A long and special letter from the famous Gaon, Chassid, and Tzaddik, Rabbi Yitzchak HaLevi Horowitz, known as Rabbi Itche Der Matmid, written during his visit to England on a mission on behalf of the Rebbi Rayatz.

London, 1937 – On official letterhead: "Yitzchak HaLevi Horowitz, Representative of the Honorable Rebbe, Shlit”a, of Lubavitch"

"Peace to you and all that is yours,

It has been some time since I wrote a letter to Your Honor before Chag HaShavuot, yet I have not yet received a response. In that letter, I wrote that you should be vigilant in reminding the Rabbi of Newcastle to fulfill his promise. I also wrote that it would be beneficial for you to make an effort to obtain important addresses, so that we could send them letters from here, signed by Cheif Rabbi Dr. Hertz.

Furthermore, if additional funds have been collected for the sacred cause, please make the effort to send them to me here, and also send me the names of those involved in the fundraising efforts. They will then receive a receipt from the Rebbe, Shlit”a, for everything, along with a special blessing for his community—may G-d watch over them—especially for those involved, may they live.

Last week, I came from the city of Manchester. I delivered Chassidic teachings at the yeshiva at the request of his esteemed father, the great Gaon, Shlit”a. I greatly enjoyed my time with his father, Shlit”a, as I spent several hours with him before my departure. I formed an everlasting bond of love and commitment with him, may it never falter, G-d willing.

Please extend my regards to the members of his congregation, may they live, whose appearance and fear of G-d stand vividly before me, just as it was then, so it is now… And particularly to my dear friend, the sharp, sweet, and distinguished Gaon, whose fear of G-d is his treasure, the revered Rabbi Chaim Shmuel Lapin, may he live and succeed in all his matters, Amen, may it be His will.

And I remain,

Your devoted friend, who seeks your peace with great love and eternal brotherhood,

Yitzchak HaLevi Horowitz"

Letters by him are extremely rare! and has never before appeared in a public auction.

Sent to Rabbi Yehuda Segal, Rosh Yeshiva of Manchester, during the lifetime of his father, Rabbi Moshe Yitzchak Segal, Rosh Yeshiva of Manchester.

Rabbi Yitzchak Horowitz (known lovingly as Reb Itche Masmid, Reb Itche, the Diligent Student) was born in 1885 to his father, Shlomo Menachem Mendel and his mother, Elka, in Charson, Ukraine. As a lad, he was already known for his extraordinary diligence in Torah study. His teacher related that he would continue to learn at night even after he, the teacher, would go to sleep. By 1897 Reb Itche was already ordained as a Rabbi. He went to the new Lubavitch Yeshiva, Tomchei Temimim, where he studied only the revealed parts of the Torah. Even when there would be chasidic farbrengens in the yeshiva, Reb Itche would continue with his studies in a different section of the study hall. But after hearing the teachings in the farbrengen, his interest was piqued and he began to participate and to study Chasidut with diligence. In 1928 Reb Itche followed the Sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe, the Rayatz, from Lubavitch in Russia to Riga.

As is known, Reb Itche the Masmid was an exceptional chossid, who even on a regular weekday davened for many hours. Many people were inspired to become closer to the ways of Torah and mitzvos just by observing his conduct. The Frierdiker Rebbe appointed him as a Shadar (his personal emissary).

The role assigned to him by the Rebbe was "to sow spirituality and reap materiality." The mission was twofold: to connect with masses of Jews, visit Jewish communities, speak and gather with them, teach them the ways of serving Hashem, and organize Torah lessons—both in revealed and Chassidic teachings. At the same time, he was to raise funds for the Rebbe’s causes and the many activities he carried out in the United States.

He would study eighteen hours a day. The Chafetz Chaim said about him that if he studied even fifteen minutes less, a Jew somewhere else would convert to another religion.

For a time, during a visit to England in the 1930s, he guided in Chassidic teachings and had a profound influence on Rabbi Eliyahu Dessler, one of the greatest leaders of the Mussar movement.

Rabbi Yehuda Chitrik related the following: Once we were at a farbrengen at the home of Reb Yosef Chen. Some of the participants said to Reb Itche that Reb Yosef needed a blessing, as he had no children. Reb Itche said that he could not help: For once when he was at a farbrengen in Warsaw to raise money for the Rebbe’s enterprises, a childless chasid turned to him and said, “I will give a substantial sum to your cause if you bless me with children.” “We had had a few drinks then, ” Reb Itche explained, “and he got his blessing and was indeed blessed with children. After that, I could no longer go to Warsaw (for people considered Reb Itche a miracle worker). Do you want me not to be able to come here, either?”

Similarly, once Reb Laiser Nanas was next to the Rebbe Rayatz’s room, and he heard Reb Itche Masmid crying before the Rebbe. He related that as part of his mission as a fund-raising emissary for the Rebbe, people come to him to tell him their troubles and he sends their pidyon nefesh (sum of money with a request for a blessing) to the Rebbe. Many times, however, there was not enough time to send the pidyon nefesh immediately, and then he would send it in his thought – as many chasidim did – and most of the time, the salvation would come in the merit of the Rebbe’s blessing. That was all fine and good, but Reb Itche cried that sometimes, the people would credit him with the salvation, instead of the Rebbe.

In response, the Rebbe told Reb Itche a similar story that had taken place with Rebbe Hillel of Paritch. Rebbe Hillel would also travel from town to town to teach chasidut and raise funds for the enterprises of the third Lubavitcher Rebbe, the Tzemach Tzedek. In urgent situations, he would also have to communicate with the Rebbe in thought. He also cried to the Rebbe the Tzemach Tzedek that in many cases, the chasidim credited him with the miracles that occurred.

The Rebbe Rayatz then said to Reb Itche, “To help another Jew, one needs self-sacrifice.”

Reb Itche was murdered by the Nazis when they invaded Riga, on 10 Kislev 1942. The Nazis forced a large group of Jews into the local synagogue and set it ablaze. They forced other Jews to remain outside the synagogue and watch the horrific scene. Eyewitnesses later related that Reb Itche opened the Torah ark in the synagogue, removed the Torah scroll, and said, “We have the great privilege to fulfill the commandment of self-sacrifice to sanctify God’s Name, and we must do it with joy.” He placed one hand on the shoulder of Rabbi Eliyahu Chaim Althaus and the second on the shoulder of Rabbi Yechezkel Feigin (the devoted and loyal secretary of the Rebbe Rayatz) and together they danced, while singing the Hakafos melody of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneerson.

34 X 21 Cm. Filing holes, tape stains, small marginal tears.

Lot #142

Highly Rare Letter from the Renowned Gaon and Chassid, Rabbi Itche Masmid, HY"D, During His Mission in England, With interesting revelations, 1937.

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Highly Rare Letter from the Renowned Gaon and Chassid, Rabbi Itche Masmid, HY"D, During His Mission in England, With interesting revelations, 1937.

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