Bidspirit auction | Two letters from the genius

Two letters from the genius Rabbi Chaim Dov Kantor - to Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Kook, and Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld ”to save the neighborhood of Zichron Ya'akov” - and even public prayer on Holy Days is about to be canceled, God forbid - Two letters from the genius Rabbi Chaim Dov Kantor - to Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Kook, and Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld ”to save the neighborhood of Zichron Ya'akov” - and even public prayer on Holy Days is about to be canceled, God forbid Historical background Rabbi Chaim Dov Cantor was one of the fascinating figures that were active in the Land of Israel. Rabbi Chaim Dov grew up in Meah She'arim and was educated at the Talmud Torah of the ”Churvah” synagogue and later at the ”Etz Chaim” Yeshiva. He married Esther Spector, the niece of Rabbi Yitzchak Alchanan Spector of Kovna, who was considered an outstanding rabbi of the generation and was a leading supporter of ”Chovevei Zion”. Due to Rabbi Yitzchak Elachanan's connections with the Baron Rothschild, Rabbi Chaim Dov received the position of Shochet in Ekron-Mazkeret Batya. In 1903, after the establishment of the Moshava Meir Shefya near Zochron Ya'akov, Rabbi Chaim Dov asked the officials of the Baron to help him move to the Moshava where he will be able to work the land himself and ”Torah and Avodah will be his simultaneously” as he said. The officials of the Baron agreed, and Rabbi Chaim Dov moved to Shefya and became a supporting pillar of the Moshava for dozens of years. The Moshava Shefya was a secondary settlement of Zichron Ya'akov and its farmers earned their living from growing grapes for the winery of Zichron Ya'akov. As indicated by the notepad before us, Rabbi Chaim Dov was also one of these farmers. In addition, he agreed to serve in all the religious positions of Shefya and the complete area, which is also indicated by the notepad. Rabbi Cantor's personality and activity Rabbi Chaim Dov's unique figure - the Jerusalemite Yeshiva student who worked a s a farmer in the Moshava - became a household name in the Land of Israel of the early 20th century. The admiration towards the ”Peasant Rabbi” as he was titled increased when it became known that unlike many other peasant, he employed only Jewish workers in his fields and spoke only Hebrew, rather than Yiddish, with them. Moreover, he tirelessly acted for the workers' rights in the Moshava and the winery of Zichron Ya'akov. He won the admiration of the many pioneers who had worked with them (including David Ben Gurion and the leaders of the ”Ha'Shomer” movement). In addition to his agricultural and Zionist activity, Rabbi Chaim Dov made many efforts to promote the observation of Mitzvot in the settlements. He travelled to the settlements in order to conduct Brit Milah, served as a Shochet, Ba'al Toke'ah, Chazan and Posek. Within this framework, he used to consult with Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Ha'Cohen Kook on various matters. After World War I, Rabbi Chaim Dov joined the ”Ha'Mizrachi” Movement and even served as its representative in the Elected Assembly. He died in Jerusalem in 1944.