Rare photograph of the Rebbe of Stropkov, Rabbi Avraham Shalom Halberstam

Rare photograph of the Rebbe of Stropkov, Rabbi Avraham Shalom Halberstam

Rare photograph of the father of the Stropkov dynasty, the holy Rebbe Rabbi Avraham Shalom Halberstam, the grandson of Rabbi Chaim of Tzanz - photographed during his lifetime - Probably the only known original photograph of the Rebbe!

Rabbi Avraham Shalom Halberstam [1857 - 1940] was the father of the Stropkov dynasty and the grandson of Rabbi Chaim of Tzanz. He was born to Rabbi Yechezkel Shraga Halberstam, the Rebbe of Sieniawa, and to Rebbetzin Chana Rachel Hirsch. He was named "Shalom" after his elderly uncle, Sar Sholom of Belz. It is said that his father, Ba'al Ha"Divre Yechezkel" said of him that "his soul is high above high and by him there will be salvation for the children of Israel", And indeed, he was known as a Ba'al Moftim, and many came to receive his blessing and advice. He studied with the Dayan of Tzanz Rabbi Israel Meir Friedman. In 1898 he was appointed rabbi of Stropkov. During World War I, he emigrated to Budapest, and after the war in 1919 he settled in Ungvar and appointed his son Rabbi Menachem Mendel as the young rabbi of Stropkov, later moving to Kashoi, where he died. The words of his teachings in the book "Divrei Shalom". Most of his family was murdered in the Holocaust. His son, Rabbi Menachem Mendel, survived alone and served as rebbe in the United States. In his old age, he added the name Avraham to himself, as a virtue for longevity.

We searched several archives for additional photographs of the Rebbe, and found copies of this photograph alone. We have not seen any other photographs of the Rebbe, before us is probably the only known source in the world for the only known photograph of the Rebbe! The photo is depicted on his back in handwriting: "דאר סטרפקובר רוב"

10x15 cm. condition very good .