Collection of items from the kabbalist R. Asher Ze'ev Werner Rabbi of Tiberias:
• Large collection of letters, documents, postcards, photographs and paper items, from the archive of R. Asher Ze'ev Werner Rabbi of Tiberias and his family. Tiberias, 1941-1957.
The collection includes: 32 promissory notes from the Oneg Yom Tov free-loan society run by R. Asher Ze'ev Werner, handwritten by the lender R. Asher Ze'ev Werner. The signatures of the borrowers and guarantors appear at the foot of the notes, and include: Rebbe Shalom Noach Berezovsky of Slonim - the Netivot Shalom (3 signatures), R. Asher Ze'ev's father-in-law R. Aharon Yosef Luria - author of Avodat Pnim, and others. The collection also includes a document from the Tiberias Beit Din, handwritten and signed by R. Asher Ze'ev; receipts and letters addressed to him and to his wife, some from rabbis and public figures including: R. Shmuel Baruch Werner - head of the Tel Aviv Beit Din, R. Yitzchak Gerstenkorn - founder of Bnei Brak, R. Binyamin Mintz and others; family photographs of his son R. Moshe Werner (d. 2010), and of his brother-in-law Rebbe Meir Halberstam of Tshakava.
R. Asher Ze'ev Werner (1892-1957), Rabbi of Tiberias and prominent kabbalist. He was the close disciple of R. Moshe Kliers, author of Torat HaAretz. He studied under the elder disciples of the Yesod HaAvoda of Slonim, and absorbed from them much guidance in worship of G-d. During WWI, he sojourned in the United States where he served as rabbi of several cities and was tremendously successful in bolstering Torah observance. In 1934, he returned to Tiberias upon the request of R. Kliers, and shortly thereafter was appointed Ashkenazi rabbi of Tiberias. He engaged in profound study of kabbalah and Chassidism from a young age, and was exceptionally well-versed in the writings of the Arizal and the Rashash, within which he innovated his individual approach. The majority of his novellae in Halacha, Kabbalah and homily are recorded in his books Taam Zekenim (Jerusalem 1955) and BiNe'arenu UbiZekenenu (Jerusalem 1957). Most of his halachic responsa were printed in his biography Me'od Naalah (Jerusalem 2013).
R. Asher Ze'ev Werner was reputed as the pillar of lovingkindness and charity in his generation. His home was like that of our patriarch Avraham, open to any needy, despondent or embittered person. His home was always filled with guests, who ate and slept there as if it were their own home. During his stay in the United States, he raised funds for the recovery of the Jewish settlement in Tiberias (which was under threat of collapse during WWI). Upon his return to Tiberias, he managed several large free-loan societies, with the support of American donors. The societies served people from throughout the country. The present documents give us a glimpse into his extensive activity in this field. The documents disclose the scope of the sums of money he loaned in the early 1950s, during the Israeli austerity-period.
• Chanukah Lamp which belonged to the kabbalist R. Asher Ze'ev Werner Rabbi of Tiberias. He lit this Chanukah lamp in the final two years of his life, Chanukah 1956 and 1957.
A large upright Chanukah lamp, with scrolling vines, the Tablets of the Law, lions and a Star of David. Warsaw, [ca. early 20th century].
Stamped and cast copper alloy, silver plated; the candlestick is marked "Zybert Galw. Warszawa".
Large Chanukah lamp, designed as a candlestick bearing the upper part of the lamp - a central arm, eight branches and a shamash. The candlestick and oil fonts are decorated with architectural pillars, wreaths, vine leaves and clusters of grapes. The branches of the lamp are fashioned as scrolling vines, with leaves and clusters of grapes. The central branch is topped with a ball bearing a pair of heraldic lions supporting the Tablets of the Law, surmounted by a Star of David. The shamash is removable.
97 paper items (including 33 documents handwritten by R. Werner, one of them with his stamp) + 3 photographs. Size varies. Overall good condition. Chanukah lamp: Height -Approx. 73 cm. Width - Approx. 44 cm. Good-fair condition. Bends. Losses to silver plating in large areas of the candlestick and branches.

Letter of halachic responsum pertaining to the laws of constructing a synagogue and changing the status of a synagogue to profane, handwritten by R. Meshulam Zalman Neumark. Addressed to Rebbe Shalom Dov Ber Schneersohn of Lubavitch (the Rashab). [Presumably written between 1884 and 1889].
Responsum letter in two copies. One is entirely handwritten by R. Meshulam Zalman, and the second is partially written by a scribe and partially by R. Meshulam Zalman. Variations in the text of the two copies. These may be drafts of the letter which was actually sent, or copies which R. Meshulam Zalman penned for his own record.
The letter was written in response to a complex question which Rebbe Rashab sent regarding the laws of the holiness of a synagogue (the question from Rebbe Rashab was published in Igrot Kodesh of Rebbe Rashab, V, p. 199 onwards, and in Responsa Torat Shalom, p. 25 onwards).
In his letter, R. Meshulam Zalman testifies on the stringent approach of Rebbe Maharash in these matters, when the latter rebuilt his home and the synagogue following the fire which ravaged Lubavitch: "I can testify what I explicitly and directly heard from his father R. Shmuel, when I visited him for the first time after he built his present home. He showed me the small room which was open to the long room after the Sukkah… and he explained to me his reason for setting aside this small room - this place used to hold a small part of the burnt down study hall which was in the courtyard of the Tzemach Tzedek, and, not wishing to include it in his home, he set it aside for holy use, for writing Chassidic essays and the like…" (the ground on which Rebbe Maharash built his home in Lubavitch, partially overlapped with the area which used to hold the synagogue of the Tzemach Tzedek, which burnt down. When the Maharash built his private home, he designated one room, which was built on the grounds of the synagogue, for Torah study and recording Torah thoughts, rather than for personal use, so that it should remain a study hall of sorts).
R. Chaim Meshulam Zalman Neumark (d. 1893), a leading Chabad rabbi, cherished disciple of the Tzemach Tzedek and his son Rebbe Maharash of Lubavitch. One of the most renowned and prominent rabbis of Chabad Chassidism in his times. 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). Rebbe Yehuda Leib of Kopust wrote regarding his brilliance both in hidden and revealed parts of the Torah: "He is a renowned posek, both in Halachic ruling and in his Chassidic erudition". See item 379.
[2] double leaves (6 written pages). 21 cm and 15 cm. Good condition. Stains and folding marks.
This letter was presumably never published.

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.