Letter of Halachic Responsum from Rabbi Meir Arik – With Blessings for a Good Year, and Regarding Being Prevented ...

Letter of Halachic Responsum from Rabbi Meir Arik – With Blessings for a Good Year, and Regarding Being Prevented from Attending the Knessia Gedolah of Agudath Yisrael Despite His Wishes
Lengthy letter (3 pages, approx. 45 lines) handwritten and signed by R. Meir Arik, rabbi of Tarnów. Tarnów, Aseret Yemei Teshuvah, 1923.
A letter on a Talmudic topic pertaining to monetary laws. Addressed to R. David Zeidman, the letter opens with blessings: "May the year and its blessings begin… May G-d in His mercy conclude the sealing for the good, for him and for those close to him, for good and sound life, and may we merit to study and teach, observe and accomplish in happiness, much satisfaction and bounty, in serenity for many years". The letter concludes with blessings: "And may G-d lengthen his years and renew upon him and upon the entire Jewish nation a good, blessed year, with much satisfaction, redemption and salvation… With much love, Meir Arik Rabbi of the aforementioned community".
At the foot of the letter (on the third page), R. Meir relates to his being prevented from travelling to the first Knessia Gedolah of Agudath Yisrael (which took place in Vienna, Elul 1923), despite his wishes take part in it: "… and though my strength has waned, I nevertheless truly wished to travel to it, but was not able to, as I described the actual facts to the Agudah. The abovementioned".
HaMeir LeOlam, biographical essay on R. Meir Arik (printed at the end of Chiddushei R. Meir Arik on Mikvaot, Antwerp 2006 edition, pp. 78-79) relates that R. Meir Arik's initial plan was to travel by train together with the Chafetz Chaim and the Imrei Emet, yet he was unable to do so since his passport (which was needed for crossing the border between Galicia and Austria), was delayed. This was the official reason, though in reality, the impediment was surreptitiously orchestrated by several zealous Chassidim, residents of Tarnów. These did not approve of their rabbi's attendance of the Knessia Gedolah of Agudath Yisrael, and devised various schemes to hinder his participation, causing him much anguish. R. Meir was a member of Agudath Yisrael throughout his life, and during his stay in Vienna in WWI, was extensively involved in the activities of Agudath Yisrael on behalf of the war refugees. In the first Knessia Gedolah, which, as mentioned, he was held back from attending, he was appointed in absentia as member of the Moetzet Gedolei HaTorah of Agudath Yisrael. This responsum was printed in Tzefunot (issue 16, Tammuz 1992, pp. 41-42) and in Responsa Imrei Yosher HaChadash (Jerusalem, 1997, Inyanim, section 111, pp. 120-121).
R. Meir Arik (1855-1925), a leading Galician Torah scholar, served as rabbi of Yazlovets, Buchach and Tarnów. He was a disciple of R. Yaakov of Rimalov (Hrymailiv) and of the Maharsham. From 1885, he served as rabbi of Yazlovets, in place of his teacher the Maharsham who moved to Berezhany. From 1912, he served as rabbi of Buchach. During WWI, he fled to Vienna, studying Torah there with his friend R. Yosef Engel. Following the war, he returned to Galicia and was appointed rabbi of Tarnów. Many of Poland's leading Torah scholars were his close disciples, the most renowned ones include R. Meir Shapiro of Lublin, R. Aryeh Tzvi Frumer – the Gaon of Koziegłowy, R. David Sperber – Gaon of Brașov, R. Yehuda Horowitz – Rebbe of Dzikov, R. Meshulam Roth author of Kol Mevaser, R. Reuven Margolies and R. Yehoshua Erenberg Rabbi of Tel Aviv.
He published many books, yet most of his manuscripts were lost in his escape to Vienna during WWI, including five large volumes of halachic responsa. His books include: Sheyarei Tahara on Mishnayot Order Taharot (Kolomyia, 1890); Minchat Kenaot on Tractate Sota (Lviv, 1894); Minchat Pitim on Shulchan Aruch Yoreh De'ah and Even HaEzer (Munkacs, 1898-1908); Tal Torah (Vienna, 1921); Responsa Imrei Yosher Part I (Munkacs, 1913), Part II (Kraków-Tarnów, 1925). Other books containing selections of his Torah thought and letters: Minchat Aharon – Me'irat Einayim (Brooklyn, 1978) and Imrei Yosher HaChadash – Tal Torah HaChadash (Jerusalem, 1997).
[1] double leaf (3 written pages, approx. 45 lines), official stationery. Approx. 22.5 cm. Good-fair condition. Tears and dampstains.