Auction 96 Early Printed Books, Chassidut and Kabbalah, Books Printed in Jerusalem, Letters and Manuscripts
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Collection of letters and documents from rabbis and public figures, mainly from South America, most sent to R. Yaakov Fink from 1940-1986.
The letters include:
• Letter from R. Ze'ev Tzvi HaKohen Klein, Rabbi of Eisenstadt, Berlin and Buenos Aires. [Buenos Aires, ca. 1940s].
• Letter of R. Yeshayah David Briskman. Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), 1951.
• Two letters from R. Natan David Rosenblum of Apta. Avellaneda (Argentina), 1951-1955.
• Letter from R. Yehoshua Segal Deutsch, Rabbi of Adat Yisrael in Montevideo and Katamon. Jerusalem, 1953.
• Three letters from R. Shmuel Yaakov Glicksberg, Rabbi of Buenos Aires. Buenos Aires, 1958-1959.
• Ten letters from R. Nechemiah Berman, Chief Rabbi of Uruguay, including a letter of consolation addressed to R. Fink's family after his passing. Buenos Aires, 1964-1986.
• Three letters from R. Yosef Zolty, Rabbi of Buenos Aires. Buenos Aires, 1965.
• Two letters from the Sephardic Chief Rabbinate, signed by R. Moshe Chehebar. Buenos Aires, 1965.
• Letter from R. Yerachmiel Blumenfeld, Rabbi of Rio de Janeiro. Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), 1966.
• Two letters from R. Avraham Mordechai Hershberg, Rabbi of Mexico City and president of the Latin American Rabbinical Center. Mexico, 1968.
• Three letters from R. Shmuel Aryeh Levin, dean of the Chafetz Chaim yeshiva in Buenos Aires. Buenos Aires and Bnei Brak, 1969-1972.
• Letter from R. Yosef HaKohen Oppenheimer, Rabbi of the Achdut Yisrael community. Buenos Aires, 1972.
• And more.
R. Yaakov Fink (1902-1984) studied under R. Meir Arik and R. Yosef Engel, as well as in other renowned Galician yeshivas and the Berlin Rabbinical Seminary. At the start of the Holocaust in 1939, he fled to Argentina, where he was appointed Rabbi and began to establish yeshivas, Torah schools, mikvaot and other Jewish necessities. His Beit Din addressed many questions of divorce and agunot in the wake of the Holocaust. He later served as Rabbi of Brazil and again as Chief Rabbi of Argentina. In 1963 he immigrated to Eretz Israel and was appointed dayan and head of the Haifa Beit Din.
33 items. Varying size and condition.
![Manuscript booklet (8 pages), two Torah novellae essays. Starobin, [ca. 1900s-1910s]. Especially fine writing [apparently by](https://files.kedem-auctions.com/files/Sale96/249_1.jpg "Manuscript Torah Novellae Booklet – Starobin, Ca. 1900s-1910s")
![Manuscript booklet (8 pages), two Torah novellae essays. Starobin, [ca. 1900s-1910s]. Especially fine writing [apparently by](https://files.kedem-auctions.com/files/Sale96/249_3.jpg "Manuscript Torah Novellae Booklet – Starobin, Ca. 1900s-1910s")
Manuscript booklet (8 pages), two Torah novellae essays. Starobin, [ca. 1900s-1910s].
Especially fine writing [apparently by a young man]. First four pages containing a pilpul on yibum and gid hanasheh. A second essay is concerned with halachic documents and presumption of ownership.
The script and style appear to belong to a young man, but the penetrating understanding and comprehensive knowledge displayed give the impression of being written by one of the prodigy sons of R. David Feinstein, Rabbi of Starobin, who was appointed Rabbi of the city in 1907: R. Yaakov Feinstein, R. Yissachar Dov Ber Feinstein (the shochet in Starobin), R. Moshe Feinstein (the "prodigy of Starobin", later author of Igrot Moshe) or R. Mordechai Feinstein (later Rabbi of Shklow). The author was unlikely to be their older brother R. Avraham Yitzchak Feinstein (father of R. Yechiel Michel Feinstein) who was already married when their father moved to Starobin.
[2] double leaves (8 written pages). Good condition. Stains, wear and folding marks.
