The awe-inspiring letter by the holy Admor the Yismach Yisrael of Aleksander that was sent to thousands of ...

The awe-inspiring letter by the holy Admor the Yismach Yisrael of Aleksander that was sent to thousands of his Chassidim. Original copy - has not been seen in auctions and not in the National Library - the eve of Rosh Hashana Aleksander, 1907. 

Background: in the period before World War I, winds of change, enlightenment and non-Jewish culture invaded the houses of pious Jews, and were felt even in Chassidic communities. 

At the time, in 1907, several days  before Rosh Hashana, the holy Rav the Yismach Yisrael of Aleksander - who was then one of the leading Admorim of Poland - took courage and handwrote a lengthy, detailed and most poignant letter about the afflictions of the generation.

The letter is exceptional in its content, describing the sad state of affairs (כסתה כלימה פני להעלות על הכתב עד היכן הדברים מגיעים... ושערי בתי מדרשות סגורים...), in its sharp words of admonishment (ואזעק בקול צורח, חוסו נא על נפשכם ועל נפש זרעכם והמלטו מאש לוהטת הזאת הנאחזת בקירות בתיכם..) words of affection towards his Chassidim (אחי האהובים צמודי לבי אשר נפשם יודעת כי אהבת עולם אהבתים ומעי מעי המו לטובתם כל הימים בזה ובבא) and promises (!) for blessings and salvation to those who obey him (והנני מבטיחם כי לא יפסידו עי"ז חלילה אדרבא עוד יתברכו בשפע). 

The Admor ends with a request not to fight with those who do not listen to these words, with warm blessings for the New Year and his full name "אולי ימצא איזה איש אשר לא ישמע לדברינו אלה, חלילה לכם להתקוטט עמו עי"ז רק לדבר עמו רכות להטיית לבו לדברינו למען ייטב לו, שמעוני אחי ויקשב ה' אליכם ויקשיב לקול תפילתכם בימים הק' הבעל"ט ונזכה כולנו לכתיבה וחתימה טובה לשנת חיים וברכה גאולה וישועה כחפץ אוהבכם אהבה רבה

ירחמיאל ישראל יצחק בהה"ק זצללה"ה זי"ע.

Aleksander, the 26th of Elul 1907. 

By the order of the Yismach Yisrael, lithographic copies of his handwritten letter were made and sent to all the communities that were connected to the Admor. 

Several years later, when the book Yismach Yisrael was printed in Lodz in 1911, the letter was printed at its end (leaf 112) titled "אגרת הקודש אשר שלח לאנ"ש בשנת תרס"ז לחזק יסודי הדת והאמונה" (Igeret Hakodesh that was sent to his Chassidim in 1907 to reinforce the foundations of religion and faith). 

This is one of the original copies that were sent by the Yismach Moshe to one of the communities of his Chassidim. 

[1] thick leaf - divided in half. 

Tears to the edges. A taped tear. Aging stains.