Letter from Rabbi Refael Shapiro, Rosh Yeshiva of Volozhin [1905-1908?]

Letter from Rabbi Refael Shapiro, Rosh Yeshiva of Volozhin [1905-1908?]

Letter from Rabbi Refael Shapiro, Rosh Yeshiva of Volozhin, sent to the Av Beit Din of Jerusalem, his disciple Rabbi Aryeh Levin and his sick son, Rabbi Menachem Zundel [1905-1908?], with a supplement by his wife in her handwriting.

Specifications: [1] leaf, graph paper. 20x13 cm. Text on both sides of the leaf, all in Rabbi Refael's handwriting, signed twice by him.

Content: In his letter, he sends regards to Rabbi Chaim Yaakov Shapiro, Av Beit Din in Jerusalem, and to the son-in-law of Rabbi Chaim Yaakov's son, a reference to Rabbi Aryeh Levin who studied with him in Volozhin in his youth. Rabbi Refael warmly blesses them: "May Hashem give you all the requests of your hearts for good..." Later, he adds a blessing for his son Rabbi Zundel who was ill, "Hashem should strengthen and fortify him..." Rabbi Zundel moved to Jerusalem and passed away in 1908, during his father's lifetime. 
The margins feature an emotional plea in Yiddish, in pen, in a different handwriting, apparently that of Rabbi Refael Shapiro's wife, Rabbi Zundel's mother.

Background: Rabbi Refael Shapiro was born in [1837]. His father was Rabbi Aryeh Leib Shapiro, Rabbi of Kovno, known as "Rabbi Leibel Kovner." In 1852, he married the daughter of the Netziv and in 1870 was appointed deputy Rosh Yeshiva of Volozhin. In 1881, he gave up his position to Rabbi Chaim Soloveitchik of Brisk and was appointed Rabbi of Novoalexandrovsk in Lithuania, and afterwards in Brisk.

Condition: Restored tears and tape marks. The text is all legible. Moderate condition.