Auction 96 Early Printed Books, Chassidut and Kabbalah, Books Printed in Jerusalem, Letters and Manuscripts
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Large assorted collection of letters, documents, receipts and various documents, most signed by Sephardic rabbis in Tiberias, between ca. 1900-1960.
Among other things, the collection includes: Official stationery and printed receipts, some printed in color, decorations and pictures of holy sites, filled in by hand and signed or stamped by the rabbis.
Some items included in the collection:
• Letter of blessing for the bar mitzvah of Mordechai son of Avraham Nachum, neatly written, with the signatures of the city rabbis (calligraphic signatures): R. Aharon Alchadif, the Chacham Bashi (with his stamp); R. Yehudah Toledano; R. Shmuel Ben-Kiki; R. David Soudri; R. Baruch Toledano and R. Machluf HaKohen. Tiberias, 25 Shevat [1900].
• Large printed leaf with Shanah Tovah wishes, from the Sephardic Jewish community in Tiberias, with the addressees, the brothers Ashkenazi, filled in by hand. Stamps of Tiberias institutions and signature-like stamps of R. Shmuel Ben-Kiki and R. Avraham Abuchatzeira. Tiberias, [ca. 1890s-1910s].
• Certificate declaring Yosef son of Yeshuah Zrihan unmarried, with (calligraphic) signatures and stamps of dayanim R. Shmuel Ben-Kiki (head of Tiberias Beit Din), R. Yaakov Chai Zrihan and R. Eliyahu Illouz. Tiberias, 1914.
• Certificate declaring Yosef son of Yeshuah Zrihan unmarried, signed and stamped by R. Chaim Yissachar Abulafia, the Chacham Bashi. Tiberias, 1914.
• Letter from the Chacham Bashi R. Chaim [son of R.] Aharon Alchadif to R. Bentzion Uziel. Lengthy handwritten letter [scribal writing?], with R. Alchadif's official stamp and signature-like stamp. Tiberias, Tamuz [1919].
• Reports on Torah and educational institutions in Tiberias, signed by R. Meir Vaknin. 1920s-1930s.
• Postcard with letter from R. Meir Vaknin to his son Pinchas Vaknin. 1943.
• Three postcards with letters handwritten and signed by R. Meir Vaknin (with his stamp), to R. Shimon Ohayon, a rabbi in Jaffa. Tiberias, Cheshvan and Kislev 1959.
• Receipts and signed letters (on official stationeries of the institutions in Tiberias), signed by the rabbis and emissaries: R. Yaakov Vaknin, R. Bechor Yehudah Vaknin, R. Chaim Yosef Maman, R. Refael Bibas, R. Yaakov Chai Zrihan, R. Shalom Malka, R. Baruch Toledano and others.
• Two photographs on postcards, with letters from R. Bechor Yehudah Vaknin. One postcard shows a photograph of a procession of Torah scrolls at the celebration of R. Meir Baal HaNes, and the other shows a photograph of R. Bechor Yehudah and his wife. Tiberias, Adar 1930 / Elul 1931.
28 letters and printed items. Varying size and condition.
Collection of documents, receipts and printed papers, most with signatures of the Or Torah yeshiva in Tiberias, rabbis of the Ashkenazi Chassidic community and leading Chassidim of Slonim: R. Yitzchak Matityahu Sandberg, R. Moshe Kliers Rabbi of Tiberias, R. Yisrael Kohen, R. Pinchas Mintzberg and Rebbe Avraham Weinberg [the Birkat Avraham of Slonim]. Tiberias, ca. 1900s-1950s.
Includes printed receipts, some decorated or printed in color, with signatures of the rabbis filled out by hand; two manuscript leaves, signed by R. Yitzchak Matityahu Sandberg, one with a list of scholars and students in the Or Torah yeshiva and the other with a list of teachers of the Or Torah school, and more.
R. Moshe Kliers (1874-1934), rabbi of the Ashkenazi community in Tiberias and dean of the Or Torah yeshiva. He was the son-in-law of R. Yehudah Leib Kastelanitz, leading Slonim Chassid in Tiberias, and brother-in-law of Rebbe Mordechai Chaim Slonim, who served as dayan in the Beit Din of R. Moshe Kliers.
