Large manuscript certificate on parchment, emissary letter for R. Eliyahu Adahan, who was sent by Kollelot Rabbi Meir Baal HaNess to the Maghreb (Morocco and Algeria): Fez, Sefrou, Meknes, Debdou, Rabat, Salé and other cities. With the signatures of many Tiberias rabbis. Tiberias, [1907].
Large parchment sheet with a rounded top. Square and semi-cursive (Rashi) script. Decorated with verses at the top. Some letters are enlarged for emphasis and ornamentation.
In this emissary letter, the rabbis of Tiberias describe the holy yeshiva which operates in the courtyard of the gravesite of Rabbi Meir Baal Haness, and the many students studying there. They portray the financial difficulties of the yeshiva, and the "army tax" imposed on the students. They further depict the salvations and miracles which all those who donate in the name of R. Meir Baal HaNess benefit from, such as women who promise during labor to donate money to the yeshiva of R. Meir Baal HaNess, and are thus saved, the salvations it brings to people who donated during a drought or famine. Thus, in the merit of R. Meir Baal HaNess, people have been blessed with "offspring, life and sustenance".
At the foot of the certificate there are dozens of calligraphic signatures of rabbis of Tiberias. The signatories include: R. Eliyahu Illouz, R. Elazar Bahloul, R. Eliyahu Benkiki, R. Betzalel Chai Assabag, R. David Reina, R. Chaim HaLevi Bensoussan, R. Yehuda Toledano, R. Yosef Chaim Illouz, R. Yaakov Bukai, R. Yaakov Vaknin, R. Yaakov Chai Zrihen, R. Yaakov Moshe Toledano, R. Yaakov Tzuri, R. Yitzchak Meir HaLevi Bensoussan, R. Machlouf Shetrit, R. Moshe Avraham Hamaoui, R. Moshe Meir Chai Elyakim, R. Nissim Eliyahu Maman, R. Azariah Chaim HaLevi, R. Akiva Chiya Bahloul, R. Shalom Arouah, R. Shlomo Bensamon, R. Shimon Vaknin, and others. Heading the list of signatories is a calligraphic signature-stamp of the rabbi of the city, R. Aharon Alhadef.
The emissary, R. Eliyahu Adahan (1852-1925) was a rabbi in Tiberias. He served for a while as shochet and bodek in Shechem. He travelled as emissary on behalf of the Sephardi Kollelot to the Bukhara, Morocco and Algeria.
Large parchment sheet. 69 cm. Good condition. Stains, folding marks and creases. Some signatures faded.

Manuscript, halachic and Aggadic novellae on the Talmud and on several Torah portions, by an unidentified author. [Europe, ca. mid-18th century].
Cursive Ashkenazic script, in different hands (part of the manuscript may have been written by the author's scribe). Many sections appear to have been written by the author, with deletions, emendations and marginal glosses. The manuscript comprises novellae on Tractates Berachot, Chullin, Zevachim and Menachot. Most of the novellae pertain to Talmudic topics in Order Kodashim. Novellae on the Torah portions appear in several places. To the best of our knowledge, this composition was never published.
The manuscript mentions several dates from the 1730s. Furthermore, the author refers several times to the books Omer Man and Birkat HaZevach, which were published in Berlin in 1739. It therefore appears that this work was composed in the 1740s.
The author, whom we were unable to identify, was a descendant of the Maharshal. This manuscript contains an important testimony on the fate of the manuscript of the Chochmat Shlomo glosses on the Talmud, by the Maharshal: " I am a descendant of the Maharshal, and the book Chochmat Shlomo was not an independent composition, rather it was written in the margins of Talmud volumes, as I personally witnessed, since I had in my possession two volumes of Sanhedrin, Bava Batra, Gittin, Kiddushin, Sotah, printed in Venice, with glosses in the margins handwritten by the Maharshal, and they were unfortunately burnt in Kraśnik with all my books" (p. 3a of the first sequence).
The author also relates of other tragedies which occurred to him: "…unfortunately, my heart's delight was burned, and what I am capable of writing during the time of my troubles, I am recording in the book with tears, and may He who has said to His world 'enough', say so to my trouble" (p. 52a). In one place, the author did not hesitate to admit to his mistake, and wrote: "I was mistaken in what I wrote until now" (p. 52b). In one place, the author mentions a manuscript he saw in Constantinople: "And I saw in Constantinople in the home of R. Chaim Kimchi a manuscript Tosafot Ri…." (p. 39b).
In several places, the author quotes Torah novellae he heard from prominent Torah scholars and leaders: "And I heard an answer in the name of R. Yitzchak Kohen of Izmir" (p. 2a of the third sequence; presumably referring to R. Yitzchak HaKohen Rappaport Rabbi of Izmir, author of Batei Kehunah, a teacher of the Chida); "And I heard from R. Chaim of Apta who studied in Prague" (p. 11b); "And R. Yaakov Krakower of Amsterdam raised the following difficulty when he was there in 1728, and it is quoted in Beit Yehuda printed by R. Leib of Głogów" (p. 16a; i.e. the book Kol Yehuda, Amsterdam 1729, see there p. 37b); "It seems to me that this was said in the name of the preacher R. Falk of Lviv" (p. 53b).
Throughout his composition, the author repeatedly quotes his "exceptional" son R. Moshe. Likewise, he brings a difficulty raised by his grandson "the exceptional groom R. Yisrael Isserl" (p. 10b).
The first page (otherwise blank) bears the heading: "Approbation" (the author presumably intended to copy an approbation he received to his work on this page, which indicates that he intended to publish the work).
[1], 2-5, [1], 1-42, [1], 43-54, 57-64; 1-6 leaves. Altogether 75 leaves (136 written pages). 20 cm. + [4] smaller manuscript leaves (7 written pages), found between the leaves of the manuscript. Fair-poor condition. Stains, including dampstains. Tears and wear. Marginal open tears to many leaves, affecting text. Worming. Detached leaves and gatherings. Without binding.

Letter handwritten and signed by R. Refael Shapiro, dean of the Volozhin yeshiva. [Volozhin?], Sivan 1915.
Rabbinic ordination and recommendation for R. Meir Lipman son of R. Yitzchak Eliyahu – rabbi in Gruzd (Gruzdžiai). R. Refael praises him as a "p rominent Torah scholar, sharp and well-versed in Talmud and halachic literature… and he is fitting to serve as rabbi of a large city…". R. Refael signed: " So are the words of one who writes and signs in honor of the Torah and those who study it, Refael Shapiro of Volozhin".
R. Refael Shapiro, rabbi and dean of Volozhin (1837-1921), was the son of R. Aryeh Leib Rabbi of Kovno and son-in-law of the Netziv of Volozhin. He was renowned for his genius and diligence. In the years 1865-1881, he served as dean of the Volozhin yeshiva alongside his father-in-law the Netziv. He then went to serve as rabbi of Babruysk and other places. In 1899, when the yeshiva was reopened, he returned to Volozhin and was appointed rabbi and dean. During WWI, he fled to Minsk, where he taught Torah for some five years until his passing (this letter was written within the first year of the war, and it is unclear whether it was written in Volozhin, before R. Refael went into exile, or during the course of his wanderings). His novellae and responsa were published in the three parts of his book Torat Refael. His son-in-law was R. Chaim HaLevi Soloveitchik, rabbi of Brisk, author of Chiddushei Rabbenu Chaim HaLevi.
[1] leaf, official stationery. 27.5 cm. Fair condition. Tears to folds (not affecting text), repaired at first with acidic tape, and later professionally. Dark stains from tape.