Twenty-four letters and manuscripts from the archive of R. Meshulam Zalman Neumark, rabbi of Horki, Starodub, Vitebsk and Nevel. Manuscript responsa and multipage halachic treatises composed by R. Meshulam Zalman, responsa which he received from other rabbis, certificates of rabbinic appointment and familial letters. Horki, Starodub, Vitebsk, Nevel, Pochep, Shumyachi and Khotsimsk (Belarus). 1850s-1890s.
The archive includes: certificates of rabbinic appointment, with signatures; manuscripts and halachic treatises written by R. Meshulam Zalman; copies of responsa which he kept for his own records, some in his handwriting and others written by a scribe; letters and responsa sent to him from other rabbis; familial letters and Tena’im of his sons; and more. This archive contains a wealth of information about the towns and cities of Belarus which were within the Pale of Settlement, various halachic controversies which arose there; interesting facts pertaining to the small communities in Belarus which were led by two rabbis - one Chassidic and one Ashkenazi, each directing their respective communities; detailed information on the rabbinic career of R. Neumark and about his family.
The contents of this archive were presumably never published.
The archive includes: certificates of appointment for R. Neumark as rabbi of Starodub and Vitebsk (signed by the community leaders); letters and manuscripts regarding the halachic controversy surrounding leniencies in the laws of Terefot practiced by the shochetim of Vitebsk (including a letter to R. Yitzchak Elchanan Spektor on the topic); sermon handwritten by R. Neumark for the birthday of the empress of Russia; halachic treatises from R. Neumark regarding Heter Me’ah Rabbanim (he mentions Rebbe Maharash of Lubavitch, who instructed him to issue a ruling on this question); responsa and halachic studies on various topics (laws of divorce, purity and terefot); halachic treatises, including polemics with R. Hillel Traizon, posek of the Ashkenazi community in Starodub (rare glimpse into the complex relationship between the Chabad and Ashkenazi rabbis in that time); letters sent to R. Neumark from various places, from rabbis and individuals requesting his decision in disputes and halachic issues; and more. A detailed description of the letters and documents will be sent upon request.
R. Chaim Meshulam Zalman Neumark (d. 1893), a leading Chabad rabbi, cherished disciple of the Tzemach Tzedek and his son Rebbe Maharash of Lubavitch. He served as rabbi of the following prominent Chabad cities and towns: Horki (1857-1867), Starodub (1867-1886), Vitebsk (1886-1888) and Nevel (1888-1893). R. Elazar Moshe Horowitz Rabbi of Pinsk testified that he found him to be of wise heart and pure intellect in line with the truth of the Torah. Rebbe Yehuda Leib of Kopust acclaimed him as "a renowned posek, both in Halachic ruling and in his Chassidic erudition". R. Meshulam Zalman was one of the most well-known and prominent rabbis of Chabad Chassidism in his times. Apart from his brilliance in both revealed and hidden parts of the Torah, his worship of G-d was legendary. He was a person of deep emotions, and exceptionally charitable - most of his salary was expended on supporting his needy relatives and marrying off their daughters.
During his tenure as rabbi of Starodub, R. Meshulam Zalman was very involved in helping Jewish boys evade conscription in the Russian army. He was denounced to the authorities, interrogated and imprisoned for two and a half years, together with eighty Jews of Starodub, from winter 1881 until Tishrei 1883. He devoted the years of his incarceration to Torah and heartfelt prayer, and for the rest of his life, he spoke with yearning of those elevating years which he could devote to Torah study without being troubled by the concerns of the rabbinate. His grandson R. Avraham Yaakov Neumark, a rabbi of Tel Aviv, relates that R. Meshulam Zalman’s neighbor in the prison cell was an infamous bandit and assassin, who had murdered dozens of people, "And this murderer would melt into tears when hearing the sounds of my grandfather praying, since his prayers were exceptionally heartfelt" (from his preface to Eshel Avraham on Zera’im). The entire account of the informing, imprisonment and surprising acquittal in trial was recorded by Dr. Fishel Schneersohn in his book Kocha shel Sanegoria (Tel Aviv 1967).