Rebbe Avraham Weinberg (the third) of Slonim, author of Birkat Avraham (1889-1981), a dean of the Or Torah yeshiva in Tiberias and founder of the Haredi educational system in Eretz Israel. He led the Slonim community for some twenty-seven years, and served as a member of Moetzet Gedolei HaTorah.
10 items. 7 with original signature (others with photocopied signatures). Varying size. Overall good condition.
Assorted collection of over thirty letters and documents, rulings issued by Beit Din and wills. Safed, ca. 1880s-1930s.
The signatories on letters and halachic rulings in the present collection include: R. Avraham Leib Silberman, Rabbi of Safed; R. Efraim Shraga Weingott, a rabbi in Safed; R. Nachum Etrog, a rabbi in Safed; dayanim of the Chief Rabbinate in Jerusalem: R. Tzvi Pesach Frank, R. Bentzion Cuenca and R. Yerucham Fishel Berenstein; R. Baruch Kahana Malayov; R. David Kahana; R. Menachem Mendel Kahana; R. Yechiel Schneerson and his father R. Moshe Shalom Schneerson; and more.
33 paper items. Varying size and condition.
Collection of marriage certificates printed by the "Committee of the Ashkenazic Community in Jerusalem". Jerusalem: Tzion, [1920s]. Filled in by hand with signatures, for marriages held between ca. 1931-1936.
The certificates are printed on large leaves, with the details filled in by hand. The title of the document is "Marriage Certificate". At the top of the leaves is the official header: "Committee of the Ashkenazic Community in Jerusalem… headed by R. Avraham Schorr".
Some of the certificates are signed by the officiating rabbi himself. The signatures include: R. Elimelech Rubenstein (the Rabbi of Rachów), Rebbe Aryeh Mordechai Rabinowitz of Porisov (the Rabbi of Kurów and Rabbi of Bnei Brak); R. Yaakov Moshe Charlap; R. Yosef Gershon Horowitz (rabbi and dean of the Meah Shearim yeshiva); R. Yitzchak Yaakov Wachtfogel; R. Shlomo Aharon Wertheimer; R. Avraham Elyashiv (Rabbi of Gomel; Rabbi of Tiferet Bachurim); R. Yaakov Henich Senkevitz (dean of the Sefat Emet Ger yeshiva); R. Yaakov Asher HaLevi Grayevsky; R. Yitzchak David Rubenstein; R. Yair Peterseil, "formerly rabbi in Berlin"; R. Yaakov Aryeh HaLevi Prager; R. Simchah Bunim Werner; R. Shmuel Weingart; Rebbe Pinchas HaLevi Horowitz; R. Pinchas Lichtenstein (Rabbi in Givat Shaul); R. Shmuel Pesach Heilpern; R. Chaim Pesachowitz; R. Shmuel Eliezri; and more.
On one of the certificates, for a marriage held on 12 Elul, 1932, the name of the officiating rabbi is given as: "R. Yoel Teitelbaum of Carei" [during his first visit to Eretz Israel in 1932, before his appointment as Rabbi of Satmar].
About 72 marriage certificates. Size and condition varies (overall good condition; damage and stains to some of the certificates).
Collection of documents and publications of Orthodox organizations for purchasing land and settling in northern Jerusalem (in the Nabi Samwil area, near the tomb of the prophet Samuel), ca. 1920s. Includes signatures of: R. Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld [chief rabbi of the Edah HaCharedit], R. David Beharan, R. Asher Lemel Beharan, R. Yitzchak Tzvi Rivlin [rabbi in Zichron Moshe], R. Amram Blau [later head of Neturei Karta], R. Yisrael Yitzchak Reisman [later dayan of the Edah HaCharedit], and others.
• Letter from Ramatayim Tzofim, an organization for Orthodox settlements in Eretz Israel, signed by Yisrael Luria, on acquisition of land in Ramah. Jerusalem, 1923.
• Handwritten document from Ramatayim Tzofim, signed by rabbis and leaders of the organization, authorizing R. Avraham Hershkowitz to sell estates. Signed by directors of the company, R. David Beharan, R. Yechiel Yehudah Schlesinger, R. Eliyahu Tzvi Krauser, R. Amram Blau and R. Avraham Steiner; along with a letter of approval from the Beit Din Tzedek, signed by dayanim R. Yitzchak Frankel, R. Dov Tzvi Karlenstein and the scribe R. Avraham Chaim Naeh. On the margins of the leaf is a letter of approval and blessing handwritten and signed by R. Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld. Jerusalem, Tamuz 1924.
