Auction 89 - Rare and Important Items
November 22, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7
Auction 89 - Rare and Important Items
November 22, 2022
Opening: $4,000
Estimate: $6,000 - $8,000
Sold for: $6,875
Including buyer's premium
Lengthy letter (5 pages), handwritten and signed by Rebbe Avraham Weinberg, first rebbe of Slonim, author of Yesod HaAvodah. [Slonim], 37th day of the Omer [Iyar 1868].
The letter is addressed to the rebbe's mechutan R. Yehoshua, the latter's brother-in-law, and his Chassidim in general. The main part of the letter (4 pages) is a profound, in-depth Chassidic-kabbalistic essay, on the holiness of Shabbat and principles of faith. Most of the letter was printed, with minor variations, in his book Yesod HaAvodah (letter section, letter 33) and in his book Be'er Avraham (Parashat Behar). The first page – the opening of the letter, and parts of the conclusion were not printed there, and are presumably hitherto unpublished.
The rebbe concludes the letter by asking the recipient to address him simply, without profuse expressions of praise.
Apart from the five pages of the letter, an additional page comprises drafts of the opening section of the letter (presumably also at least partly handwritten by the rebbe).
Rebbe Avraham Weinberg, first rebbe of Slonim, author of Yesod HaAvodah (1803-1883), a brilliant and holy kabbalist, and an original and innovative scholar. He was a close disciple of his teachers, Rebbe Noach of Lechovitz and Rebbe Moshe of Kobryn. In the 1830s, he headed the Anaf Etz Chaim yeshiva in his hometown of Slonim, a branch of the renowned Etz Chaim yeshiva in Volozhin (Moshe Tzinovitz, Etz Chaim, p. 433; Aharon Surasky, Marbitzei Torah MeOlam HaChassidut, I, pp. 177, 183-186). In his youth, he studied Torah under extreme deprivation. He would study for eighteen hours a day until absolute exhaustion. In his old age, when one of his disciples remarked that one can discern on him revelations of Divine Inspiration, he replied: "I don't know about Divine Inspiration, but I did study Torah under deprivation, and the sages state that whoever studies Torah under deprivation will be satiated from the splendor of the Divine presence". After the passing of his teacher, Rebbe Moshe of Kobryn, in Nissan 1858, he established his court in Slonim, and most of the Kobryn Chassidim accepted his authority and began frequenting his court. He would conduct Tish not only on Shabbat and festivals, but also on weekdays. Like an ever-flowing wellspring, he delivered many extremely profound Chassidic discourses, and produced many works on all parts of the Torah (most were lost during the Holocaust). Some of his writings were published after his passing. His renowned books are Chessed LeAvraham, a profound, very abstract and impenetrable book on Kabbalah and philosophy; Yesod HaAvodah – on the topic of studying Torah for the sake of Heaven and Chassidic principles on the worship of G-d (in this book, he sharply criticizes the book Nefesh HaChaim by R. Chaim of Volozhin, primarily on his views on the study of Torah for the sake of Heaven; the original manuscript of this work reputedly states several times "contrary to the Nefesh HaChaim"); Be'er Avraham on Mechilta. After the Holocaust, his writings were published in additional volumes of Chessed LeAvraham and Be'er Avraham.
The rebbe corresponded continuously with his Chassidim (in particular those who immigrated to Eretz Israel and settled in Tiberias) on profound topics of Chassidut and worship of G-d. Some of these letters (such as the present letter) were printed after his passing in his book Yesod HaAvodah (in the letters section), as well as at the end of the book Be'er Avraham on the Torah.
[1] large leaf folded in four (6 written pages). Approx. 21.5 cm. Fair condition. Stains, including dark stains. Tears and wear, slightly affecting text. Ink fading. Folding marks (tears and wear to folds, repaired).
The letter is addressed to the rebbe's mechutan R. Yehoshua, the latter's brother-in-law, and his Chassidim in general. The main part of the letter (4 pages) is a profound, in-depth Chassidic-kabbalistic essay, on the holiness of Shabbat and principles of faith. Most of the letter was printed, with minor variations, in his book Yesod HaAvodah (letter section, letter 33) and in his book Be'er Avraham (Parashat Behar). The first page – the opening of the letter, and parts of the conclusion were not printed there, and are presumably hitherto unpublished.
The rebbe concludes the letter by asking the recipient to address him simply, without profuse expressions of praise.
Apart from the five pages of the letter, an additional page comprises drafts of the opening section of the letter (presumably also at least partly handwritten by the rebbe).
Rebbe Avraham Weinberg, first rebbe of Slonim, author of Yesod HaAvodah (1803-1883), a brilliant and holy kabbalist, and an original and innovative scholar. He was a close disciple of his teachers, Rebbe Noach of Lechovitz and Rebbe Moshe of Kobryn. In the 1830s, he headed the Anaf Etz Chaim yeshiva in his hometown of Slonim, a branch of the renowned Etz Chaim yeshiva in Volozhin (Moshe Tzinovitz, Etz Chaim, p. 433; Aharon Surasky, Marbitzei Torah MeOlam HaChassidut, I, pp. 177, 183-186). In his youth, he studied Torah under extreme deprivation. He would study for eighteen hours a day until absolute exhaustion. In his old age, when one of his disciples remarked that one can discern on him revelations of Divine Inspiration, he replied: "I don't know about Divine Inspiration, but I did study Torah under deprivation, and the sages state that whoever studies Torah under deprivation will be satiated from the splendor of the Divine presence". After the passing of his teacher, Rebbe Moshe of Kobryn, in Nissan 1858, he established his court in Slonim, and most of the Kobryn Chassidim accepted his authority and began frequenting his court. He would conduct Tish not only on Shabbat and festivals, but also on weekdays. Like an ever-flowing wellspring, he delivered many extremely profound Chassidic discourses, and produced many works on all parts of the Torah (most were lost during the Holocaust). Some of his writings were published after his passing. His renowned books are Chessed LeAvraham, a profound, very abstract and impenetrable book on Kabbalah and philosophy; Yesod HaAvodah – on the topic of studying Torah for the sake of Heaven and Chassidic principles on the worship of G-d (in this book, he sharply criticizes the book Nefesh HaChaim by R. Chaim of Volozhin, primarily on his views on the study of Torah for the sake of Heaven; the original manuscript of this work reputedly states several times "contrary to the Nefesh HaChaim"); Be'er Avraham on Mechilta. After the Holocaust, his writings were published in additional volumes of Chessed LeAvraham and Be'er Avraham.
