Letter from R. Yehoshua Buxbaum, Rabbi of Galanta, Author of Or Pnei Yehoshua

Lengthy and interesting letter, handwritten and signed by R. Yehoshua Buxbaum. "Ujhely" (Sátoraljaújhely), 1906. Letter from his younger years (while still being supported by his father-in-law), addressed to his close friend in Jerusalem R. Noach Tzvi Kalfus, requesting he pray for him and mention him in prayer at holy sites. In this letter, R. Yehoshua expresses his passion for worship of G-d, and his lofty aspirations to reach ever higher levels of holiness. He concludes the letter with his signature: "Yoshia son of Malka Buxbaum", adding the names of his children, father-in-law and mother-in-law to be mentioned in prayer: "My wife Miriam bat Rivka. My son Yechiel Yosef. My son Avraham Yitzchak. My father-in-law who supports me Meir Chaim ben Miriam - we should all be blessed". R. Yehoshua (Yoshia) Buxbaum - rabbi of Galanta (1878-perished in the Holocaust 1944). Foremost Hungarian yeshiva dean. Close disciple of R. Moshe Yosef Hoffman, dayan of Pápa, and of R. Shmuel Rosenberg Rabbi of Unsdorf (who acclaimed him: "Perhaps he is the most elite of all the disciples I have in this world, and I am convinced that he will become a leader of the Jewish people"). During his youth, upon the advice of his teacher, rabbi of Unsdorf, he attached himself to Rebbe Yechezkel Shraga of Shinova - who drew him especially close, and imparted to him the ways of Torah and Chassidism. In later years, he continued frequenting the courts of the rebbes of his generation, who spoke with great amazement of the lofty levels he reached. Rebbe Yissachar Dov of Belz praised him "he elevated himself on his own, and is a lofty and exalted power". Rebbe Yisrael of Vizhnitz termed him a pure righteous man. The Tchebiner Rav related that he met him numerous times in Marienbad and that "he appeared to be like a divine angel" (Introduction to Nachal Yehoshua, quoting the book BeTzilo Chimadti). After his marriage in 1902 with the daughter of R. Meir Chaim Bloch of Ujhel, he remained there to study Torah, until 1910 when he accepted the position of rabbi of Magendorf (Veľký Meder) at the directive of his teacher the Be'er Shmuel, and established there a prominent yeshiva. The place quickly became too small to contain the hundreds of students who came to absorb his teachings, and he was compelled to relocate to Galanta (in 1922), where he succeeded R. Yosef Tzvi Dushinsky (who had gone to serve as rabbi of Khust). He edified thousands of G-d fearing and erudite disciples, and ignited them with the passion for love of G-d and His worship. After the Holocaust, his remaining disciples founded Hitachdut HaTalmidim (Union of Disciples), establishing study halls in his memory, and publishing the books Or Pnei Yehoshua and Nachal Yehoshua of his Torah thoughts. These books contain dozens of his letters, yet this letter does not appear there, and was presumably hitherto unknown. [1] leaf. Approx. 29 cm. Fair-poor condition. Severe stains. Tears and wear, affecting text. Leaf torn at the folds, affecting a whole line of text in middle of leaf (repaired with tape).