Letter by the Rebbe Rabbi Aharon of Chernobyl to His Son-in-Law the Rebbe Rabbi David Moshe of Chortkov – About the ...

Letter by the Rebbe Rabbi Aharon of Chernobyl to His Son-in-Law the Rebbe Rabbi David Moshe of Chortkov – About the Engagement of His Grandchildren – circa 1871 – Rare!
An important letter by the Rebbe Rabbi Aharon of Chernobyl to hi sson-in-law the Rebbe Rabbi David Moshe of Chortkov and his family. Scribal writing. The Rebbe's signature appears at the end of the letter: "Ne'um Aharon ben Ha'Rav Mordechai…" The letter is from Passover eve. The year is not indicated. According to the facts that are mentioned in the letter and the trembling script, it is most likely a letter from the Rebbe's final years, circa 1871.
The letter is written in a personal, hearty language. At its beginning, Rabbi Aharon enumerates the names of his son-in-law's family: "… Rabbi David Moshe and his wife my daughter the Rebbetzen Feige … their sons my dear grandsons Rabbi Hirsch Rabbi Nachum Mordechai and the Rabbi the groom Yisrael and their daughter-in-law Bat Sheva…"
Rabbi Aharon informs the addressee about the health of his family and adds greetings: "May God give them more sons and daughters…" "And may they celebrate a Kosher and happy Holiday …"
Then the Rebbe refers to the "engagement of my dear grandson Shlomo Shmuel the son of my son Rabbi Baruch Asher to my dear granddaughter Nechama Adel the daughter of my son Rabbi Yesha'aya Meshulam Zussia". The grandson he refers to is Rabbi Shlomo Shmuel Twersky (1866-1936) who later served as the Rebbe of Chernobyl. He was the son of the Rebbe Rabbi Baruch Asher Twersky (died in 1905), who, since 1872, replaced his father as Rebbe together with his brother Rabbi Yesha'aya Meshulam Zusha Twersky (1814-1881), the father of the bride.
Such a nice, important, very well preserved letter by Rabbi Aharon is extremely rare!
The addressee, the Rebbe Rabbi Moshe David Friedman of Chortkov (1827-1904) was the son of Rabbi Yisrael of Rozhin and the founder of the Chortkov Hassidic dynasty.

Rabbi Aharon of Chernobyl
Rabbi Aharon of Chernobyl (1787-1871) was the son of Rabbi Mordechai, the Maggid of Chernobyl, and Chaya Sarah – the daughter of Rabbi Aharon of Karlin. Rabbi Aharon's grandfather was Rabbi Menachum Nachum of Chernobyl, author of 'Me'or Enayim', with whom he studied. In his youth, his father forced him to serve as Rebbe and ever since, he used to travel a lot to neighboring towns. After his father's death, he replaced him as Rebbe and Maggid of Chernobyl. He used to travel to faraway towns as was the custom of his forefathers. He was the president of the Rabbi Meir Ba'al Ha'Ness charity fund of Kollel Vohlin and acted for the Jewish settlements of the Land of Israel. His influence on the Jews of Ukraine was great.
Rabbi Aharon was blessed by his grandfather (author of "Me'or Enayim") that he will live a long life and see the Messiah. Yet, since he could not suffer to see the troubles of the Jews, he sent an envoy to his grandfather's grave to tell him he was waiving his blessing. And he died in Kislev 1871. It was told of Rabbi Aharon that in the world to come he was considered "Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva shel Malah"!