Auction 19
Lot 214:
A letter from Sunday the Fast of Gedaliah 1964 in the handwriting, with the signature and stamp of the Kabbalist Rabbi Yeshaya Asher Zelig Margaliot. The Kabbalist Rabbi Yeshaya Asher Zelig Margaliot (the Riyaz) (1894-1967) was a Torah scholar from Jerusalem, a Kabbalist and author of many books. Some of his rabbis: his first Rabbis was Rabbi Avraham Simcha Horowitz, the Rebbe of Barnov. His second Rabbi was Rabbi Chaim ShaulHaCohenDweck, in his yeshiva (the RechovotHaNahar Yeshiva) in the Bukharim Neighborhood. A student of Kabbalah. The Riyaz introduced Rabbi Chaim Shaul to the chumashim with the Kabbalist commentary ‘HeichalBracha’ by the Rebbe Rabbi Yitzchak Isaac SafrinKomarno and he wanted to re-publish them, but despite all his efforts was unsuccessful due to the First World War which broke out at that time. In 1925, Rabbi Chaim Shaul sent the Riyaz to Damascus where he prayed at the grave of Rabbi Chaim Vital. The third rabbi of the Riyaz was the ‘Saba Kadisha’ Rabbi Shlomo EliezerAlfrandi. The Riyaz is the one who connected between Rabbi Alfrandi and Rabbi Chaim Elazar Shapira of Munkacs. The Saba Kadisha did not used to shake anyone’s hands apart from the Rebbe of Munkacs and Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld, but on Friday night after the Ma’ariv prayer, when discussing Torah with the Riyaz, until the time for nightfall according to Rabbeinu Tam, he deviated from this custom and extended his hands to the Riyaz. The Riyaz took action to publish Rabbi Alfrandi’s responsa and also published his biography in the introduction to the responsa. The Riyaz was in close contact with the ChazonIsh and corresponded with him. He also corresponded with the Rebbe Rabbi Yoel Teitelbaum of Satmar, with whom he had a close relationship. The Riyaz was deeply connected to Meron and to Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, and would visit his grave several times a year. He celebrated Lag B’Omer as a festival, and wore his festive clothes. He liked the custom of giving a boy his first haircut at the age of three, and cut off the first lock of hair of thousands of boys with his silver scissors which hung on a gold chain around his neck, while the band played "OsherZeligerNiggen" (In Yiddish: the niggun of Asher Zelig, which is known as the Breslov tune to "Moshe Emmet"). Among the books he wrote are several books about Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai and his son Rabbi Elazar. He died on 27th Nissan 1969 and was buried on the Mount of Olives. The letter is on an official letterhead and is in very good condition.
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