The firm and famous letter of the Rebbe HaRayatz regarding the rules of the 'Torat Emet' Yeshiva - signed. The letter was sent to Rabbi Kook to warn him that he would not do anything to change the orders at the 'Torat Emet' yeshiva that was located in the Old City of Jerusalem at that time. Sent from his residence in Warsaw, Iyar 17, 1935. The letter is printed on a typewriter on the official stationery of the Rayatz, signed by his holy hand "Yosef Yitzchak", plus a few words in his handwriting.
In his letter, the Rebbe HaRayatz addresses Rabbi Kook with extreme honorary degrees: "The honor of the well-known and famous Rabbi Gaon for glory and honor within the geniuses of Jacob in all parts of the world and parts of the country ... Morenu Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak HaCohen Shlit'a". In those days, Rabbi Kook served as the Chief Rabbi of Eretz Israel. It was about three months before his death, and an attempt was made by Rabbi Kook and his court to establish new orders at the Chabad 'Torat Emet' yeshiva (see below) That some of its rabbis in those days were disciples of Rabbi Kook. The Reich hears about this and immediately sends him a firm letter demanding that he not make any changes in the yeshiva order, Which was established by him and which was constantly under his constant supervision: "I do not yet know the details of this, and surely Kvod Torato shlita will write to me the reason which brought him to it, and which in the opinion of the his honor shlit'a to offer change in the yeshiva rules ..." , And demands from Rabbi Kook that he do nothing until he receives (the Rayatz) detailed letters from the yeshiva directors, the geniuses Rabbi Hablin and Rabbi Eliezerov: "will not do anything ... regarding the Yeshiva Torat Emet, until my answer is accepted about the detailed information I will receive בע"ה." At the end of the letter, the Rebbe added in his handwriting, after "and I am his friend and respects him" the words: "כערכו הנשא המברכו".
Yeshiva gdola Torat Emet, is the oldest Chabad yeshiva in Eretz Israel. It was established in Hebron in 1912 and during World War I was closed and reopened in Jerusalem. Rabbi Hillel Rabinovich, on behalf of one of the elders of the Rasha'b Rebbe, told that the Rebbe made it clear to Rabbi Hablin that the Messiah would be revealed where Hassidism is taught, and in order to perform the revelation in the Holy Land, he established the Torat Emet Yeshiva there. In 1912, the Rasha'b Rebbe and the Rebbe HaRayatz appointed Rabbi Hablin as an influencer and director of the yeshiva in Hebron. Along with him were sent seven young men who formed the first nucleus of the yeshiva. Even then, the name of the yeshiva was determined, and it was determined that its essence would be similar to the essence of the yeshiva in Lubavitch. The planning of the establishment of the yeshiva until its actual establishment took about nine years. The yeshiva was originally a branch of "Tomchey Tmimim", and was later declared independent by the name "Torat Emet". The yeshiva soon expanded and many came to study at its gates. However, the difficult conditions that prevailed in Eretz Israel at the time and the dangers lurking on the roads prevented the arrival to Hebron from Jerusalem and the nearby cities. In light of this, the Rabbi HaRayatz, decided to establish another branch of the yeshiva in the Old City of Jerusalem. The genius rabbis, Rabbi Zvi Pesach Frank, later the city's chief rabbi, and Rabbi Moshe Aryeh Leib Shapira, a Torah student in Hebron, Which were related to Rabbi Kook served as rabbis in the Jerusalem branch. In those years, the yeshiva was under the direct supervision and leadership of the Rebbe HaRayatz, who often sent Rabbi Hablin many letters in which he wrote detailed instructions on the form of the yeshiva and the criteria for receiving students. In one of the letters he sent him, the Rebbe even describes for Rabbi Hablin the figure that should characterize the head of a Chabad yeshiva.
There are several versions as to the changes that Rabbi Kook wanted to introduce in Torat Emet yeshiva. Some say that, as part of the administration of the yeshiva in Jerusalem, the Rebbe HaRayatz stated that both Yeshiva student and Married students would study at the yeshiva, as was the case in Hebron. As is known at this point, Rabbi Kook wanted to introduce new orders at the yeshiva and separate the Yeshiva students from the Married students, and when the Rayatz heard about it, he sent him the letter before us on Iyar 17, 1935, about three months before the death of Rabbi Kook, requesting him not to change anything in the order of the yeshiva as was customary before. The letter is an instructive expression of the great responsibility that the Rayatz had regarding the form of the yeshiva he founded, to the point that he was not hesitate to turn to Rebbe Kook, who was then Mara D'Arah Disrael, And his leadership was spread over all the religious institutions in the Jewish community, As the Rayatz himself calls it in his letter: "הנודע ומפורסם לשם תהלה ותפארת בתוככי גאוני יעקב בכל מרחבי תבל וקצוי הארץ" - with a firm request not to change anything. The yeshiva later came under the supervision and leadership of the Rabbi, the Admor Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson of Lubavitch.
[1] leaf, official stationery. 29 cm. Slight wrinkles and folding marks. Good condition.