The rebbe corresponded continuously with his Chassidim (in particular those who immigrated to Eretz Israel and settled in Tiberias) on profound topics of Chassidut and worship of G-d. Some of these letters (such as the present letter) were printed after his passing in his book Yesod HaAvodah (in the letters section), as well as at the end of the book Be'er Avraham on the Torah.
[1] large leaf folded in four (6 written pages). Approx. 21.5 cm. Fair condition. Stains, including dark stains. Tears and wear, slightly affecting text. Ink fading. Folding marks (tears and wear to folds, repaired).
Category
Letters – Chassidut
Catalogue Value
Auction 89 - Rare and Important Items
November 22, 2022
Opening: $3,000
Estimate: $5,000 - $7,000
Sold for: $4,500
Including buyer's premium
Two letters from rebbes of Slonim:
• Letter handwritten and signed by Rebbe Shmuel Weinberg of Slonim, author of Divrei Shmuel, to his Chassidim in Tiberias, and to the renowned Chassid R. Eliezer HaKohen. Mir, [ca. 1890s].
• Letter handwritten and signed by Rebbe Avraham Weinberg son of the rebbe of Slonim (later the Beit Avraham of Baranovich), to the renowned Chassid R. Eliezer HaKohen. With an addition on verso (some seven lines) handwritten and signed by his brother – Rebbe Yissachar Leib Weinberg [Slonim, ca. 1900s].
The letter from the Divrei Shmuel was written in Mir, during his trip to Lithuania to raise funds for Kollel Reisin in Tiberias.
The letter from Rebbe Avraham and Rebbe Yissachar Leib, was written during their father's lifetime, and pertains to matchmaking, purchasing a house (presumably in Tiberias) and funds for Kollel Reisin. Rebbe Avraham blesses the elderly recipient of the letter with longevity, and that he should merit to marry off his youngest son and even serve as sandek at his grandson's brit.
Rebbe Shmuel Weinberg of Slonim, author of Divrei Shmuel (1850-1916), grandson and close disciple of the Yesod HaAvodah. He began serving as rebbe ca. 1883. He always led his flock in Europe and Tiberias with love and exceptional devotion. He was personally involved in the education and spiritual guidance of the youth and saved many from spiritual decline. For most of his life, he was engaged in raising funds for Kollel Reisin, supporting the immigrants to Tiberias. His most remarkable accomplishment was the establishment of the Or Torah yeshiva in Tiberias. He was also one of the founders of Agudath Yisrael in 1912.
His son Rebbe Avraham Weinberg of Slonim (the second), author of Beit Avraham (1884-1933), began leading the Slonim Chassidut in 1916, expending great effort to rebuild the Chassidut after WWI. In 1918, he founded the Torat Chessed yeshiva in Baranovich together with his close friend R. Moshe Midner. The yeshiva was a unique combination of the Lithuanian style of learning together with Chassidic fervor in worship of G-d. He lived in Bialystok until 1929, and then in Baranovich.
The recipient of the letters was the prominent Chassid R. Eliezer HaKohen Rozovsky (Reb Leiza Yalovker), a Slonim Chassid in Tiberias (1822-1915), an outstanding Jew, one of the elite disciples of the rebbes of Kobryn and Slonim. He was renowned for his passionate, inspiring prayers. His teacher the Yesod HaAvodah defined him as one who worships G-d with joy. R. Mordechai Chaim of Slonim praised him profusely, wishing himself that he once in his life merit to pray like R. Leizer's weekday Arvit prayer (see more about him: A. Surasky, Yesod HaMaalah, I, Bnei Brak 2000, pp. 263-264).
Two letters. First letter: double leaf, two written pages. 21.5 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains. Marginal open tear to first leaf, with paper repair to cover tear (tear possibly intentional, perhaps made by recipient, to omit personal content). Second letter: [1] leaf, written on both sides, official stationery. 28 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains, traces of past dampness and wear.
• Letter handwritten and signed by Rebbe Shmuel Weinberg of Slonim, author of Divrei Shmuel, to his Chassidim in Tiberias, and to the renowned Chassid R. Eliezer HaKohen. Mir, [ca. 1890s].
• Letter handwritten and signed by Rebbe Avraham Weinberg son of the rebbe of Slonim (later the Beit Avraham of Baranovich), to the renowned Chassid R. Eliezer HaKohen. With an addition on verso (some seven lines) handwritten and signed by his brother – Rebbe Yissachar Leib Weinberg [Slonim, ca. 1900s].
The letter from the Divrei Shmuel was written in Mir, during his trip to Lithuania to raise funds for Kollel Reisin in Tiberias.
The letter from Rebbe Avraham and Rebbe Yissachar Leib, was written during their father's lifetime, and pertains to matchmaking, purchasing a house (presumably in Tiberias) and funds for Kollel Reisin. Rebbe Avraham blesses the elderly recipient of the letter with longevity, and that he should merit to marry off his youngest son and even serve as sandek at his grandson's brit.
Rebbe Shmuel Weinberg of Slonim, author of Divrei Shmuel (1850-1916), grandson and close disciple of the Yesod HaAvodah. He began serving as rebbe ca. 1883. He always led his flock in Europe and Tiberias with love and exceptional devotion. He was personally involved in the education and spiritual guidance of the youth and saved many from spiritual decline. For most of his life, he was engaged in raising funds for Kollel Reisin, supporting the immigrants to Tiberias. His most remarkable accomplishment was the establishment of the Or Torah yeshiva in Tiberias. He was also one of the founders of Agudath Yisrael in 1912.