24 items, consisting of 74 written pages (approx. 35 leaves, some double). Size and condition vary.

Manuscript, draft of a responsum pertaining to the laws of divorce, written by one of the dayanim in the Kharkiv Beit Din. Addressed to R. Levi Yitzchak Schneersohn Rabbi of Yekaterinoslav (Dnipro). Kharkiv, Sivan 1923.
This manuscript was written in response to R. Levi Yitzchak’s letter (which is not in our possession), in which he disqualified a get (divorce document) arranged by the Kharkiv Beit Din, requiring them to draw up a new get. The manuscript quotes the four reasons R. Levi Yitzchak gave to substantiate his reservations as to the validity of the get. In this letter, one of the dayanim defends the get they arranged against R. Levi Yitzchak’s contentions.
The manuscript is full of deletions and emendations, and is not signed. This is presumably a draft of the responsum.
R. Levi Yitzchak Schneersohn Rabbi of Yekaterinoslav (1878-1944), father of Rebbe Menachem Mendel of Lubavitch. He was renowned for his stringency in laws of divorce, and would fast on the day he arranged a get. Reputedly, he once worked with the Kharkiv community to arrange a get, and he was so meticulous that everything should be perfect, that he compelled them to rewrite the get 3 times, until they succeeded in producing a perfect document (Toldot Levi Yitzchak, I, pp. 165-166).
[4] leaves (8 written pages). 22.5 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains. Marginal tears, slightly affecting text. Folding marks.

Letter of blessings from Rebbe Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn - the Rayatz of Lubavitch, with his signature, and the addition of two words in his handwriting. Addressed to his secretary R. Nissan Mindel. Brooklyn, New York, Sivan 1949.
Typewritten on the official stationery of Rebbe Rayatz, with his signature and two words in his handwriting.
In his letter, the rebbe blesses: "May the blesser be blessed with abundant good both in material and spiritual matters, and may G-d strengthen his health and that of his wife, and grant them profitable and abundant livelihood, and success in his work".
At the end of the letter, after "and blesses them", the rebbe added in his handwriting "BeGashmiyut UBeRuchaniyut" (in material and spiritual matters).
The letter is signed with the rebbe’s distinctive signature in the final year of his life - with the letter Yud of his second name in Ashuri script.
R. Nissan Mindel (1912-1999), director of Chabad institutions in the United States, close confidant of Rebbe Rayatz and his son-in-law the Lubavitcher Rebbe. From 1932, he served as personal secretary of Rebbe Rayatz of Lubavitch, and from 1950, of the Lubavitcher Rebbe. In winter 1940, he was one of the few who joined the Rayatz in his flight from occupied Poland to the United States. He typed all the rebbe’s English letters, and even published some of them in several volumes. R. Mindel was a prolific author on Jewish thought and Chassidism. His books were reviewed by the rebbe before being published, and were later translated into many languages. He served as editor of the Chabad periodical for youths - Talks and Tales, for over forty years. His magnum opus was his translation of the Tanya to English, which earned him a doctorate’s degree from the Columbia University in New York.
[1] leaf, official stationery. 21.5 cm. Good condition. Folding marks. Stains.

Letter of good year wishes, signed by Rebbetzin Nechama Dina Schneersohn, with the signatures of her two sons-in-law - Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneersohn of Lubavitch and R. Shemarya Gurary: "With the approach of the new year… we hereby bless him and his family with a good inscription and sealing for a good and sweet year, both in material and spiritual matters. Brooklyn, New York, Elul 1950.
