“and God forbid I enter into the dispute” – letter with fascinating content, written by hand and signed by Rabbi ...

“and God forbid I enter into the dispute” – letter with fascinating content, written by hand and signed by Rabbi Shmuel Zvi Weiss, Av Beit Din of Bendekowitz, to Rabbi Chaim Brody, Rabbi of Prague. Bendekowitz 1923.
“My opinion is that whatever office she establishes now in Karpatros (Zakarpattia), will only cause fights and quarrels” – a long letter (three pages) with a long mention of the dispute among Orthodox communities in the Czech Republic, written by hand by Rabbi Shmuel Zvi Weiss, Av Beit Din of Bendekowitz, to Rabbi Chaim Brody, Rabbi of Prague.

“Although my position is of course neutral, it still causes me issues because in times of need I have no one to contact…” He writes that he does not lean toward either side in the conflict and isn’t involved in the subject: “And for the time being I have not joined either the office that thinks of standing on its own authority or the one headed by the Rabbi of Pistian”. But neither side felt obligated to support him in return. All this is a preface explaining why Rav Weiss was contacting Rabbi Brody for support. Later he details the issue that he was dealing with, opposite the Czech authorities, and he asks Rav Brody (who had connections with the corridors of power) to speak on his behalf to the authorities.

Rabbi Shmuel Zvi Weiss (1880-1938) was the son of Rabbi Aharon Weiss, Av Beit Din Bendekowitz, son-in-law of Rabbi Yehosef Rotenburg, the first Admor of Koson. He was grandson of Rabbi Shmuel Zvi Weiss (a student of Rabbi Yitzhak Isaac of Zidichev) and father of the Imrei Yosef of Spinka. He succeeded his father in the rabbinate of Bendekowitz and led his community for 31 years until his death.