His son Rebbe Avraham Weinberg of Slonim (the second), author of Beit Avraham (1884-1933), began leading the Slonim Chassidut in 1916, expending great effort to rebuild the Chassidut after WWI. In 1918, he founded the Torat Chessed yeshiva in Baranovich together with his close friend R. Moshe Midner. The yeshiva was a unique combination of the Lithuanian style of learning together with Chassidic fervor in worship of G-d. He lived in Bialystok until 1929, and then in Baranovich.
The recipient of the letters was the prominent Chassid R. Eliezer HaKohen Rozovsky (Reb Leiza Yalovker), a Slonim Chassid in Tiberias (1822-1915), an outstanding Jew, one of the elite disciples of the rebbes of Kobryn and Slonim. He was renowned for his passionate, inspiring prayers. His teacher the Yesod HaAvodah defined him as one who worships G-d with joy. R. Mordechai Chaim of Slonim praised him profusely, wishing himself that he once in his life merit to pray like R. Leizer's weekday Arvit prayer (see more about him: A. Surasky, Yesod HaMaalah, I, Bnei Brak 2000, pp. 263-264).
Two letters. First letter: double leaf, two written pages. 21.5 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains. Marginal open tear to first leaf, with paper repair to cover tear (tear possibly intentional, perhaps made by recipient, to omit personal content). Second letter: [1] leaf, written on both sides, official stationery. 28 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains, traces of past dampness and wear.
Category
Letters – Chassidut
Catalogue Value
Auction 89 - Rare and Important Items
November 22, 2022
Opening: $10,000
Estimate: $30,000 - $50,000
Sold for: $52,500
Including buyer's premium
Large handwritten leaf – certificate appointing Rebbe Yoel Teitelbaum as Gaavad (chief rabbi) of the Edah HaChareidit in Jerusalem, in place of R. Bengis, with the signatures of 64 Jerusalem rabbis, including yeshiva deans and rebbes, poskim and community leaders. At the foot of the leaf, letter handwritten and signed by R. Pinchas Epstein, Raavad (head of the Beit Din) of the Edah HaCharedit. Jerusalem, Sivan 1953.
Calligraphic square script, set in a colored, ornamental border. Some words emphasized in copper and gold. Enlarged heading at the top of the leaf: "Keter Torah" with verses of blessings. The rebbe's name is also scribed in enlarged letters, in gold and red.
The present certificate of appointment is signed by the Torah leaders of Jerusalem: yeshiva deans, rebbes, Torah scholars and rabbis of Jerusalem, and prominent leaders of Orthodox Jewry, including: R. Isser Zalman Meltzer (dean of the Etz Chaim yeshiva, his signature appears on the right-hand corner); R. Mordechai David Levin (author of Darchei David); R. Yisrael Grossman; R. Menachem Mendel Gafner (Ben Dinah); R. Yisrael Taussig (rabbi of Mattersdorf); R. Mordechai Chaim Slonim (rebbe of Slonim); R. Yitzchak HaLevi Reisman (dayan of the Edah HaChareidit); R. Moshe Aryeh Freund (later Gaavad of the Edah HaChareidit); R. Yehuda Horowitz (rebbe of Dzikov); R. David HaLevi Jungreis (dayan of the Edah HaChareidit); R. Yisrael Moshe Dushinsky (later Gaavad of the Edah HaChareidit); R. Shalom HaLevi Eisen; R. Avraham Yitzchak Kohn (rebbe of Toldot Aharon); R. Chanoch Dov Padwa (leading posek in Jerusalem, later a rabbi in London); R. Eliyahu Zlotnik (dayan of the Edah HaChareidit); R. Nata Freund; R. Shlomo Zalman Brizel; R. Avraham Mordechai Breitstein; R. Yosef Sheinberger; R. Eliyahu Tzvi Kroizer; R. David Sokolowsky; and others.
Heading the list of signees are the heads of the communal council, including: R. Eliyahu Nachum Porush Glickman; R. Amram Blau (head of Neturei Karta); R. Yonah Yitzchak Lefkowitz (head of Kollel Shomrei HaChomot); R. Baruch Grünfeld; R. Yonah Ze'ev Zwebner; R. Avraham Yochanan Blumenthal; R. Yeshaya Sheinberger; R. Avraham Kohen Roth; R. Yaakov Meir Schechter; and others.
At the foot of the leaf, there is an interesting letter handwritten and signed by R. Epstein, who served in practice as head of the Edah HaChareidit Beit Din in Jerusalem. R. Epstein confirms that he "authorizes and approves all the above wholeheartedly", bestows upon the rebbe of Satmar the official position of rabbi of the Edah HaChareidit, and blesses him upon his appointment.
Rebbe Yoel Teitelbaum of Satmar (1887-1979), one of the greatest leaders of his generation, president of the Eda HaCharedit and leader of American Orthodox Jewry, one of the founding pillars of Chassidic Jewry after the Holocaust. Born in Sighet (Sighetu Marmației), he was the son of Rebbe Chananya Yom Tov Lipa, the Kedushat Yom Tov, and grandson of Rebbe Yekutiel Yehuda, the Yitav Lev, who both served as rabbis of Sighet and were leaders of Chassidic Jewry in the Maramureș region. He was renowned from his youth for his perspicacity and intellectual capacities, as well as for his holiness and outstanding purity. After marrying the daughter of Rebbe Avraham Chaim Horowitz of Polaniec, he settled in Satmar (Satu Mare) and taught Torah and Chassidut to an elite group of disciples and followers. He served as rabbi of Irshava, Karoly (Carei, from 1925) and Satmar (from 1934), managing in each of these places a large yeshiva and Chassidic court. He stood at the helm of faithful, uncompromising Orthodox Jewry in the Maramureș region. During the Holocaust, he was rescued by the Kastner Train, and after a journey through Bergen-Belsen and Eretz Israel, he reached the United States, where he established the largest Chassidic group in the world – Satmar Chassidut, until today the dominant faction in American Orthodox Jewry.
