Two Letters from the Baranovich Yeshiva - One Signed by the Yeshiva Dean Rabbi Elchanan Wasserman, and the Second ...

Two Letters from the Baranovich Yeshiva - One Signed by the Yeshiva Dean Rabbi Elchanan Wasserman, and the Second Signed by the Mashgiach Rabbi Tzvi Hirsh Gutman
Two letters in Yiddish from the deans of the Baranovich yeshiva, addressed to the philanthropist Mrs. Pesha Miller-Feigin. One letter is handwritten and signed by R. "Tzvi Hirsh Gutman, mashgiach and director of the yeshiva", on behalf of the yeshiva dean R. Elchanan Wasserman, and the second letter, also handwritten by R. Tzvi Hirsh, is signed by R. "Elchanan Bunem Wasserman". Baranovich (Baranavichy), Tishrei 1933/Av 1936. R. Elchanan Wasserman (1875-1941), a renowned Torah scholar, and foremost yeshiva dean in Lithuania. He was a disciple of R. Shimon Shkop in the Telshe yeshiva and a prominent disciple of the Chafetz Chaim. He served as lecturer and dean in the Brisk (Brest) yeshiva and other places. During WWI, at the behest of the Chafetz Chaim, he established a yeshiva in Smilavichy (Minsk province, today Belarus). After the war, R. Elchanan founded Yeshivat Ohel Torah in Baranovich. He represented the Chafetz Chaim and R. Chaim Ozer Grodzinski in the Moetzet Gedolei HaTorah of Agudat Yisrael. He composed many essays on Jewish ideology which were later published in his book Ikveta DeMeshicha, in which he expressed the Torah stance of his teacher the Chafetz Chaim on Zionist nationalism and the spiritual state of the Jewish people. During the Holocaust, he was deported to the Kovno (Kaunas) ghetto, and was murdered in the Seventh Fort, while studying the laws of Kiddush HaShem. His teachings and lectures were published in the following books: Kovetz Shiurim, Kovetz He'arot, Kovetz Inyanim, Kovetz Igrot HaGaon R. Elchanan Wasserman and others. His approach in learning and his books serve until this day as the basis of intensive yeshiva study in the Torah world. R. Tzvi Hirsh Gutman (perished in the Holocaust), mashgiach and director of the Ohel Torah yeshiva in Baranovich. He was R. Elchanan's close attendant in the management of the yeshiva. He served as spiritual director, responsible for the spiritual level of the yeshiva students, as well as material director, devotedly providing for all the needs of the students. He was an outstanding Torah scholar and an exalted figure. He sometimes even delivered lectures in the yeshiva, in place of one of the lecturers. He led the prayers services during the High Holidays, and was the driving force behind the students' growth. [2] leaves, official stationery. Approx. 14.5X22 cm. Good condition.