Fragmentary manuscript leaves extracted from a bindings genizah – fragments from Toldot Adam VeChavah by Rabbeinu Yerucham. Sephardic script, [ca. 15th/16th century].
Fragments from Sefer Chavah, section 24, parts 1 and 2.
The present lot contains four halves of leaves, two of which are part of the same leaf, corresponding to p. 202b in the Venice 1553 edition; and two other half leaves corresponding to pp. 202a and 204b of the same edition.
4 half leaves. Approx. 15 cm. Fair condition. Stains, including dampstains. Some worming. Open tears, affecting text.
![Patient diary, handwritten by the kabbalist R. Yitzchak Kaduri. [Jerusalem, ca. 1960s].Notebook with dozens of leaves, contai](https://files.kedem-auctions.com/files/Sale96/251_1.jpg "Patients Diary of Rabbi Yitzchak Kaduri")
![Patient diary, handwritten by the kabbalist R. Yitzchak Kaduri. [Jerusalem, ca. 1960s].Notebook with dozens of leaves, contai](https://files.kedem-auctions.com/files/Sale96/251_2.jpg "Patients Diary of Rabbi Yitzchak Kaduri")
Patient diary, handwritten by the kabbalist R. Yitzchak Kaduri. [Jerusalem, ca. 1960s].
Notebook with dozens of leaves, containing 282 entries, in which R. Kaduri documented in detail in his own handwriting the various requests of people who came to him for blessing, advice and pidyon nefesh, with questions about engagements, marital issues, cures for sicknesses and more. R. Kaduri documented the questions he was asked and the answers, advice or amulets he gave, usually based on Goralot he performed and astrology.
R. Yitzchak Kaduri (ca. 1899-2006), born in the late 19th century in Iraq, studied Torah and kabbalah under Torah scholars of Iraq and Jerusalem, to which he immigrated in 1922. In his early years in Jerusalem he made a living binding books and manuscripts, and he studied in the Beit El and Porat Yosef yeshivas. Over the years he became renowned as a foremost expert in all areas of kabbalah. Many flocked to him for his blessings, advice and amulets, as he was considered one of the only individuals in his times proficient in producing kabbalistic amulets. He passed away over 100 years old, and hundreds of thousands of people attended his funeral.
[43] leaves. 22 cm. Good condition. Some stains and wear. Detached leaves. Bound in an early leather binding, damaged.
Provenance: Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, EI.011.019.
Assorted collection of letters, signed by rabbis from Syria, Aleppo and Beirut (Lebanon), ca. early 20th century.
Some of the letters included in the collection:
• Letter of the Or Torah committee in Aleppo to Dr. Moshe Gaster of England, signed by the community rabbis: R. Chaim son of Shlomo Nechmad, R. Yehudah Dweck HaKohen, R. Chaim son of Ezra Tawil, R. Ezra Yosef Shayo, R. Reuven Ancona, R. Yaakov Daknish HaKohen, and the secretary of the committee R. Meir Sason Ajami. [Aleppo, ca. 1920s].
• Copying of letter sent by the Chacham Bashi R. Moshe HaLevi, signed by: R. Shaul Katzin, R. Avraham Ades and R. Yitzchak Shrim. [Ca. 1908].
• Letter of R. Aharon Moshe Yedid HaLevi, Rabbi of Beirut. Sivan 1909.
• Several letters from rabbis of Beirut (Lebanon): R. Shabtai Bohbot, R. Shlomo Tajer and R. Bentzion Lichtman.
• Letter from R. Ezra Yitzchak Chamawi.
• Letters from R. Moshe Sofer, director of the Torah school in Beirut.
12 letters. Varying size. Good condition.
Collection of documents, letters, certificates and halachic rulings from various institutions, mainly rabbinical institutions in Turkish cities. 1909-1939.
