Auction 74

Letter handwritten and signed by Rabbi Raanan, son-in-law of the Ra’aya Kook, a recommendation for the rabbi Sa’adiya Kohelet. 1962.

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Handwritten letter on official letterhead of the Yeshivat Merkaz HaRav, signed as well by the gaon Rabbi Shalom Natan Raanan. Addressed to “Kemo”r HaGahatz Shlita”(?).

He writes a recommendation for rabbi Sa’adiya Kohelet, who came with an irusin and has a need to be accepted into the Kollel “Ateret Yosef” under Rabbi Rapaport in Tel Aviv since his wife works in education there. “And I am sure that the recommendation of Kemo”r will be received without any question, and that is as it should be since he (the bachur) is very excellent and he is extremely studious and I of course recommend him that his burden might be lessened. With all respect and admiration.” Handwritten signature at the end. 21x16cm. Creases, with the envelope, overall good condition.

Rabbi Shalom Natan Raanan (1900-1972) was the son of Yaakov Eliezer Raanan-Hirshowitz. He was son-in-law of Rabbi Avraham Yitzhak HaKohen Kook, a graduate of the Ponevezh yeshiva in Lithuania under Rabbi Yosef Shlomo Kahneman, and Slobodka. Following the order of his father-in-law, he succeeded him in offering a sicha at Seudah Shlishit at the yeshiva when Rav Kook was absent from Jerusalem.

After Rav Kook passed away in 1935, management of the yeshiva fell to him, and he served also as Ram there. He lived in the Rabbi’s home. His shiurim were shorter than was commonly accepted at the time and were said in an almost summary fashion. Even when he was sick he would come to the yeshiva to give his shiur.