In 1951, he was appointed president of the Edah HaChareidit in Jerusalem. In 1953, after the passing of the elderly R. Bengis, the rebbe of Satmar was appointed in his place as "rabbi of all the Ashkenazi Communities – the Edah HaChareidit in Jerusalem". The rebbe was appointed to this position even though he lived in the United States, and in Jerusalem, R. Pinchas Epstein was appointed as head of the Beit Din. (To this day, the leadership of the Edah HaChareidit is split into two positions – Gaavad and the Raavad. For example, after the passing of R. Epstein and R. David Jungreis, R. Yitzchak Yaakov Weiss, author of Minchat Yitzchak, was appointed as Raavad of the Eda HaCharedit. After the passing of the rebbe of Satmar, he was succeeded him as Gaavad of the Edah HaChareidit).
Rebbe Yoel Teitelbaum was a leading opponent of Zionism and of the founding of the State of Israel, and zealously led crucial battles for the preservation of the unique character of the Jewish people and its holiness, fearful for the honor of the Torah and the future of faithful Jewry. He was renowned as an exceptionally charitable person; his door was open to the poor and his ear attentive to the needy from every stream of the Jewish people. An outstanding Torah scholar, he responded to many halachic queries, and his writings were published in dozens of books: VaYoel Moshe, Responsa Divrei Yoel, Divrei Yoel on the Torah and more.
[1] large leaf. 70X40 cm. Thick Bristol board. Good-fair condition. Stains. Creases. Marginal tears (repaired).
Calligraphic square script, set in a colored, ornamental border. Some words emphasized in copper and gold. Enlarged heading at the top of the leaf: "Keter Torah" with verses of blessings. The rebbe's name is also scribed in enlarged letters, in gold and red.
The present certificate of appointment is signed by the Torah leaders of Jerusalem: yeshiva deans, rebbes, Torah scholars and rabbis of Jerusalem, and prominent leaders of Orthodox Jewry, including: R. Isser Zalman Meltzer (dean of the Etz Chaim yeshiva, his signature appears on the right-hand corner); R. Mordechai David Levin (author of Darchei David); R. Yisrael Grossman; R. Menachem Mendel Gafner (Ben Dinah); R. Yisrael Taussig (rabbi of Mattersdorf); R. Mordechai Chaim Slonim (rebbe of Slonim); R. Yitzchak HaLevi Reisman (dayan of the Edah HaChareidit); R. Moshe Aryeh Freund (later Gaavad of the Edah HaChareidit); R. Yehuda Horowitz (rebbe of Dzikov); R. David HaLevi Jungreis (dayan of the Edah HaChareidit); R. Yisrael Moshe Dushinsky (later Gaavad of the Edah HaChareidit); R. Shalom HaLevi Eisen; R. Avraham Yitzchak Kohn (rebbe of Toldot Aharon); R. Chanoch Dov Padwa (leading posek in Jerusalem, later a rabbi in London); R. Eliyahu Zlotnik (dayan of the Edah HaChareidit); R. Nata Freund; R. Shlomo Zalman Brizel; R. Avraham Mordechai Breitstein; R. Yosef Sheinberger; R. Eliyahu Tzvi Kroizer; R. David Sokolowsky; and others.
Heading the list of signees are the heads of the communal council, including: R. Eliyahu Nachum Porush Glickman; R. Amram Blau (head of Neturei Karta); R. Yonah Yitzchak Lefkowitz (head of Kollel Shomrei HaChomot); R. Baruch Grünfeld; R. Yonah Ze'ev Zwebner; R. Avraham Yochanan Blumenthal; R. Yeshaya Sheinberger; R. Avraham Kohen Roth; R. Yaakov Meir Schechter; and others.
At the foot of the leaf, there is an interesting letter handwritten and signed by R. Epstein, who served in practice as head of the Edah HaChareidit Beit Din in Jerusalem. R. Epstein confirms that he "authorizes and approves all the above wholeheartedly", bestows upon the rebbe of Satmar the official position of rabbi of the Edah HaChareidit, and blesses him upon his appointment.
Rebbe Yoel Teitelbaum of Satmar (1887-1979), one of the greatest leaders of his generation, president of the Eda HaCharedit and leader of American Orthodox Jewry, one of the founding pillars of Chassidic Jewry after the Holocaust. Born in Sighet (Sighetu Marmației), he was the son of Rebbe Chananya Yom Tov Lipa, the Kedushat Yom Tov, and grandson of Rebbe Yekutiel Yehuda, the Yitav Lev, who both served as rabbis of Sighet and were leaders of Chassidic Jewry in the Maramureș region. He was renowned from his youth for his perspicacity and intellectual capacities, as well as for his holiness and outstanding purity. After marrying the daughter of Rebbe Avraham Chaim Horowitz of Polaniec, he settled in Satmar (Satu Mare) and taught Torah and Chassidut to an elite group of disciples and followers. He served as rabbi of Irshava, Karoly (Carei, from 1925) and Satmar (from 1934), managing in each of these places a large yeshiva and Chassidic court. He stood at the helm of faithful, uncompromising Orthodox Jewry in the Maramureș region. During the Holocaust, he was rescued by the Kastner Train, and after a journey through Bergen-Belsen and Eretz Israel, he reached the United States, where he established the largest Chassidic group in the world – Satmar Chassidut, until today the dominant faction in American Orthodox Jewry.
In 1951, he was appointed president of the Edah HaChareidit in Jerusalem. In 1953, after the passing of the elderly R. Bengis, the rebbe of Satmar was appointed in his place as "rabbi of all the Ashkenazi Communities – the Edah HaChareidit in Jerusalem". The rebbe was appointed to this position even though he lived in the United States, and in Jerusalem, R. Pinchas Epstein was appointed as head of the Beit Din. (To this day, the leadership of the Edah HaChareidit is split into two positions – Gaavad and the Raavad. For example, after the passing of R. Epstein and R. David Jungreis, R. Yitzchak Yaakov Weiss, author of Minchat Yitzchak, was appointed as Raavad of the Eda HaCharedit. After the passing of the rebbe of Satmar, he was succeeded him as Gaavad of the Edah HaChareidit).
