At the Bogomilsky home
Rabbi Tzvi Bogomilsky notes: "My great-grandfather, HaRav Tzvi Hakohen Kaplan, studied in Yeshivas Mir, whose remains lie in Belarus, and was privileged to be the study-partner of the renowned mashgiach, HaRav Yeruchom Levovitz. He emigrated to the U.S. in 1925, settled in the Bronx, where he served as rabbi of Congregation Anshei Volovisk. He was also a maggid shiur in Yeshivas Torah Vodaas.
"When his eldest daughter, my grandmother, became, in 1935, of a marriageable age, he wrote to the mashgiach, HaRav Yeruchom, that he could not find a suitable match for her and asked for his advice. Rav Yeruchom replied: 'Send her here to Mir and we will see to it that she finds her match.'
"My grandmother went to Europe alone, at great self-sacrifice, and became betrothed to the young learned Shmuel Pesach Bogomilsky. The wedding took place in Mir, after which the couple moved to America."
At this point, Rav Tzvi adds an interesting fact: "The chosson came from Volkowitz, near Mir. He came provided with letters of recommendation from noted Torah leaders of Lithuania: HaRav Shimon Shkop, HaRav Boruch Ber, HaRav Chaim Ozer, HaRav Avrohom Hirsch Kamai — with an additional certification of dayanus from HaRav Chaim Ozer.
"After my grandmother returned to America with her husband, her father sent another letter to HaRav Yeruchom. We never found that letter but we did discover the reply. Apparently my grandfather thanked HaRav Yeruchom for having arranged the match and added thirty dollars as the shadchonus fee.
The letter
"In an uncommon letter concerning money, HaRav Yeruchom refused to accept the sum, writing that he intended to transfer it to a charitable cause in which he was presently involved: the release of yeshiva students from military duty. And here we find the sentence which, 91 years prior, now receives a chilling significance. 'I strongly ask that if you are able to collect more significant funds for this important cause (of releasing yeshiva students from the army) which is a matter of real life-and-death, please do so and send me the money directly.'"
Text excerpts from the letter
