Letter of Ordination from Rabbi Yitzchak Elchanan – Kovno, 1889

Letter of Ordination from Rabbi Yitzchak Elchanan – Kovno, 1889

Letter handwritten and signed by R. Yitzchak Elchanan (Spektor), Rabbi of Kovno. Kovno, Sivan 1889.

Rabbinical ordination of "R. Yisrael Yehonatan Yerushalimsky, son of… R. Yaakov Moshe, Rabbi of Mush", declaring him fit to issue halachic rulings.

R. Yitzchak Elchanan Spektor (1817-1896), Rabbi of Kovno, prominent rabbi considered the highest halachic authority of his times, and leader of Lithuanian and Russian Jewry.

The recipient of the ordination, R. Yisrael Yehonatan Yerushalimsky, Rabbi of Orlya and Ihumen (Chervyen; 1860-1917), son of R. Yaakov Moshe Direktor, Rabbi of Mush (Novaya Mysh), and son-in-law of the Ridvaz, Rabbi of Slutsk. He was regarded as exceptionally great by his teacher R. Chaim Soloveitchik, Rabbi of Brisk. He was the father-in-law of R. Yechezkel Abramsky, author of Chazon Yechezkel on the Tosefta.

[1] double leaf. 21 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains. Wear and folding marks. Slight tears to folds.