• Handwritten document with seven signatures, on the sale of a plot of land to R. Yosef Levi Chagiz – signed by R. Yitzchak Tzvi Rivlin, R. Matityahu Naftali Elbe, R. Asher Lemel Beharan [Weissfish], R. Aharon Sari Levi, R. David Yitzchak Altschuler, R. Yisrael Moshe Goldschmid and R. Alter Streltzer. Jerusalem, Tevet 1923. The signatures are crossed out, with the inscription "paid" [apparently the present document of sale was used as mortgage for a loan from the renowned Orthodox philanthropist R. Yosef Levi Chagiz].
• Kol Mevaser Yeshuah, printed poster with letters from the heads of Nachalat Yisrael Ramah and R. Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook, on resettling the Ramah neighborhood, the residence of the prophet Samuel. Jerusalem, [ca. 1921-1922].
• Document of sale for land in the Nachalat Yosef neighborhood founded by Ramatayim Tzofim, filled in by hand with signatures of the directors of the organization: R. Yisrael Yitzchak HaLevi Reisman, R. Pinchas Tzvi Shenberger, R. Moshe Holtzman, R. Abba Eisenbach and the secretary R. Amram Blau. Jerusalem, Elul 1922. On the verso is a confirmation dated 1985 on the voiding of the share, by a lawyer from Ramatayim Tzofim.
• Advertisement from the Peli Agency for brokerage services in purchasing plots of land in Jerusalem and the region, sold by the Tamuah company. [Jerusalem, ca. 1920s-1930s].
6 leaves. Varying size and condition (open tears at the top of the letter of authorization signed by R. Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld).
Letter handwritten and signed by R. Yitzchak Elchanan (Spektor), Rabbi of Kovno. Kovno, Sivan 1889.
Rabbinical ordination of "R. Yisrael Yehonatan Yerushalimsky, son of… R. Yaakov Moshe, Rabbi of Mush", declaring him fit to issue halachic rulings.
R. Yitzchak Elchanan Spektor (1817-1896), Rabbi of Kovno, prominent rabbi considered the highest halachic authority of his times, and leader of Lithuanian and Russian Jewry.
The recipient of the ordination, R. Yisrael Yehonatan Yerushalimsky, Rabbi of Orlya and Ihumen (Chervyen; 1860-1917), son of R. Yaakov Moshe Direktor, Rabbi of Mush (Novaya Mysh), and son-in-law of the Ridvaz, Rabbi of Slutsk. He was regarded as exceptionally great by his teacher R. Chaim Soloveitchik, Rabbi of Brisk. He was the father-in-law of R. Yechezkel Abramsky, author of Chazon Yechezkel on the Tosefta.
[1] double leaf. 21 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains. Wear and folding marks. Slight tears to folds.
Lengthy letter (2 pages), handwritten and signed by R. Yerucham Yehudah Leib (Perelman), Rabbi of Minsk, author of Or Gadol. Minsk, 1888.
Sent to R. Avraham Pinchas, Rabbi of Romanova (Lenino). The letter deals with the interpretation of the Tosefta regarding purification and cleansing of vessels, also bringing up textual issues.
The present letter does not appear in the Or Gadol HaShalem edition of the author's works published by Machon Yerushalayim, and has apparently never been printed.
R. Yerucham Yehudah Leib Perelman (1835-1896), known as "the Gadol of Minsk". Disciple of the renowned Torah scholar R. Yaakov Meir Padua. He served as Rabbi of Seltz (Sialiec) and Pruzhany, and as Rabbi of Minsk from 1883 until his passing. His comments on the Mishnah and responsa are published under the title Or Gadol. He was the only one in his generation who earned the title of Gadol, an honor mentioned on his tombstone.
[1] double leaf, written on both sides + the recipient's address on a third page. 20.5 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains, wear and folds. Marginal open tears, slightly affecting text.
Letter on postcard, handwritten and signed by the Aderet – R. Eliyahu David Rabinowitz-Teomim, Rabbi of Ponevezh. Ponevezh, [1881].
