in Grodno, new life streamed into the yeshiva and Rabbi Hindis captured the yeshiva students’ hearts. He was beloved by the city residents as well and was active in all areas of education and religion. He served as community activist on behalf of the Charedi sector and Agudat Yisrael and was responsible for the city’s educational institutes, the Talmud Torah and Beit Ya’akov. Beloved by all his acquaintances, Rabbi Shraga Feivel had solid Torah views and understood human nature. Rabbi Chaim Ozer once said that he only knew a few truly original people in the world and Rabbi Shraga Feivel was one of them. He devoted himself to the yeshiva but the dire financial straits of Sha’ar HaTorah weighed upon him heavily to the point it affected his health. He died in Vienna at the age of 58. His death was kept a secret from Rabbi Shimon for several months.
The recipient the Gaon Rabbi Moshe Yitzchak HaLevi Segal (1881-1947), a disciple of the Alter of Novardok. A founder of the Etz Chaim yeshiva in London, he also established the Manchester yeshiva, which he headed for some 35 years.
Tape stains, repaired marginal tears, Letter of Rabbi Hindis with ink smudges, filing holes.
Share this lot:
Lot #194