Rare Certificate of Chaver from HaGaon HaKadosh Baal Be’er Menachem of Kaliv, – Awarded to His Beloved Talmid, HaGaon HaRav Shalom Yosef Spitzer, Hy”d
A rare and unique document—a Certificate of Chaver written by the renowned Rav Menachem Brody, zy”a,
Baal Be’er Menachem, to his cherished
talmid,
HaGaon HaRav Shalom Yosef Spitzer, zt”l Hy”d.
The certificate, written entirely in the Ksav Yad Kodesh of the Be’er Menachem, with his signature and personal signature, was issued on Thursday, Parshas Vayakhel, 5695 (1935).
The Gaon HaKadosh Baal Be’er Menachem of Kaliv, zy”a, Son-in-law of the Rebbe HaKadosh Rav Meshulam Feish Segal Lowy, zy”a, the first Tosher Rebbe. He first served as Rav in Tosh, before ascending to the distinguished position of Rav of Kaliv. In Kaliv, he established a prestigious yeshiva with over 300 talmidim learning there at all times. Over the years, he trained thousands of talmidim, many of whom became gedolei Torah and marbitzei Torah.
After the devastation of the churban Europe, many of his talmidim survived and bore the imprint of their great Rebbe. They often recalled his avodas hakodesh, his awe-inspiring tefillos, his remarkable mastery of Torah, and his extraordinary kedushah, around which incredible stories circulated.
The Gaon HaRav Shalom Yosef Spitzer of Piszcz Jarment, Son of the HaGaon Rav Eliyahu Spitzer, zt”l, the
shochet u’bodek
and
moreh tzedek of Piszcz Jarment. He studied in the yeshiva of his great Rebbe, the Baal Be’er Menachem of Kaliv, zy”a.
He married Rebbetzin Alta Shleima, a”h, daughter of HaRav Yitzchok Menachem Greenberger, zt”l, of Makova, and settled in Piszcz Jarment. Tragically, Rav Shalom Yosef was murdered al kiddush Hashem during the war, but his wife, Rebbetzin Alta Shleima, miraculously survived along with their son and two daughters. She later remarried
HaGaon HaKadosh Rav Hillel Lichtenstein, zt”l,
Av Beis Din of Krasna, author of Kavanas HaLev, who raised her children with boundless dedication, as a true father.
