Auction 75
Lot 132:
Special! Letter handwritten and signed by the Admor Rabbi Shlomo Ben Zion Twersky of Chernobyl, also known as the Yanuka – addressed to his Chassidim in Eretz Yisrael – recalling the Pogrom that occurred in Chernobyl – and a request for praying for him and his family members in the holy places of Eretz Yisrael – Kiev, 1924.
These are two items, each one of them most important. 1. The letter with the fascinating content. 2. Kvitel by Rabbeinu detailing the names of his sons, daughters, sons-in-law and their offspring, with special and personal requests for some of the names!!!
Rabbeinu wrote the letter from Kiev, to which he moved after several pogroms occurred during which Jews were murdered by the Ukraines. The letter is addressed to his Chassidim in Eretz Yisrael asking them to inform him how they were after several years in which he could not correspond with them due to the situation in Russia and Ukraine: "להודעני משלומם ומי ומי בחיים(!!!) … לדעת משלום אוהבי היושבים בארץ הקודש כי עברו וחלפו כמה שנים שלא הי’ ביכולתי לבוא בכתובים…". Then the Amor describes what had happened to his family during the pogroms: "ידעו יקירי זה יותר מארבעה שנים אחרי הפאגרם שהי’ אצלנו בטשערנאביל שלקחו כל מה שהי’ אצלנו אך ת"ל וזכות אבותי הק’ זי"ע שנשארו בחיים ופה קיוב שנה ראשונה עברו עלינו…..". He asks his Chassidim to pray for him at the holy places: "כן אבקש שלהתפלל עבורנו במקומם הק’.. לע"ע ירחם ה’ שנתחזק… שלא יעזבנו ד’…".
Special and important!!! – The Admor enclosed with the letter a Kvitel with his name, his wife’s name and the names of his children, son-in-law and their offspring with specfic requests for many of the names for good health, livelihood, etc.
To the best of our knowledge, this Kvitel is the most detailed source for Rabbeinu’s descendants. A unique item for the history of the Chernobyl Admorim!!!
The letter: official stationery. Most of it was handwritten by Rabbeinu; the first lines were apparently written by the Meshamesh Bakodesh.
14.5X22 cm.
Fold lines. Tears. Tape for reinforcememnt was mounted on verso of the letter. Fair-good condition.
The Kvitel:
10X13.5 cm.
Slight wear. Good condition.
The Admor Rabbi Shlomo Ben Zion ben Rabbi Yeshaya Meshulam Zussia of Chernobyl (1870-1940) the son-in-law of Reb Shneur Zalman Chodorov of Berditchev who was the son-in-law of Rabbi Moshe of Orzistchov. Succeeded his father when he was only 13; thus he was known as the Yanuka of Chernobyl. After World War I, he immigrated to the USA yet returned to Russia shortly after due to his revulsion toward the materiality of the USA. Was the in-law of the Admor Rabbi Gedalya Moshe of Zvehil. Approbated the book Tzeror Hachaim – Bilgoray, 1913 and Sefer Tav Yehoshua – Warsaw, 1894.
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