Letter with Four Signatures of R. Reuven HaLevi Rabbi of Denenburg (Dvinsk) Author of Rosh LaReuveni - Tishrei, 1879

Letter with Four Signatures of R. Reuven HaLevi Rabbi of Denenburg (Dvinsk) Author of Rosh LaReuveni - Tishrei, 1879
Letter handwritten and signed by R. "Aryeh Leib son of R. Reuven HaLevi Levin". Denenburg (Dvinsk, present day: Daugavpils, Latvia). Tishrei, 1879. On the second leaf of the letter: nine lines handwritten by his father R. Reuven HaLevi, with four signatures of R. Reuven: "Reuven HaLevi residing in Denaburg"; and "the abovementioned Reuven" - three times. In the letter addressed to his friend R. Yaakov Rabinowitz of Rozhinoy (Ruzhany, son of R. Mordechai Gimpel Jaffe), R. Aryeh Leib describes their acclimation to Denenburg (Dvinsk), where his father began serving as rabbi. He mentions his anticipation to hear good tidings from his friend "…so may he inform us only good news with Mazal Tov shortly, since I heard that the matter is very close and G-d is hurrying to implement it… and from the depth of my heart I bless him with a good year, with a good and joyous final sealing, and all good things…". On the verso of the leaf, R. Reuven HaLevi writes: "I also inquire of the wellbeing of my friend the young, astute and diligent Torah scholar, Yaakov of Rozhinoy, may G-d accord him a good sealing in general… the words I spoke on his behalf, and I heard that he has decided to conclude this match, and in my opinion it is a fitting match, since she is an only daughter, and I heard that she is perfect, may G-d grant him only good… Reuven HaLevi residing here, Denaburg". R. Reuven then sends regards to three different people, each signed with his signature: "the abovementioned Reuven". The first regards are addressed to the rabbi "the great Torah scholar of your camp", the second to "R. Refael and the mashgiach R. Shimon", and the third to a relative, the young student "and if my sister's grandson from Ilya is studying there, please send him regards and ask him to study diligently. The abovementioned Reuven". R. Reuven HaLevi Levi Rabbi of Denenburg (1815-1887). Leading Lithuanian Torah scholar. Close disciple of R. Aryeh Leib Shapiro Rabbi of Smorgon and Kovno. In his youth, he was already considered a foremost Torah scholar of the generation, with his profound understanding and original novellae plumbing the depth of Talmudic topics. He served as rabbi in various cities: Ilya, Ivyanets, Omtchislav (Mstsislaw) and others. In 1879, he was appointed rabbi of the Ashkenazi community in Dvinsk (then named Dinaburg, Denenburg). Ranked amongst the leading Torah scholars of the generation, he was regularly summoned to meetings of foremost Torah scholars with R. Yitzchak Elchanan, and his opinion on current matters was weighed with serious consideration by all Lithuanian rabbis. In 1879, he was appointed by Lithuanian Torah leaders as one of the three rabbis who would advise on matters of religion and Halacha, at the rabbi's convention in St Petersburg (together with R. Lipa of Mir and R. Eliyahu Eliezer of Vilna). Thanks to his lobbying, the government recognized the Orthodox rabbinate's absolute authority over divorce and marriage in the Jewish community. His book Rosh LaReuveni was printed many years following his passing, and contains only a small part of his brilliant novellae, which at the time stirred the world of Torah erudition in Lithuania. Recipient of the letter: R. Yaakov Rabinowitz Jaffe (d. 1919), son of R. Mordechai Gimpel Jaffe Rabbi of Rozhinoy. While living in Luchin (Ludza), he taught the young prodigy student Avraham Yitzchak Kook. He was a prominent Torah scholar, and his opinion was influential regarding rabbinical appointments in his region, yet he himself did not serve in the rabbinate. [1] double leaf (2 written pages). 22.5 cm. Fair-good condition. Wear and tears. Tape repairs.