Addressed to R. Asher Mindel (brother of the secretary R. Nissan Mindel). Typewritten on the Rebbetzin’s official stationery; hand signed by the Rebbetzin and her two sons-in-law. The letter was written in Elul 1950, within the year of mourning of her husband, Rebbe Rayatz, who passed away on 10th Shevat 1950. Her son-in-law the Lubavitcher Rebbe was not officially appointed rebbe until 10th Shevat 1951. During the year of mourning, the Rebbetzin wrote several letters to Chabad Chassidim, which she signed together with her two sons-in-law - the signature of her eldest son-in-law R. Shemarya Gurary appearing on the right, and the signature of her younger son-in-law R. Menachem Mendel Schneersohn, future Lubavitcher Rebbe, on the left.
Rebbetzin Nechama Dina Schneersohn (1881-1971), wife of Rebbe Rayatz. She was the daughter of R. Avraham Schneersohn of Kishinev, son of Rebbe Yisrael Noach of Niezhin, son of the Tzemach Tzedek of Lubavitch. Their wedding took place in Elul 1897. She was devotedly involved in her husband’s monumental work. When her husband was arrested by the communists in 1927, she deftly and courageously orchestrated his release, at peril of her life.
Rebbe Menachem Mendel of Lubavitch - the Lubavitcher Rebbe (1902-1994), seventh rebbe of the Chabad-Lubavitch dynasty. He was the son of R. Levi Yitzchak Rabbi of Yekaterinoslav, sixth generation patrilineal descendant of the Tzemach Tzedek.
R. Shemaryahu Gurary (1898-1989), a close disciple of Rebbe Rashab of Lubavitch, who chose him as husband for his granddaughter Chana, daughter of Rebbe Rayatz. He later served as the latter’s close assistant.
[1] leaf, official stationery. 21.5 cm. Good condition. Stains. Folding marks and creases.

Letter from Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneersohn of Lubavitch-Chabad. Brooklyn, New York, Iyar 1970.
Typewritten on the official stationery of the rebbe, with his signature and handwritten correction and addition.
The letter is addressed to R. Avraham Sofer, editor of writings of the Rishonim, and expresses appreciation to him for sending the book Tosafot Chachmei Anglia on tractates Beitza, Kiddushin and Megillah (Jerusalem 1970), which he had edited and published. The rebbe writes: "I just received the book Tosafot Chachmei Anglia on tractate Beitza etc [the emphasized words are the rebbe’s handwritten additions]; thank you for thinking of sending it to me, since one cannot compare seeing the galley proofs to a complete, printed book. And may he see the realization of the saying of the sages - whoever has one hundred wants two… may his desire to publish the writings of the Rishonim increase, and may G-d bring his desire to fruition". Further in the letter, the rebbe writes several particulars pertaining to his activities in drawing students from the Bologna University in Italy closer to Judaism.
At the beginning of the letter, the rebbe corrected by hand the typewritten title of the recipient "HaRav Avraham" to "the rabbi, outstanding Torah scholar".
The letter was printed in Igrot Kodesh, XXVI, pp. 397-398; Menachem Meshiv Nefesh, II, p. 645. In both sources, the rebbe’s handwritten addition and correction were not printed.
The recipient of the letter, R. Avraham Sofer (1897-1982) was the son of R. Shimon Sofer Rabbi of Erlau, author of Hitorerut Teshuva. He served between 1925-1939 as rabbi of Corfu, Gorizia (Italy), and Rijeka (Croatia). In 1939, he immigrated to Jerusalem. He dedicated his life, already during his stay in Italy, to editing and publishing dozens of works of Rishonim, with the addition of his important notes. His most renowned achievement was the series Beit HaBechirah LehaMe’iri. He kept in touch with the rebbe for decades, primarily concerning his work of editing compositions found in manuscripts, and corresponded with him extensively. R. Sofer would send the galley proofs of the books to the rebbe before publishing, for the rebbe to proofread and correct. After the printing, the rebbe would send him additional comments and corrections on the printed version. The rebbe encouraged and supported R. Sofer in his enterprise, as can be seen in this letter, and even assisted him financially in printing some of the books (see enclosed material).
[1] leaf. 28 cm. Good condition. Stains. Folding marks.