Large decorated certificate; the heading reads: "The way of the righteous is like the light of dawn; it shines ever brighter until the day is perfect". Written for Rebbe "Menachem Mendel… president and administrator of the Holy Land" (presumably the Rebbe of Radzymin, who was president of Kollel Polin at that time), signed by 16 prominent members of the Safed community. Safed, [ca. first decade of the 20th century].
The poetic text, written in Ashkenzic cursive script, is set within a decorated frame (in color) – columns and verses in square calligraphic script, in gold ink. The Jews of Safed thank the rebbe for money he had sent.
The list of signees is headed by R. Avraham Yitzchak Heller (d. 1909. Son of R. Shmuel Heller Rabbi of Safed and great-grandfather of Rebbe Avraham Yitzchak Kahn of Toldot Aharon, who was named after him). The other signatories include: R. Shlomo of Warsaw, R. Tuvia Goldzweig, R. Yaakov Sternberg, R. Baruch Kahana, R. Asher Lemel HaKohen, R. Yechiel Aryeh Leib HaKohen Zlatipoler, and others.
The Jews of Safed mention their prayers on his behalf at holy sites, so that the rebbe should merit to have offspring.
The recipient of this certificate is presumably Rebbe Aharon Menachem Mendel Gutterman of Radzymin (1860-1934, Encyclopedia L'Chassidut, I, pp. 193-195), leading rebbe in Poland. He headed the Rabbi Meir Baal HaNes fund of Kollel Polin (he visited Eretz Israel in 1929, and donated funds for the partition at the Western Wall). He was the only son of Rebbe Shlomo David Yehoshua of Radzimin. In 1912, he established a yeshiva in Radzymin, where he delivered an occasional lecture. He left behind over one hundred manuscripts, of which only some have been printed. He was the son-in-law of Rebbe Yitzchak Yaakov Rabinowitz of Biala through his first marriage, and of Rebbe Yaakov Moshe Safrin of Komarno through his second marriage. He was childless. Following his passing, he was succeeded by his nephews R. Yaakov Aryeh Morgenstern of Mishkova and R. Avraham Pinchas Morgenstern of Shedlitz.
[1] large leaf. 41X57 cm. Fair condition. Stains, including dampstains and foxing. Wear and folding marks. Tears (repaired). In a passe-partout frame.

Large collection of letters and manuscripts, mostly handwritten by R. Berish Salz (a rabbi of Safed), and some handwritten by other Safed rabbis. Safed, ca. 1910s-1930s.
The collection includes: • Tena'im for the betrothal of R. Berish son of R. Avraham Salz, to the daughter of R. Yaakov Yitzchak Unger of Safed, in Cheshvan 1911. • Drafts of letters and essays of Torah thoughts, handwritten by R. Berish Salz, including: Draft of a letter to R. Nachum Weidenfeld, author of Chazon Nachum, signed by R. Berish ("servant to worshippers of G-d, Yissachar Berish Salz son of R. Ch.A. Salz, grandson of the Taz"); draft of a letter with his signature, containing an essay on the topic of Matza made from wheat grown in an unpunctured pot, 1930s (he mentions his teacher the Ridvaz, rabbi of Safed, and suggests to give the essay to R. Sh.A. Weber to have it printed in the Kol Torah monthly); transcript of responsa by his teacher, R. Sh.A. Alfandari; collection of "Torah novellae heard from my father", Safed, 1941 (written by another person, possibly the son of R. Berish Salz. Contains a copy of a transcript of a letter sent to R. Y.M. Charlap, dated 13th Tammuz 1941); and other drafts of letters and notes of Torah novellae.
R. Yissachar Berish Salz (1893-1961), a leading Safed rabbi. An outstanding Torah scholar and kabbalist, he devoted his entire life to Torah study, and served as dean and posek in Safed. He came from one of the oldest families of the Safed community. His father was R. Chaim Avraham Salz (descendant of R. David HaLevi, the Taz) and his father-in-law was R. Yaakov Yitzchak Unger (descendant of Rebbe Mordechai David Unger of Dombrowa). He was a close disciple of the Ridvaz (R. Yaakov David Wilowsky, rabbi of Safed) and dean of the latter's yeshiva Bnei Yaakov – Ridvaz in Safed. He was also a close disciple and confidant of R. Sh.A. Alfandari, during the latter's tenure as rabbi of Safed, and served as scribe in his Beit Din (this collection includes responsa from R. Alfandari, who was a Torah scholar of Turkey and the East, arranged and written in Ashkenazic script, presumably that of R. Berish Salz. These responsa are printed in the book Responsa of the Saba Kaddisha). He exchanged halachic and friendly correspondence with R. Tzvi Pesach Frank and other rabbis in Eretz Israel.
55 written leaves. Size and condition vary.

