“It was finished and appointed to me to leave the leadership…in the hands of my brother Rabbi Moshe Betzalel shlita”. Original copy of the will of the Imrei Emet, written by the gabbay Rabbi Shammai Ginzburg and distributed to the Admor’s followers after his death on Shavuot in 1948.
The will is composed of three sections: the first, main section, was written in 1936 when the Imrei Emet visited Jerusalem and includes mussar and various instructions. The Admor adheres to his famous humility,
asking followers to forgive him for anything he might have done to them, and then he asks that his brother Rabbi Moshe Betzalel be appointed Admor in his stead. This section was written of course before the Shoah, when Rav Moshe Betzalel would unfortunately perish.
The second section, written in 1941, states “All of this was written before the scandals, but when a new face comes in, I hand over the leadership to my son M. Israel Shay”. He also orders that his writings be burnt(!) and only those approved by his son the Admor Beis Yisrael should be preserved.
He also warns against harassing any chassidim who decide to move on to other Chassidic groups (rather than remain).
The third section has condolences in Yiddish given to the gabbay.
23x29cm. Creases, good condition.
