Letter of Recommendation by Rabbi Aryeh Leibush Horowitz, Author of Harei Besamim – Stryi, 1895

Letter of Recommendation by Rabbi Aryeh Leibush Horowitz, Author of Harei Besamim – Stryi, 1895
Letter handwritten and signed by Rabbi "Aryeh Leibush Ish-Horowitz, Av Beit Din of Stryi and its district". Styri, 1895. The letter was written to the influential Rabbi Meir Leib Yager of Bitschkov, a recommendation to assist his disciple, a twenty year old man before his conscription to the army. In the letter, he describes the torture the man endured to weaken his body before his medical examination and his need to bribe officials for medical authorizations exempting him from army service: "…He fasted and did not sleep. And this was very distressing knowing that his body was healthy and without any infirmity. The extrication requires a lot of money…". Rabbi Aryeh Leibush Horowitz (1846-1909), author of the five volumes of Harei Besamim responsa was amongst the great Galician Torah scholars and halachic authorities, beloved grandson of Rabbi Meshulam Yissachar Horowitz, Av Beit Din of Stanislaw, author of "Bar Livai" and son of Rabbi Yitzchak Horowitz, author of Toldot Yitzchak and Me'ah She'arim. He served in the Zalozitz, Stryi and Stanislaw rabbinates. In his youth, he traveled from time to time to the Rebbe author of Divrei Chaim of Sanz. The first and second part of his responsa "Harei Besamim" were printed in his lifetime. He arranged the rest of his writings for printing but they were never printed. During World War II, his manuscripts disappeared in the flames of the city of Bistrița but his disciples dug under the ruins of his house and found the manuscripts. The manuscripts were valiantly smuggled into Israel and into the US, where the other three parts were printed. [1] leaf, 21 cm. 15 handwritten lines. Fair condition, restored tears to paper folds. A detached piece at the upper-left margin.