178. FRIEDMAN/KARLINER, RABBI DOVID / FRIEDMAN, SARAH

Autograph letter dated 1909, written to R. Dovid’s brother in law, R. Yechiel Michel Pinnes. With lengthy addendum written in Yiddish by R. Dovid’s wife, Sarah, to her sister Chaya Zipporah Pinnes. After lauding his brother in law with extraordinary titles, R. Dovid writes that although his health is thank G-D fine, the winter was extremely harsh and he greatly desires to emigrate to Eretz Yisroel where he would publish his seforim without resorting to outside financial assistance. Concludes with heartfelt Mazel Tov wishes on the wedding of R. Pinnes’ grandson. ™ R. Dovid Friedman (1828-1915) was born in Biala, Poland to a rabbinical family. From a very young age it was apparent that he was an extraordinary genius who studied with remarkable diligence. It wasn’t long before his fame spread throughout the region as an outstanding young talmid chacham. In 1846 he married Sarah, the daughter of the distinguished philanthropist R. Shmaryahu Luria, who supported him for twenty years so he could study undisturbed. Following his father in law’s passing in 1866, he was compelled to accept the position as Rav of Karlin, and thus became known as R. Dovid Karliner. He served in that capacity for over fifty years, and was widely considered to be one of the greatest Torah scholars of his era. R. Yechiel Michel Pinnes (1843-1913), an important but controversial figure in the annals of the new Yishuv, was born into a distinguished and wealthy family and was married to a daughter of R. Shmaryahu Luria. From a young age, in addition to his Talmudic studies, he was active in communal affairs. In 1878 he was appointed secretary of Mazkeret Moshe [the Sir Moses Montefiore trust fund for development of the Yishuv in Eretz Yisrael]. Following this appointment, he immigrated to Eretz Yisrael where he immediately involved himself with the affairs of the old Yishuv. Ultimately, the disparity between his religious outlook and that of the community of the old Yishuv led to bitter dissent and he was placed in cherem by R. Yehoshua Leib Diskin. His brother in law, the esteemed R. Dovid Karliner, came to his defense with a halachic treatise, entitled Emek Bracha (Jerusalem 1881), that challenged the legitimacy of the cherem. The cherem was later annulled by R. Shmuel Salant. Exceptionally rare. 22 by 28 cm. Fine condition, some folds.

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