Rare Chassidic-Segulah Ruling and Blessings from the Wondrous Admo"r Rabbi Choneh of Kolashitz

Rare Chassidic-Segulah Ruling and Blessings from the Wondrous Admo"r Rabbi Choneh of Kolashitz

Rare and important Chassidic segulah letter regarding shidduchim, handwritten and signed by the Rebbe Rabbi Baruch Halberstam, son of the wondrous tzaddik, the most sacred Rebbe, Rabbi Choneh Halberstam of Kolashitz, written in his father's name. Lengthy addition in the margins of the letter handwritten and signed by the Rebbe Rabbi Choneh of Kolashitz, affirming all that is stated here in his name. Risha, 1936. The letter was sent to Jerusalem, to the exalted Chassid Rabbi Shalom Schwartzman of Strizov.

The letter deals with an important and very common question regarding shidduchim - can a man get engaged to a woman whose father has the same name as the prospective bridegroom? This has long been discussed among poskim due to Rabbi Yehudah HeChassid's prohibition of this in his last will and testament. The addressee asked about a current shidduch suggestion with this issue. Rabbi Baruch writes in the name of Rabbi Choneh: "With respect to [your] question about the names [of the potential son-in-law and father-in-law], he said to tell you that his opinion is that there is no concern; he did not hear that one should be particular about this. On the contrary - many have married into situations where [the bridegroom's] name and his father-in-law's name are the same, and it has worked out well. Sincerely and with good wishes, blessing you with all goodness sela, the small one, Baruch Halberstam."

His father added in his own hand as follows on the letter: "Written and signed here in my own hand; due to the busyness of erev Shabbat in the afternoon, I am keeping this short where I would have preferred to write at length. I affirm everything here written in my name." May [your] entire family be well, in all goodness and length of days, seeking your well-being and that of the holy city of Jerusalem, may we be privileged to see it and may our hearts be joyous, Choneh son of Faiga Baila Halberstam.

The topic of names in shidduchim carries a heavy emotional load, consistently accompanied by many concerns and doubts, due to the feeling that all subsequent generations are dependant on it. There are occasionally those who forgo a suitable shidduch due to this concern. Or, they undergo a name change, or take on an additional name. Here is a segulah letter, written after midday on erev Shabbat parashat VaYetze - the parashah of shidduchim, with the clear decision by the Rebbe Rabbi Choneh Kolashitzer - one of the leading Admo"rim of the generations, with his signature, ruling that there is no concern at all!

Refer to the Hebrew catalog text for brief biographies of the sacred Rebbe Rabbi Choneh Halberstam of Kolashitz, his son, the sacred Rebbe Rabbi Baruch Halberstam, and the addressee, the exalted Chassid Rabbi Shalom Schwartzman of Strizov.

[1] postcard, 14.5x10.5 cm.

Fine condition. Pencilled notations on the back of the postcard. Aging stains. Fold marks and minimal creases in the margins.