Contains: Certificate signed by R. Yosef HaKohen and R. Yosef Ferrara, with stamps of the Chief Rabbinate and Beit Din in Constantinople; letters and documents on official stationery of the "Chief Rabbinate of Turkey, including a letter to R. Bentzion Uziel, signed by R. Refael David Saban, R. Yaakov Argueti and R. Moshe ibn Habib; certificates on official stationery of the Smyrna (Izmir) Beit Din, signed by the head of the Beit Din R. Moshe Melamed and other rabbis; a document of the Ashkenazi community in Constantinople, and a certificate signed by R. Dr. David Marcus – Rabbi of the Ashkenazim in Constantinople; documents from a Dardanelle village certification; documents on official stationery of the Chief Rabbinate of Turkey [in Constantinople], some signed by R. Chaim Nachum, Chief Rabbi of Turkey (including blank official stationery of the rabbinate); documents on stationery of the Chief Rabbi of Izmir, signed by R. Nisim Danon; certificate on stationery of the Smyrna [Izmir] Jewish community, signed by R. Yehudah Albaali, R. Moshe Melamed and R. Bechor Yitzchak Katan; a document of engagement with an official printed header of the Chief Rabbinate of Turkey (for an engagement in Constantinople, Tevet 1907); and more.
35 leaves. Varying size. Good-fair overall condition (stains, wear, tears and folding marks).
Leaf handwritten and signed by R. Yehudah Aszód – confirmation of sale of a seat in the synagogue in Senica. Senica, 1849.
The document names the seller and buyer and states that the seat was sold after the customary announcement three times.
R. Yehudah Aszód (1796-1866), a foremost rabbi and yeshiva dean in Hungary. A disciple of R. Aharon Suditz and R. Mordechai (Maharam) Benet. He was appointed rabbi of Semnitz (Senica) and Szerdahely (Dunajská Streda), at the initiative of the Chatam Sofer.
[1] double leaf. 17 cm. Good condition. Some stains. Folding marks and wear.
![Letter on postcard handwritten and signed by R. Eliezer Deutsch, Rabbi of Bonyhád. Bonyhád, [Iyar 1913].Sent to](https://files.kedem-auctions.com/files/Sale96/264.jpg "Letter from R. Eliezer Deutsch Rabbi of Bonyhád – Bonyhád, 1913")
Letter on postcard handwritten and signed by R. Eliezer Deutsch, Rabbi of Bonyhád. Bonyhád, [Iyar 1913].
Sent to R. Binyamin Ullman, son of R. Shlomo Zalman Ullman, Rabbi of Makó, author of Yeriot Shlomo. In the letter, he asks him to send him Yeriot Shlomo as soon as possible, since he wanted to cite the author's ideas in his own booklet. [In another letter auctioned by Kedem (auction 95, lot 287), R. Eliezer Deutsch thanks him for sending the book and mentions that he cited the author].
R. Eliezer Chaim Deutsch, Rabbi of Bonyhád (1850-1915), leading Hungarian posek, disciple of R. Yehudah (Mahari) Aszod and Maharam Ash.
Postcard. 14x9 cm. Good condition. Stains. Postmarks of Bonyhád and Alsóvalkó (Valcău de Jos).
Letter on Postcard (more than 4 lines) handwritten and signed by Rebbe Chaim Elazar Shapiro, the Minchat Elazar. [Munkacs, 1934].
Sent to the philanthropist R. Eliezer Bollag of Baden. On the postcard appear two letters from the Rebbe, a short one in his own handwriting, and a second more detailed one in the name of the Rebbe, handwritten by his attendant.
The Rebbe's letter is written in brief with many abbreviations: "With the help of God, I greet my dear friend, exceptional and outstanding etc.… Chaim Elazar Shapiro". On the margins of the page appears the Rebbe's stamp (in Latin script).
On the reverse side of the postcard is an additional letter from the Rebbe's attendant, R. Chaim Dov Grünfeld – "writing at the command of the Rebbe": "…And I was instructed by the Rebbe to give a loving response, that he is entreating and praying for… May the Creator of cures and salvations send His holy assistance and heal her, and may she be saved from evil dreams and all fears, and may she be saved in all her wishes for good and blessing…".
Rebbe Chaim Elazar Shapiro (1872-1937), the Minchat Elazar, was a leading Torah scholar, halachic and Chassidic authority and kabbalist. Son of Rebbe Tzvi Hirsch Shapiro, author of Darchei Teshuvah, and grandson of Rebbe Shlomo Shapiro, author of Shem Shlomo (both Rabbis of Munkacs), he was born to the dynasty of Rebbe Tzvi Elimelech of Dinov, the Bnei Yissachar. He fought for the holiness of Judaism, and his halachic and kabbalistic teachings are studied all over the world. Author of Minchat Elazar, Shaar Yissachar, Nimukei Orach Chaim, Divrei Torah in nine parts, and more.