Rebbe Yoel Teitelbaum was a leading opponent of Zionism and of the founding of the State of Israel, and zealously led crucial battles for the preservation of the unique character of the Jewish people and its holiness, fearful for the honor of the Torah and the future of faithful Jewry. He was renowned as an exceptionally charitable person; his door was open to the poor and his ear attentive to the needy from every stream of the Jewish people. An outstanding Torah scholar, he responded to many halachic queries, and his writings were published in dozens of books: VaYoel Moshe, Responsa Divrei Yoel, Divrei Yoel on the Torah and more.
[1] large leaf. 70X40 cm. Thick Bristol board. Good-fair condition. Stains. Creases. Marginal tears (repaired).
Category
Letters – Chassidut
Catalogue Value
![Letter (10 lines) handwritten and signed by Rebbe Yoel Teitelbaum of Satmar. [Jerusalem?, ca. 1945].
Addressed to the phila](https://files.kedem-auctions.com/files/Sale89/120.jpg "Letter Handwritten and Signed by Rebbe Yoel Teitelbaum of Satmar – Jer")
Auction 89 - Rare and Important Items
November 22, 2022
Opening: $3,000
Estimate: $6,000 - $8,000
Sold for: $8,125
Including buyer's premium
Letter (10 lines) handwritten and signed by Rebbe Yoel Teitelbaum of Satmar. [Jerusalem?, ca. 1945].
Addressed to the philanthropist R. Fishel Feldman, with a request to assist the rebbe's relative, the rabbi of Limanov, who would be approaching him in person for help.
The rebbe signs the letter with blessings: "…may G-d raise his glory and fortune higher and higher in all his affairs… Yoel Teitelbaum".
Rebbe Yoel Teitelbaum of Satmar (1887-1979), a leader of his generation, president of the Edah HaChareidit and leader of American Orthodox Jewry, one of the founding pillars of Chassidic Jewry after the Holocaust. Born in Sighet, he was the son of Rebbe Chananya Yom Tov Lipa, the Kedushat Yom Tov, and grandson of Rebbe Yekutiel Yehuda, the Yitav Lev, who both served as rabbis of Sighet (Sighetu Marmației) and were leaders of Chassidic Jewry in the Maramureș region. He was renowned from his youth as a leading Torah scholar, for his perspicacity and intellectual capacities, as well as for his holiness and outstanding purity. After his marriage to the daughter of Rebbe Avraham Chaim Horowitz of Polaniec, he settled in Satmar and taught Torah and Chassidut to an elite group of disciples and followers. He served as rabbi of Irshava, Karoly (Carei; from 1925), and Satmar (Satu Mare; from 1934), managing in each of these places a large yeshiva and Chassidic court. He stood at the helm of faithful, uncompromising Orthodox Jewry in the Maramureș region. During the Holocaust, he was rescued through the famous Kastner Train, and after a journey through Bergen-Belsen, Switzerland and Eretz Israel, he reached the United States, where he established the largest Chassidic group in the world – Satmar Chassidut, until today the dominant faction in American Orthodox Jewry. He served as president of the Edah HaChareidit in Jerusalem. A leading opponent of Zionism and of the founding of the State of Israel, he zealously led crucial battles for the preservation of the unique character of the Jewish people and its holiness, fearful for the honor of the Torah and the future of faithful Jewry. He was renowned as an exceptionally charitable person; his door was open to the poor and his ear attentive to the needy from every stream of the Jewish people. An outstanding Torah scholar, he responded to many halachic queries, and his writings were published in dozens of books: VaYoel Moshe, Responsa Divrei Yoel, Divrei Yoel on the Torah and more.
The printed letterhead on the present leaf reads: "Rabbi of Satmar and the region – in Jerusalem – P.O.B. 5105". The letter was presumably written ca. 1945, when R. Yoel lived in Jerusalem (the ship with the survivors of the Kastner train reached Haifa a week before Rosh Hashanah 1945, while the rebbe already celebrated Rosh Hashanah 1946 in the United States).
The rabbi mentioned in the letter was presumably R. Yechezkel Shraga Teitelbaum-Halberstam Rabbi of Limanov (ca. 1900 – Tevet 1983), who lost his family in the Holocaust, and later reached the United States. He was a great-grandson of the Yitav Lev of Sighet, and the grandson of Rebbe Shlomo Halberstam of Bobov (the first). His father, R. Chaim Yaakov Teitelbaum Rabbi of Limanov (1878- Cheshvan 1933), was the son-in-law of Rebbe Shlomo of Bobov, and son of R. Moshe Yosef Teitelbaum Rabbi of Ujhel (uncle of Rebbe Yoel Teitelbaum of Satmar). R. Yechezkel Shraga married the daughter of R. Menachem Unger of Dombrova in 1922, and his wedding in Dombrova was attended by his uncle the Kedushat Tzion of Bobov. He lived in Jerusalem at the end of his life, and was buried on Har HaZeitim (see enclosed material).
[1] leaf, official stationery. Approx. 22.5 cm. Good-fair condition. Wear. Folding marks. Reinforced with tape on verso. Filing holes.
Addressed to the philanthropist R. Fishel Feldman, with a request to assist the rebbe's relative, the rabbi of Limanov, who would be approaching him in person for help.
The rebbe signs the letter with blessings: "…may G-d raise his glory and fortune higher and higher in all his affairs… Yoel Teitelbaum".