Letter handwritten (Rashi script) and signed by R. Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook. London, Tevet 1918.
Addressed to "My beloved friend, the illustrious scholar… Mr. Mordechai Elias" – his disciple during his stay in London. Rav Kook composed for him an interesting poem of well-wishes. The first section is an acrostic of the recipient's name – Mordechai Elias. R. Kook then praises his disciple for successfully pursuing his higher education while remaining steadfast in his faith and fear of G-d.
This poem was written on the occasion of Mr. Mordechai Elias's immigration to Eretz Israel.
Written on the official visiting card of R. Kook, from his stay in London at the end of WWI, with the following letterhead (Hebrew and English): "A.I. Kook (Chief Rabbi of Jaffa & Colonies of Palestine) – at present Rabbi of Machzike Hadath… London".
The recipient of the letter, Mordechai Elias (1892-1950), immigrated to Jerusalem in 1919. A diplomat and Zionist activist, he worked as a senior lawyer in Eretz Israel during the British Mandate. Following the declaration of the State of Israel, he served as first ambassador of Israel to the United Kingdom. He studied law in the universities of Jarosław, Berlin and Oxford. During his stay in England, he became attached to R. Kook (who was then in exile in Europe, due to WWI), and became his close disciple. He was one of the founders of the Yeshurun synagogue in Jerusalem.
Printed card. Approx. 11 cm. Heavy stock paper. Fair-good condition. Open tears to corners, affecting text.
The entire letter was printed in Igrot HaRaayah (part III, p. 308, letter 13 in appendix). See enclosed material.

Lengthy letter (3 leaves, unsigned transcript), on matters of "exploration of faith", by R. Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook. [Jaffa], 12th Tevet 1912.
The body of the letter is a transcript in the distinctive handwriting of R. Tzvi Yehuda Kook, son of R. Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook. The final two lines of the letter (on the third leaf) were completed by R. Kook in his own handwriting: "These are just a drop in the ocean of the great truth… but the word of our G-d shall last forever". The third leaf was cropped after this line. Unsigned.
Fascinating letter containing answers to questions on matters of faith. Response to a disciple, presumably Dr. Moshe Seidel (see below), who sent him previously an agitated letter: "My dear, your precious letter… reached me, and frightened me with your agitation, and since you called to me for help, I felt it my holy duty to answer you immediately, and to prefer your letter to other important ones which arrived earlier. Firstly, I wish to tell you an important rule, my dear, any confusion arising in matters of faith is rooted in superficial understanding…".
To the best of our research, this letter was hitherto unknown and unpublished. The letter was presumably sent to Dr. Moshe Seidel, close disciple of R. Kook (already during his tenure as rabbi of Bauska), who deliberated on matters of faith, and shared his doubts with R. Kook, with whom he shared an exceptionally personal and warm relationship. R. Kook was dedicated to him like a father, and the letters he wrote to him are renowned for their profundity, for their treatment of complex questions on faith and dealing with the spirit of the times.
A different letter was printed in Igrot HaRaayah (II, letter 478), dated 13th Tevet 1912 – a day after this letter was composed. The letter printed there contains completely different content, yet it appears to be a reply to the same letter which Seidel sent R. Kook, in which he apparently expressed great agitation (R. Kook writes to him there: "Your letter, my dear, obviously pained and surprised me…"). One can presume that R. Kook first composed the present letter as a response to Seidel's agitated letter, yet he later reconsidered and formulated a new letter (which was eventually published in Igrot HaRaayah).
[3] leaves (written on one side). First two leaves: 25.5 cm; third leaf: top half only (11 cm). Good-fair condition. Stains. Wear and minor tears.