Sent to his relative R. Chaim Natansohn, Rabbi of Pikeliai. He was apparently involved in printing the novellae of the Aderet in some kind of journal, but the Aderet writes that he doubts whether his novellae would be acceptable to the editors, due to their terseness and the difficulty for those unfamiliar with his style to understand them.
R. Eliyahu David Rabinowitz-Teomim – the Aderet (1845-1905), was the Rabbi of Ponevezh, Mir and Jerusalem. He was renowned from his childhood for his love of Torah and diligent Torah study, for his righteousness and refined character traits. A brilliant Torah scholar, he left behind more than 100 manuscript works, most of which were never printed. His son-in-law was R. Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook, Chief Rabbi of Eretz Israel.
Postcard, 9X12.5 cm. Good-fair condition. Dark stains and wear.
Letter of approbation handwritten and signed by R. Yaakov David (Wilovsky), Rabbi of Slutsk. Warsaw, Chanukah 1897.
Approbation to the publication of the works of the son of the Rebbe of Radzymin, R. Aharon Menachem Mendel Guterman. The Ridvaz praises him highly and recommends the public dissemination of his works.
The Ridvaz – R. Yaakov David Wilovsky (1845-1913), was a prominent Torah scholar renowned since his youth as a leading Torah scholar in his generation. He served as rabbi in several locations, including Slutsk, Chicago and Safed. He authored many books, yet his magnum opus remains his comprehensive commentary on the Talmud Yerushalmi, included in most editions of the Yerushalmi. His granddaughter married the chief rabbi of the London Beit Din, R. Yechezkel Abramsky, author of Chazon Yechezkel.
The subject of the letter, Rebbe Aharon Menachem Mendel Guterman (1860-1934), only son of Rebbe Shlomo Yehoshua David of Radzymin, a leading rebbe in Poland. Disciple of Rebbe Avraham Borenstein of Sochatchov and Rebbe Shlomo Zalman Schneersohn of Kopust. Began to serve as rebbe after his father's passing in 1903, and established a yeshiva in Radzymin. Headed the R. Meir Baal HaNes Kollel Polin fund and was involved in the founding of Bnei Brak.
[1] double leaf. 21 cm. Good condition. Stains, wear and folding marks.
Lengthy letter (2 pages) handwritten and signed by R. "Yosef Rosen, Rabbi of Dvinsk", the Rogatchover Gaon. Erev Sukkot, 1920.
Sent to R. Yitzchak Ginsburg, who had sent him a package of food. The Rogatchover thanks him and offers profusive blessings for Sukkot, along with an ingenious pilpul on various topics: the libations of water and wine, the written and oral Torah, sukkah and lulav, repentance and fighting the evil inclination, Eretz Israel, "the city of palms", the aperture of Gehinnom, and other topics.
R. Yosef Rosen (1858-1936), Rabbi of Dvinsk, author of Tzafnat Paneach, known as the Rogatchover (after his birth town Rogatchov-Rahachow), a Chabad-Kopust follower. Studied under R. Yosef Dov Ber Soloveitchik, the Beit HaLevi, alongside the latter's son R. Chaim of Brisk. From 1889, he served as Rabbi of the Chabad Chassidic community in Dvinsk (Daugavpils, Latvia), alongside the city's Rabbi, the Or Sameach. A remarkable figure, he was renowned for his tremendous sharpness, and tales of his genius and diligence abound.
[1] leaf. 11.5X18 cm. Closely written on both sides. Good condition. Small marginal open tear.
Letter handwritten and signed by R. Shemaryahu Yosef Karelitz, "to my dear beloved son R. Avraham Yeshayah and to his wife, my dear daughter-in-law", and a letter (in Yiddish) handwritten by his wife, Rebbetzin Rasha Leah, to their son R. Avraham Yeshayah Karelitz, author of Chazon Ish. Kosava, 22nd Shevat, 1907.
R. Shemaryahu Yosef Karelitz (1852-1916), author of Beit Talmud, served as Rabbi of Kosava, succeeding his father-in-law R. Shaul Katzenelbogen who relocated to serve as Rabbi of Kobryn.