Rebbe Yoel Teitelbaum of Satmar (1887-1979), a leader of his generation, president of the Edah HaChareidit and leader of American Orthodox Jewry, one of the founding pillars of Chassidic Jewry after the Holocaust. Born in Sighet, he was the son of Rebbe Chananya Yom Tov Lipa, the Kedushat Yom Tov, and grandson of Rebbe Yekutiel Yehuda, the Yitav Lev, who both served as rabbis of Sighet (Sighetu Marmației) and were leaders of Chassidic Jewry in the Maramureș region. He was renowned from his youth as a leading Torah scholar, for his perspicacity and intellectual capacities, as well as for his holiness and outstanding purity. After his marriage to the daughter of Rebbe Avraham Chaim Horowitz of Polaniec, he settled in Satmar and taught Torah and Chassidut to an elite group of disciples and followers. He served as rabbi of Irshava, Karoly (Carei; from 1925), and Satmar (Satu Mare; from 1934), managing in each of these places a large yeshiva and Chassidic court. He stood at the helm of faithful, uncompromising Orthodox Jewry in the Maramureș region. During the Holocaust, he was rescued through the famous Kastner Train, and after a journey through Bergen-Belsen, Switzerland and Eretz Israel, he reached the United States, where he established the largest Chassidic group in the world – Satmar Chassidut, until today the dominant faction in American Orthodox Jewry. He served as president of the Edah HaChareidit in Jerusalem. A leading opponent of Zionism and of the founding of the State of Israel, he zealously led crucial battles for the preservation of the unique character of the Jewish people and its holiness, fearful for the honor of the Torah and the future of faithful Jewry. He was renowned as an exceptionally charitable person; his door was open to the poor and his ear attentive to the needy from every stream of the Jewish people. An outstanding Torah scholar, he responded to many halachic queries, and his writings were published in dozens of books: VaYoel Moshe, Responsa Divrei Yoel, Divrei Yoel on the Torah and more.
The printed letterhead on the present leaf reads: "Rabbi of Satmar and the region – in Jerusalem – P.O.B. 5105". The letter was presumably written ca. 1945, when R. Yoel lived in Jerusalem (the ship with the survivors of the Kastner train reached Haifa a week before Rosh Hashanah 1945, while the rebbe already celebrated Rosh Hashanah 1946 in the United States).
The rabbi mentioned in the letter was presumably R. Yechezkel Shraga Teitelbaum-Halberstam Rabbi of Limanov (ca. 1900 – Tevet 1983), who lost his family in the Holocaust, and later reached the United States. He was a great-grandson of the Yitav Lev of Sighet, and the grandson of Rebbe Shlomo Halberstam of Bobov (the first). His father, R. Chaim Yaakov Teitelbaum Rabbi of Limanov (1878- Cheshvan 1933), was the son-in-law of Rebbe Shlomo of Bobov, and son of R. Moshe Yosef Teitelbaum Rabbi of Ujhel (uncle of Rebbe Yoel Teitelbaum of Satmar). R. Yechezkel Shraga married the daughter of R. Menachem Unger of Dombrova in 1922, and his wedding in Dombrova was attended by his uncle the Kedushat Tzion of Bobov. He lived in Jerusalem at the end of his life, and was buried on Har HaZeitim (see enclosed material).
[1] leaf, official stationery. Approx. 22.5 cm. Good-fair condition. Wear. Folding marks. Reinforced with tape on verso. Filing holes.
Category
Letters – Chassidut
Catalogue Value
![Draft letter handwritten by Rebbe Yoel Teitelbaum Rabbi of Satmar. [New York?, Shevat 15, 1968].
Written beneath a typewrit](https://files.kedem-auctions.com/files/Sale89/121.jpg "Draft Letter Handwritten by Rebbe Yoel of Satmar – Last Letter in His")
Auction 89 - Rare and Important Items
November 22, 2022
Opening: $3,000
Estimate: $5,000 - $8,000
Sold for: $15,000
Including buyer's premium
Draft letter handwritten by Rebbe Yoel Teitelbaum Rabbi of Satmar. [New York?, Shevat 15, 1968].
Written beneath a typewritten draft of the same letter (different), typewritten, from Shevat 15, 1968. One week later, the rebbe had a stroke and thereafter, he did not write letters but only signed them. To the best of our knowledge, this is the last letter in his own handwriting. The letter is addressed to his nephew Rebbe Moshe Teitelbaum Rabbi of Sighet, who was residing at the time in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The rebbe writes about the controversy that arose in the Sao Paulo community between the rabbis and the community members, expressing his concern that it could cause great damage to Torah observance in the community. The rebbe asks him to try to reconcile the two sides, and to relay to other Chassidim living there the importance of restoring peace, blessing them with success in all their endeavors.
Rebbe Yoel Teitelbaum of Satmar (1887-1979), a leader of his generation, president of the Edah HaChareidit and leader of American Orthodox Jewry, one of the founding pillars of Chassidic Jewry after the Holocaust. He served as rabbi of Orsheva (Irshava), Karoly (Carei; from 1925), and Satmar (Satu Mare; from 1934), managing in each of these places a large yeshiva and Chassidic court. He stood at the helm of faithful, uncompromising Orthodox Jewry in the Maramureș region. During the Holocaust, he was rescued through the famous Kastner Train, and after a journey through Bergen-Belsen, Switzerland and Eretz Israel, he reached the United States, where he established the largest Chassidic group in the world – Satmar Chassidut, until today the dominant faction in American Orthodox Jewry. He served as president of the Edah HaChareidit in Jerusalem. A leading opponent of Zionism and of the founding of the State of Israel, he zealously led crucial battles for the preservation of the unique character of the Jewish people and its holiness, fearful for the honor of the Torah and the future of faithful Jewry.
The recipient of the letter: Rebbe Moshe Teitelbaum of Sighet-Satmar, author of Berach Moshe (1914-2006), son of Rebbe Chaim Tzvi, the Atzei Chaim of Sighet. He served as rabbi of Senta (Yugoslavia), and after the Holocaust served as rabbi of his hometown Sighet. He fled the communist persecution in Romania, reaching the United States where he established the Atzei Chaim – Sighet Beit Midrash in Boro Park. He was a leading rabbi of the Central Rabbinical Congress and a confidant of his uncle Rebbe Yoel of Satmar. In 1970, he succeeded his uncle (whose three daughters passed away in his lifetime without leaving behind any descendants) as rebbe of Satmar. His sons, the brothers Rebbe Aharon Teitelbaum and Rebbe Yekutiel Yehuda (Zalman Leib) Teitelbaum both serve as rebbes of Satmar, leading two large Chassidic Satmar communities in the United States and throughout the world.
