Interesting Letter by the Tzaddik of Greiditz, Rabbi Eliyahu Guttmacher – Greiditz, 1874 – Pidyon Nefesh and Prayer ...

Interesting Letter by the Tzaddik of Greiditz, Rabbi Eliyahu Guttmacher – Greiditz, 1874 – Pidyon Nefesh and Prayer for the Sick – "Please Visit Him to Tell Him that the Rabbi of Greiditz is Praying for G-d to Send Him a Complete Recovery, and Blesses Him with Recovery of Both Soul and Body"

Letter (15 lines) handwritten and signed by the Tzaddik R. Eliyahu Guttmacher, Rabbi of Greiditz. [Greiditz (Grodzisk Wielkopolski)], Nisan 1874.

Addressed to R. Zelig Groneman Rabbi of Strasbourg, in response to his request to pray for a sick person in his city. The contents of the letter are interesting and include various details on the use and performance of the Pidyon Nefesh which are unknown from any other source: "…Today I received five Reichsthaler, and I freed myself of all my occupations and did a Pidyon Nefesh to erect the tree of life, combined with prayer, for R. Yehudah son of Frumt, and I wrote down his name to further mention in prayer. And since it's proper for the person for whom the Pidyon is performed to also receive some of the Pidyon money for his body to enjoy something to strengthen him, enclosed is one Silbergroschen to purchase sugar or anything else the sick person can take for his benefit. If sugar then it should be used to sweeten his drink. And please visit him to tell him that the Rabbi of Greiditz is praying for G-d to send him a complete recovery, and blesses him with recovery of both soul and body. You can tell him this in any language you want; it doesn't have to be specifically in accordance with my letter in Hebrew. And may G-d enable him from now to begin to heal. Your friend, at your service in whatever is possible, Eliyahu son of R. Sh., residing here in Greiditz".

R. Eliyahu Guttmacher (1796-1875), Rabbi of Greiditz, was a disciple of R. Akiva Eger. He served as Rabbi of Pleschen (Pleszew) until ca. 1840, thereafter serving as Rabbi of Greiditz (Grodzisk Wielkopolski), at which time his eldest son, R. Tzvi Hirsh, succeeded him as Rabbi of Pleschen. Famed as a holy kabbalist, in his senior years his reputation spread throughout the Jewish world as a wonder-worker, with amazing stories circulating of the great miracles and salvations attained through the blessings of the "Greiditzer Tzaddik". "From all countries people came to seek his blessings and prayers, each one according to his needs" (Igrot Sofrim, footnote to letter 29). After his son, R. Tzvi Hirsh, died young (in 1871) with no descendants, he published his son's books Nachalat Tzvi and Ken Meforeshet (Lviv, 1873). In the introduction to Ken Meforeshet, R. Eliyahu promises: "If someone seeks deliverance from G-d… he should study a mishnah with the Rav (Bartenura), Tosafot Yom Tov and my son's commentary, and then get up to pray in whatever language he is fluent in… detailing his request so he will be answered…".

[1] double leaf. 23 cm. Good condition. Light stains and folding marks.