"May you celebrate Chag HaMatzos with great simcha and delight!"
A letter from the holy Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Deyesh zt"l, author of Ma’aglei Tzedek,
in which he also mentions his son, the holy Rabbi Moshe’le of Deyesh zt"l. The letter was written before Pesach to his brother-in-law, the chassid Rabbi Yitzchak Elchanan, in regard to a particular matter.
Here’s the wording of the letter:
B"H, 1st of Nissan, 1879 (the city of Deyesh)
"May you celebrate the Yom Tov of Matzos with much simcha and d’vikus, my esteemed and beloved brother-in-law, the outstanding and diligent Rabbi Yitzchak Elchanan, may you live long and in good health, with much bracha and peace.
Your letter … reached me today, and it has brought us much joy, with confidence…"
And it concludes:
"Your devoted servant, Menachem Mendel Panet."
P.S.: My son, the righteous Rabbi Moshe, may he live long, and his children, may they live long and in good health, and your modest daughter … may she live long and in good health."
Rabbi Menachem Mendel Panet: He was the author of Ma’aglei Tzedek and served as the rabbi of Deyesh (born 1798 – passed away 1885). He was born to the holy Rabbi Yechezkel of Deyesh and in his youth learned under the great Chasam Sofer, who held him in high regard. In 1828, he left the yeshiva in Pressburg and went to learn Chassidus under the holy "Yismach Moshe" in Ohel. As a young man, he experienced a revelation of Eliyahu HaNavi, which helped him resolve a halachic difficulty (as recorded in Heichal Baal Shem Tov, vol. 7, p. 125). After marrying, he learned in a chevrusa with the great Rabbi of Kol Aryeh.
In 1860, he was appointed Rabbi of Urishvar, where he established a large yeshiva with two hundred students. In 1862, he became the Rabbi of Deyesh, where he taught Torah until his passing. At the command of the D’vrei Chaim of Sanz, he became a Rebbe, and many were helped through his advice and blessings. He authored many works in halacha, including Ma’aglei Tzedek, Sha’arei Tzedek, Mishpat Tzedek, Avnei Tzedek, and Mivchar Tzedek, as well as chiddushim on the Shas.