[1] leaf. 28 cm. Good condition. Folding marks and some creases.
Written beneath a typewritten draft of the same letter (different), typewritten, from Shevat 15, 1968. One week later, the rebbe had a stroke and thereafter, he did not write letters but only signed them. To the best of our knowledge, this is the last letter in his own handwriting. The letter is addressed to his nephew Rebbe Moshe Teitelbaum Rabbi of Sighet, who was residing at the time in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The rebbe writes about the controversy that arose in the Sao Paulo community between the rabbis and the community members, expressing his concern that it could cause great damage to Torah observance in the community. The rebbe asks him to try to reconcile the two sides, and to relay to other Chassidim living there the importance of restoring peace, blessing them with success in all their endeavors.
Rebbe Yoel Teitelbaum of Satmar (1887-1979), a leader of his generation, president of the Edah HaChareidit and leader of American Orthodox Jewry, one of the founding pillars of Chassidic Jewry after the Holocaust. He served as rabbi of Orsheva (Irshava), Karoly (Carei; from 1925), and Satmar (Satu Mare; from 1934), managing in each of these places a large yeshiva and Chassidic court. He stood at the helm of faithful, uncompromising Orthodox Jewry in the Maramureș region. During the Holocaust, he was rescued through the famous Kastner Train, and after a journey through Bergen-Belsen, Switzerland and Eretz Israel, he reached the United States, where he established the largest Chassidic group in the world – Satmar Chassidut, until today the dominant faction in American Orthodox Jewry. He served as president of the Edah HaChareidit in Jerusalem. A leading opponent of Zionism and of the founding of the State of Israel, he zealously led crucial battles for the preservation of the unique character of the Jewish people and its holiness, fearful for the honor of the Torah and the future of faithful Jewry.
The recipient of the letter: Rebbe Moshe Teitelbaum of Sighet-Satmar, author of Berach Moshe (1914-2006), son of Rebbe Chaim Tzvi, the Atzei Chaim of Sighet. He served as rabbi of Senta (Yugoslavia), and after the Holocaust served as rabbi of his hometown Sighet. He fled the communist persecution in Romania, reaching the United States where he established the Atzei Chaim – Sighet Beit Midrash in Boro Park. He was a leading rabbi of the Central Rabbinical Congress and a confidant of his uncle Rebbe Yoel of Satmar. In 1970, he succeeded his uncle (whose three daughters passed away in his lifetime without leaving behind any descendants) as rebbe of Satmar. His sons, the brothers Rebbe Aharon Teitelbaum and Rebbe Yekutiel Yehuda (Zalman Leib) Teitelbaum both serve as rebbes of Satmar, leading two large Chassidic Satmar communities in the United States and throughout the world.
[1] leaf. 28 cm. Good condition. Folding marks and some creases.
Category
Letters – Chassidut
Catalogue Value
Auction 89 - Rare and Important Items
November 22, 2022
Opening: $2,000
Estimate: $3,000 - $4,000
Sold for: $2,500
Including buyer's premium
Two letters, with four lines (in each one) handwritten and signed by Rebbe Chaim Meir Hager of Vizhnitz. Brooklyn, 1949; [Tel Aviv?, ca. 1950].
The letters were sent to England, to the Chassid R. Menachem Mendel Schneebalg (later rabbi of the Machzikei HaDas community in Manchester for sixty years). The letters were written by a scribe, and conclude with several lines handwritten and signed by the rebbe.
Letters of blessing and advice on private and familial matters, and congratulations to R. Schneebalg upon his appointment as rabbi. In the letter written in Brooklyn (U.S.), the rebbe relates of his plans to travel back to Eretz Israel directly, without making a stopover in Germany.
Rebbe Chaim Meir Hager, author of Imrei Chaim (1888-1972), second son and successor of the Ahavat Yisrael of Vizhnitz. In 1944, he escaped the Holocaust and immigrated to Eretz Israel. Following the Holocaust, he returned to Grosswardein (Oradea), immigrating in 1947 to Eretz Israel and settling in Tel Aviv. He established the Kiryat Vizhnitz neighborhood in Bnei Brak, and later settled there. He rebuilt the Vizhnitz Chassidic dynasty, and set up its institutions. He was one of the leaders of Orthodox Jewry in Eretz Israel, and a member of the Moetzet Gedolei HaTorah. His teachings were published in the Imrei Chaim series.
[2] letters, one on official stationery. Size varies. Good condition. Stains and wear. Folding marks.
The letters were sent to England, to the Chassid R. Menachem Mendel Schneebalg (later rabbi of the Machzikei HaDas community in Manchester for sixty years). The letters were written by a scribe, and conclude with several lines handwritten and signed by the rebbe.
Letters of blessing and advice on private and familial matters, and congratulations to R. Schneebalg upon his appointment as rabbi. In the letter written in Brooklyn (U.S.), the rebbe relates of his plans to travel back to Eretz Israel directly, without making a stopover in Germany.
Rebbe Chaim Meir Hager, author of Imrei Chaim (1888-1972), second son and successor of the Ahavat Yisrael of Vizhnitz. In 1944, he escaped the Holocaust and immigrated to Eretz Israel. Following the Holocaust, he returned to Grosswardein (Oradea), immigrating in 1947 to Eretz Israel and settling in Tel Aviv. He established the Kiryat Vizhnitz neighborhood in Bnei Brak, and later settled there. He rebuilt the Vizhnitz Chassidic dynasty, and set up its institutions. He was one of the leaders of Orthodox Jewry in Eretz Israel, and a member of the Moetzet Gedolei HaTorah. His teachings were published in the Imrei Chaim series.
[2] letters, one on official stationery. Size varies. Good condition. Stains and wear. Folding marks.
