Interesting Letter from Rabbi Mordechai Gimpel Jaffe - Rozhinoy, 1883

Lengthy letter (2 pages) handwritten and signed by R. Mordechai Gimpel Jaffe. Rozhinoy (Ruzhany), 1883. Addressed to his son R. Yaakov Rabinowitz and his family. Interesting letter concerning various familial matters (marriage prospects, education and study methods, health, reception of the rabbi in Kosava, charity to a relative, and more). In the letter, R. Mordechai Gimpel refers to the rabbi's request "that I describe to him my grandson's way of learning… (presumably, for the purpose of the marriage prospect mentioned in the letter) …and indeed, it is impossible to define such things on paper, even though one can describe the proficiency and knowledge in general, the extent of his understanding in what he learns and learnt, I cannot portray, only a truly great person can see that with his eyes. He is now reviewing the order of Nashim, as well as Bava Kamma, and Bava Metzia he has also not forgotten from his childhood, and while debating in Halacha, he is lacking no weapon…". R. Mordechai Gimpel Jaffe (1820-1892) was a leading Torah scholar in his generation - the times of the Netziv and R. Yitzchak Elchanan Spektor. He was a disciple of R. Yitzchak of Volozhin, who predicted that he would be amongst the foremost rabbis of the generation. He served as rabbi in Deretchin (Dziarečyn), and later in Rozhinoy (Lithuania, presently Belarus), a position he held for some 36 years, until his immigration to Eretz Israel in 1888. Upon his arrival in Eretz Israel, he settled in the newly established colony of Yehud, where he founded a yeshiva of outstanding Torah scholars and became the spiritual-religious leader of the new settlement in Eretz Israel. In the 1889 Shemittah polemic, R. Mordechai Gimpel was amongst the leading opponents of the Heter Mechira (maintaining that since the Jewish people's exile from the Land was due to Shemittah desecration, the survival of the new settlement would depend on full observance of the commandment of Shemittah), and he supported the farmers in Ekron who steadfastly observed the Shemittah. He authored many books on Halacha, Talmud and Aggadah, some of which were published, yet most of his writings were lost in fires in Slonim, during WWI and the Holocaust. His descendants include many renowned Torah scholars: His son-in-law R. Yosef Zecharia Stern Rabbi of Šiauliai author of Zecher Yehosef; his son-in-law R. Tzvi Hirsch Wolk Rabbi of Pinsk author of Keter Kehuna on the Sifri; his son R. Tzvi Hirsch Jaffe, prominent Torah scholar in Brisk. The recipient of this letter is his son, R. Yaakov Rabinowitz (d. 1919), who while living in Luchin (Ludza) taught the young prodigy Avraham Yitzchak Kook. He was a prominent Torah scholar, and his opinion was influential regarding rabbinical appointments in his region, yet he himself did not serve in the rabbinate. [1] leaf, written on both sides - approx. 42 lines. 21 cm. Thin, blueish paper. Good-fair condition. Tears and damage (from pasting) to top of leaf.