Letter of Inspiration by the Rebbe "HaMalach", Rebbe Avraham Duber HaCohen Levine, to his Son Rabbi Refael Zalman

Letter of Inspiration by the Rebbe "HaMalach", Rebbe Avraham Duber HaCohen Levine, to his Son Rabbi Refael Zalman
Long letter of inspiration and guidance in Torah study and G-d's service, handwritten and signed by R. Chaim Avraham Duber HaCohen Levine. [Without place or date].
Among his words of guidance, he writes: "My dear beloved son… I see fit to inspire you to study Mishnayot and the Tosfot Yom Tov, because the Tosfot Yom Tov is an outstanding Torah scholar who in a few brief words expressed profound ideas…". He also suggests studying Netiv HaAvodah in the book Netivot Olam of the Maharal.
R. Chaim Avraham Dov HaCohen Levine (died in New York in 1938, Encyclopedia Le'Chassidut Vol. 1 p. 566), was a disciple of the Maharash (Rebbe Shmuel Schneerson) of Lubavitch and studied under the tutelage of disciples who learned Torah directly from the father of the Maharash, the Tzemach Tzedek. R. Levine immigrated to the USA and held his court in the Nusach HaAri Synagogue in the Bronx. He served G-d adhering to the conduct of pious men who lived hundreds of years before his times. On Shabbat and Festivals, he entirely refrained from sleeping and was immersed in G-d's service the entire day. At times, he would be silent for more than 10 hours straight, standing in profound meditation (service of the soul during which all thoughts and senses are concentrated solely on G-d).
Young men surrounded him and hovered in his presence. In the US, they were referred to as the "Malachim" (angels) named after their Rebbe Avraham "HaMalach" and were distinct in their extreme piety and abstention, in their different attire and long fringes. They studied only from Slavita and Zhitomir printings of the Talmud, and had other customs that provoked American yeshiva heads. After the death of the rebbe, R. Ya’akov Schorr brother of Rabbi Gedalya Schorr of Torah V’Da’at headed the group of "Malachim". R. Levine's writings were published anonymously in the book Otzar Igrot Kodesh (Jerusalem, 1952) with the author described as "Echad (one) [acronym of Avraham Chaim Dov] of the eminent people of his times… a rabbi similar to an angel of G-d".
His son Rabbi Refael Zalman HaCohen Levine, studied the entire Sefer HaTanya with his holy father when he was only eleven or twelve years old. He was the disciple of Rabbi Baruch Ber Leibowitz at the Knesset Beit Yitzchak Yeshiva in Vilna. Upon Rabbi Baruch Ber's visit to the USA, he stayed at Rabbi Refael Zalman’s home in Albany for ten days and many stories are recounted about this visit [see MiPihem U’Mipi Kotvam, Vol. 2 pp. 97, 142-144].
Folded leaf, 3 pages. 27 cm. Approx. 41 handwritten lines. Good condition.