A Lengthy Handwritten Letter by R. Pesach Pruskin of Kobryn.

A Lengthy Handwritten Letter by R. Pesach Pruskin of Kobryn.

A lengthy handwritten letter from R. Pesach Pruskin of Kobryn, who served as Rosh Yeshiva of Kobryn and Shklov. In this letter, he details the dire financial situation of the Yeshiva, and requests additional funds for its support. He adds that these funds will go directly to support budding Torah scholars, “who are a small remnant of our nation and will uphold Torah for the next generation”.

At the end of the letter, he sends regards from his wife and children - Notka (Nosson Nota), Rivka, Leibel (Yehuda Leib) and Avrohom. Only Avraham and Rivka survived the Holocaust. Rivka was married to R. Dov Zukovsky, who later served as the Mashgiach of the Lomza Yeshiva in Eretz Yisroel. 

R. Pesach Pruskin (1879-1939), one of the leading Rosh Yeshivas of prewar Europe. During his youth, he studied in the Radin Yeshiva, as well as in Slabodka, where he became a prized student of the Alter of Slabodka. In 1897, the Alter sent 14 students to Slutsk to start a new Yeshiva. It was there where he was asked by R. Isser Zalman Meltzer to become a Mashgiach in his Yeshiva. A few years later, he was asked by the Alter to start a Yeshiva in Shklov. R. Moshe Feinstein, a prized Talmid from Slutsk, was one of the select boys to join his Rebbe in Shklov. In fact, R. Moshe considered himself a Talmid of R. Pesach from his days in Slutsk and Shklov. Ultimately, he relocated to Kobryn where he served as Rav and Rosh Yeshiva until his death. It was during his tenure in Kobryn when the present letter was written. 

In good condition, with fold marks. Small tape repair, with no loss to text. 

[1] double-sided leaf. Signed, undated.