Bidspirit auction | Sacred Historic Item: Signature from

Sacred Historic Item: Signature from the Leading Wonder-Worker, Rabbi Shlomke of Zvhil - Sacred Historic Item: Signature from the Leading Wonder-Worker, Rabbi Shlomke of Zvhil Rebbe Shlomo Goldman of Zvil (1869-1945) was renowned as a holy, G-dly man, and a wonder-worker whose blessings, prayers and promises never went unanswered. Following his father's passing in 1901, he was appointed rabbi and rebbe in Zvil (Novohrad-Volynskyi, Ukraine; alongside his brother R. Yechiel Michel), upon the instructions of his teacher R. David Moshe of Chortkov. In 1925, he fled from the communists to Poland; immigrating to Eretz Israel in 1926 together with his grandson R. Mordechai. He settled in Jerusalem and built his home in the Beit Yisrael neighborhood. In his first years in Jerusalem, his identity remained hidden. He would sit in a corner of the Chayei Olam yeshiva studying Torah unassumingly, in poverty and want. Several tourists from abroad disclosed ca. 1929 that he was the famous Tzaddik from Zvil. Since then, his fame spread throughout the country, and many began seeking his advice. When asked difficult questions, he would first immerse in a mikvah and only afterwards respond. Many were astounded by the Divine Inspiration his answers displayed. He was venerated by all the Torah leaders of the generation, Chassidic and non-Chassidic alike, who would speak in admiration of his tremendous holiness and his outstanding humility and modesty. Poor, unfortunate, miserable people ate by his table, and treated his home as their own. For the most part, he hid his Torah erudition, though he did on a few occasions disclose his power in Torah. During WWII, when the question of the International Date Line became relevant for the Jewish refugees in Japan, in regard to which day Shabbat and Yom Kippur should be observed, his opinion differed from that of the Chazon Ish, and he stood his grounds firmly. R. Yechiel Michel Tucazinsky relates on this topic: ”It was common knowledge in Jerusalem that several days before the passing of the kabbalist and wonder-worker Rebbe Shlomele of Zvil (who was known as the Zviler Rebbe, and was well versed in the teachings of the Rambam on Kiddush HaChodesh), when he was already gravely ill… he told me… do not pay attention to the lines established by other opinions, since I hold that the calculation is relative to Jerusalem… and I have proofs from the Rambam to this… but it is also clear on its own… One of his disciples, who studied the laws of Kiddush HaChodesh under him told me, that at the time he sent a disciple to the Chazon Ish to inform him that in his opinion, the Rambam in the laws of Kiddush HaChodesh disagrees with the Rezah…” (Talpiot, III, booklet III-IV, p. 639).