His wife, Rebbetzin Rasha-Leah Karelitz (ca. 1854-1940), known for her piety and modesty and merited seeing all her nine sons and sons-in-law become famed Torah scholars and G-d-fearing individuals, including R. Avraham Yeshayah Karelitz, author of Chazon Ish; R. Meir Karelitz, Rabbi of Lyakhavichy and one of the heads of Moetzet Gedolei HaTorah; and R. Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky, author of Kehilot Yaakov (the Steipler).
This rare letter is from an early period, when the Chazon Ish was about 30 years old, a yet unknown young man. The care and esteem the great father felt towards his son R. Avraham Yeshayah can be discerned between the lines of the letter.
Stamped postcard, 14 cm. Good-fair condition, light creases and stains.
Large assorted collection of over 40 letters of rabbis and rebbes. Poland, Lithuania, Galicia, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Romania and elsewhere. [Ca. first half of 20th century].
The items include:
• Letter of R. Eliezer Yehoshua HaLevi Epstein, Rabbi of Raków (Poland), son of Rebbe Avraham Shlomo of Ozharov. • Letter of R. Yisrael Dov HaLevi Epstein, Rabbi of Ostrava, son of Rebbe Avraham Shlomo of Ozharov. • Letter of R. Tzvi Hirsch HaLevi Epstein, son of Rebbe Reuven Epstein of Ozharov.
• Letter of Rebbe Shmuel Yosefov, Rabbi of Botoșani (son-in-law of Rebbe Meshulam Zusha of Mezhibuzh). • Letter of Rebbe Yosef Wertheim of Bender, Rabbi of Hrubieszów (Lublin province). • Letter of R. Asher Yeshayah Rabin, Rabbi of Radekhiv. • Letter of R. Chaim Dov Gross, dean of Munkacs yeshiva. • Letter of R. Chaim Pinchas Derbaremdiker, Rabbi of Vashkivtsi.
• Letter of R. Chaim Leib Yudkovsky, posek in Warsaw. • Letter of R. Avraham Binyamin Silberberg, posek in Warsaw. • Letters of R. Yaakov Gesundheit, secretary of the Rabbinical Council in Warsaw. • Letter of R. Reuven Yehudah Neufeld, Rabbi of Nowy Dwór, secretary of the Association of Rabbis in Poland. • Kosher certification for poultry, handwritten and signed by R. Moshe Aryeh Guterman, Rabbi of Szmulowizna, Warsaw.
• Two letters of R. Nachum Ash, Rabbi of Częstochowa. • Letter of R. Yosef Yehudah Nebenzahl, Rabbi of Bohorodchany, Galicia. • Letter of R. Eliyahu Rosen of Oświęcim, author of Minchat Eliyahu. • Letter of R. Pinchas Hirschprung, editor of Ohel Torah. Dukla, Galicia. • Lengthy Torah letter by R. Meir HaLevi Landau. Rotterdam, the Netherlands. • Two letters from R. Shmuel Aharon Pardes, editor of HaPardes. Chicago, United States. • Letter of R. Meir Blank, Rabbi of Nadvorna. • Letter of R. Moshe Kohlenberg, Rabbi of Cuciurul Mare (Velykyi Kuchuriv), Bukovina. • Letter of R. Yosef Gelernter, Rabbi of Brussels. • Letter of R. Moshe Avigdor Amiel, Rabbi of Antwerp.
• Two letters of R. Shimon Ze'ev Bengis, Rabbi of Kalvarija, Lithuania. • Letter of R. Isser Weissbord, Rabbi of Darbėnai, Lithuania. • Letter of R. Avraham Moshe Witkind, Rabbi of Butrimonys, Lithuania. • Letter of R. Moshe Shalom Stol, Rabbi of Bauska, Latvia. • Letter of R. Aharon Betzalel Paul, Rabbi of Friedrichstadt (Jaunjelgava, Latvia). • Letter of R. Yitzchak Shlomo Marcus, Rabbi of Smorgon, Lithuania (Smarhon, Belarus). • Letter of R. Mordechai Segal, Rabbi of Vowpa (Grodno region). • Letter of R. Yechiel HaLevi Levin, Rabbi of Lebedeva, Vilna province (Liebiedzieva, Belarus).
• And many more letters from various rabbis.
Over 40 signed letters and additional items. Varying size. Overall good condition. About 30 of them on official stationeries and postcards of rabbis or rabbinical organizations.