OUTSPOKEN LETTER ON THE HALACHIC OBLIGATION OF ALL MEMBERS OF A JEWISH COMMUNITY TO FUND TEACHERS WAGES! ...

OUTSPOKEN LETTER ON THE HALACHIC OBLIGATION OF ALL MEMBERS OF A JEWISH COMMUNITY TO FUND TEACHERS WAGES! RABBI MORDECHAI LEIB WINKLER, RABBI OF MAD AND AUTHOR OF LEVUSHEI MORDECHAI. HANDWRITTEN SIGNED LETTER ADRESSED TO RABBI PINCHAS ZELIG SCHWARTZ, DAYAN OF KLEINWARDEIN.

Letter dated 1923, ‘regarding your letter, saying that in your community the wealthy people employ [private] teachers [for their children] for good wages, despite the fact that there is a local Talmud Torah. And as a result, the poor [who send their children to the general Talmud Torah] cannot afford to pay the wages of the teachers.’ The writer explains that all members of the community are halachically obliged to ensure that there are Torah teachers for the community, ‘Just like a mikva, Synagogue or wedding hall; there is no difference whether or not one uses that particular facility oneself... That is how it is in Pest, Miskolcz, Serencz, and that is how it is here too – the community leaders employ a melamed, and obtain the wages from those able to contribute’.

Rabbi Mordechai Leib Winkler (1845-1932), a disciple of the Kesav Sofer and one of the leading Hungarian halachic authorities of his time. Rabbi of Brezova (1884), and Mad, where he headed a large Yeshiva. Author of seven volumes of responsa, published under the title Levushei Mordechai.

Rabbi Pinchas Zelig Schwartz (1877-1944), son of Rabbi Naftali Schwartz of Mad, Moreh Horo’ah in Kleinwardein and author of halachic and biographical works, including Shem Hagedolim L’eretz Hagar’ – a biographical lexicon of Hungarian Rabbis.

1 side. 17 x 21 cm. Very good condition.