Letter of Rabbinical Ordination, by Rabbi Avraham Shmuel Av Beit Din of Eišiškės – Rabbi of “Chafetz Chaim

Letter of Rabbinical Ordination, by Rabbi Avraham Shmuel Av Beit Din of Eišiškės – Rabbi of “Chafetz Chaim
Letter of rabbinical ordination by the Ga’on Rabbi Avraham Shmuel author of “Amudei Eish”, to rabbi “Schneur Zalman son of Rabbi Avraham of Busk resident of Antkali”. Eišiškės, Nisan (1847).
In this interesting ordination letter the previous ordinators are mentioned who “already glorified him; great and famous rabbis, headed by the famous righteous Ga’on Rabbi Yitzchak son of Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin”. In an interesting and humble manner, Rabbi Avraham Shmuel apologizes for joining the authorizers: “... therefore I have followed in the way of the authorizing rabbis, since the congregation of Eišiškės is known as a place of Torah...".
The righteous Ga’on Rabbi Avraham Shmuel Rabinowitz author of “Amudei Eish” (1809-1869), among Torah giants of Lithuania, disciple of the “Nachalat David” disciple of Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin. Served in the rabbinate of the town of Skidziel and in 1847 began serving in the rabbinate of Eišiškės which contained a group of “Prushim” who studied Torah day and night. He taught Torah to this group, where the greatest and most diligent Torah scholars of Lithuania studied, many of whom later on became famous rabbis, including: Rabbi Yisrael Meir HaKohen of Radun author of the “Chafetz Chaim”, Rabbi Meir Simcha HaKohen author of “Ohr Sameach”, Rabbi Chaim Leib of Stawiski author of “Pnei Ha’Ari HaChai”, and others.
Several wondrous stories related by his disciple, author of the “Chafetz Chaim”, are known regarding the revelation of the divine spirit in his Beit Midrash. See attached material.
Recipient of rabbinical ordination is apparently the Ga’on Rabbi Schneur Zalman Hirshowitz Av Beit Din of Goldingen (1818-1904), friend of the Netziv from period in which they studied together in the Volozhin Yeshiva, and prominent disciple of Rabbi Yisrael of Salant. Served in the rabbinate of Visk for a brief period and from 1851 served in the rabbinate of Goldingen for over fifty years. Authored the book “Even Yisrael” containing sayings of his mentor Rabbi Yisrael Salanter as well as the book “Even Bochan”. His glosses on the Alfas were printed in the 1880 edition of the Vilnius Shas.
36 cm. Fair condition, stains, tears and wear on margins and folds.