Category
Letters – Chassidut
Catalogue Value
Auction 89 - Rare and Important Items
November 22, 2022
Opening: $10,000
Estimate: $12,000 - $15,000
Sold for: $23,750
Including buyer's premium
Printed leaf – Marriage certificate issued by the Edah HaChareidit, filled-in by hand to record a wedding which took place in Jerusalem in Tevet 1974; signed by the mesader kiddushin: the Ribnitzer Rebbe, R. Chaim Zanvil Abramowitz.
Rebbe Chaim Zanvil Abramowitz – the Ribnitzer Rebbe (1898-1995), a Tzaddik and wonder-worker, he risked his life to serve as rebbe under Communist rule in Romania. Born in Botoshan, Romania, he was orphaned of his father at the age of two and a half. As a young orphan, he was raised in the home of Rebbe Yehuda Aryeh Fränkel of Botoshan and was rabbinically ordained by R. Yehuda Leib Tzirelson, yet primarily he was a close disciple and household member of Rebbe Avraham Mattityahu Friedman of Shtefanesht. The latter, who was childless, reputedly referred to him as his precious son, and he in turn considered himself as the only child of the rebbe of Shtefanesht. On his deathbed, Rebbe Avraham Matityahu told him: "I am bequeathing you three things: my Divine Inspiration, my form and my grace". He was exceptionally erudite, and testified that he knew the entire Talmud at the age of 18. Already in his youth, he was renowned for his Chassidic and ascetic conduct: he would practice self-denial, immerse in icy water, fast for days on end until nightfall wrapped in his tallit and tefillin. He spent many hours reciting Tikkun Chatzot with copious tears, dressed in sackcloth.
After WWII, many rabbis left Russian-occupied areas, due to the difficulty in leading a Torah observant life under communist rule, yet he remained in Ribnitza (Rîbnița, Moldova), where he served as rebbe at risk of his life. Despite governmental prohibitions, he continued observing mitzvot openly, slaughtering animals, performing circumcisions for the Jews of the region, and delivering Torah classes. In his merit, Chassidic life was fully preserved behind the Iron Curtain. The communist officials were aware of his activities, yet respected him. Reputedly, he was once arrested, yet was freed when he promised the judge that his wife would be cured if he would release him.
In the early 1970s, he immigrated from Russia to Jerusalem and settled in the Sanhedria HaMurchevet neighborhood. He later moved to the United States, where people thronged to his door. He was renowned for his Divine Inspiration, and even attested that he was able to see "from one end of the world to another". His fame spread as a Tzaddik and wonder-worker. Many came to seek his advice and blessings, and experienced miraculous salvations. He was able to cure people with his blessings, and many found their match and were blessed with children in his merit. In his outstanding love for his fellow Jew, he would shed bitter tears upon hearing of another Jew's pain. He used to say that the salvations he achieved were in the merit of sharing the pain of his brethren and his tears and prayers on behalf of those in distress. He passed away at the advanced age of close to 100 years. Thousands visit his grave in Monsey, New York each year. The singer Mordechai ben David (Werdyger), a devoted Chassid of the Ribnitzer Rebbe, dedicated the song "Oy, Rebbe" (from his album "Ein Od Milvado") to him.
[1] leaf. Approx. 28 cm. Good condition. Filing holes. Folding marks.
Rebbe Chaim Zanvil Abramowitz – the Ribnitzer Rebbe (1898-1995), a Tzaddik and wonder-worker, he risked his life to serve as rebbe under Communist rule in Romania. Born in Botoshan, Romania, he was orphaned of his father at the age of two and a half. As a young orphan, he was raised in the home of Rebbe Yehuda Aryeh Fränkel of Botoshan and was rabbinically ordained by R. Yehuda Leib Tzirelson, yet primarily he was a close disciple and household member of Rebbe Avraham Mattityahu Friedman of Shtefanesht. The latter, who was childless, reputedly referred to him as his precious son, and he in turn considered himself as the only child of the rebbe of Shtefanesht. On his deathbed, Rebbe Avraham Matityahu told him: "I am bequeathing you three things: my Divine Inspiration, my form and my grace". He was exceptionally erudite, and testified that he knew the entire Talmud at the age of 18. Already in his youth, he was renowned for his Chassidic and ascetic conduct: he would practice self-denial, immerse in icy water, fast for days on end until nightfall wrapped in his tallit and tefillin. He spent many hours reciting Tikkun Chatzot with copious tears, dressed in sackcloth.
After WWII, many rabbis left Russian-occupied areas, due to the difficulty in leading a Torah observant life under communist rule, yet he remained in Ribnitza (Rîbnița, Moldova), where he served as rebbe at risk of his life. Despite governmental prohibitions, he continued observing mitzvot openly, slaughtering animals, performing circumcisions for the Jews of the region, and delivering Torah classes. In his merit, Chassidic life was fully preserved behind the Iron Curtain. The communist officials were aware of his activities, yet respected him. Reputedly, he was once arrested, yet was freed when he promised the judge that his wife would be cured if he would release him.
In the early 1970s, he immigrated from Russia to Jerusalem and settled in the Sanhedria HaMurchevet neighborhood. He later moved to the United States, where people thronged to his door. He was renowned for his Divine Inspiration, and even attested that he was able to see "from one end of the world to another". His fame spread as a Tzaddik and wonder-worker. Many came to seek his advice and blessings, and experienced miraculous salvations. He was able to cure people with his blessings, and many found their match and were blessed with children in his merit. In his outstanding love for his fellow Jew, he would shed bitter tears upon hearing of another Jew's pain. He used to say that the salvations he achieved were in the merit of sharing the pain of his brethren and his tears and prayers on behalf of those in distress. He passed away at the advanced age of close to 100 years. Thousands visit his grave in Monsey, New York each year. The singer Mordechai ben David (Werdyger), a devoted Chassid of the Ribnitzer Rebbe, dedicated the song "Oy, Rebbe" (from his album "Ein Od Milvado") to him.
[1] leaf. Approx. 28 cm. Good condition. Filing holes. Folding marks.
Category
Letters – Chassidut
Catalogue Value