Postcard. 15X10.5 cm. Good condition. Stains. Postage stamps and postmarks.
Letter handwritten and signed by Rebbe Yisrael Tzvi Rottenberg of Koson. Koson, 1938.
Addressed to Rebbe Baruch Yerachmiel Rabinowitz, Rabbi of Munkacs and the Kollel Munkacs administration. The Rebbe asks them to negotiate a compromise with the Kollel scribe from Jerusalem, who sued the administration in Beit Din and won. He states that it would be inappropriate for them to let someone work for them grudgingly, and enjoins them to make sure he does his work wholeheartedly by settling the matter with him. The letter is labeled as a "copy", but by comparison with his other manuscripts, the "copy" can also be identified as being written in the handwriting of the Or Male.
Rebbe Yisrael Tzvi HaLevi Rottenberg of Koson, author of Or Male (1890-1944; perished in the Holocaust), son of Rebbe Yehosef Rottenberg, Rabbi and first Rebbe of Koson, and son-in-law of his elder brother Rebbe Chaim Shlomo Rottenberg, second Rebbe of Koson. Rebbe Yisrael succeeded his father and brother as Rebbe and Rabbi of Koson, and he also established a yeshiva there.
[1] double leaf. Official stationery. 23 cm. Fair-good condition. Stains, including dampstains and ink stains. Wear and folding marks.
![Letter on a postcard, by Rebbe Menachem Mendel Hager, Rebbe of Visheve. Visheve (Vișeu de Sus), Nisan, [1938].Sent to R. Avra](https://files.kedem-auctions.com/files/Sale96/267.jpg "Letter of Blessing for a Bar Mitzvah – From Rebbe Menachem Mendel Hage")
Letter on a postcard, by Rebbe Menachem Mendel Hager, Rebbe of Visheve. Visheve (Vișeu de Sus), Nisan, [1938].
Sent to R. Avraham Leib Silberman, Chief Rabbi of Safed, on the occasion of the bar mitzvah of his son Refael, with many blessings: "And may God help him that it be for Mazal Tov and at an auspicious time, and may he merit to raise him to Torah, marriage and good deeds, and receive satisfaction and pleasure from him and all his offspring full of joy, and may he receive the upcoming festival joyfully and properly".
Scribal handwriting, with two lines in the Rebbe's handwriting at the end of the letter, with his signature: "Honoring and esteeming him, hoping for a speedy salvation for all of Israel, Menachem Mendel son of R. Y[israel]".
Rebbe Menachem Mendel Hager of Visheve (1885-1941, Encyclopedia LaChassidut, III, pp. 95-96), son of the Ahavat Yisrael of Vizhnitz. From 1908 he served as Rabbi of Vizhnitz, and from 1921 as Rabbi of Visheve (Vișeu de Sus), where he founded the Beit Yisrael yeshiva. After his father’s death in 1936, he succeeded him as rebbe. A leader of Agudat Yisrael and member of Moetzet Gedolei HaTorah. His teachings are published in the She'erit Menachem series on the Torah, on festivals and responsa.
[1] postcard. 15x10.5 cm. Good condition. Stains. Filing holes (not affecting text).
Halachic ruling signed by Rebbe Yosef Grünwald, the Vayechi Yosef of Pupa, and his court. [Szombathely (Hungary), Kislev 1945].
Record of a testimony about a woman who perished in the Holocaust, in order to permit her husband to remarry. Signed by dayanim Rebbe "Yosef Grünwald", R. "Yaakov Yitzchak Neumann", "Elimelech Wieder". Stamp of Rebbe Yosef Grünwald.
Rebbe Yosef Grünwald of Pupa (1903-1984), last Rabbi of Pápa, Hungary, and leading rabbi in the United States. Son and successor of R. Yaakov Yechizkiyah Grünwald, Rabbi of Pápa, the Vayaged Yaakov (son of R. Moshe Grünwald, the Arugat HaBosem). He served as posek and yeshiva dean in Satmar, and in 1941 after the passing of his father the Vayaged Yaakov, he moved to Pápa and served as town rabbi. After the Holocaust he served as Rabbi in Pápa and Szombathely, later relocating to Belgium and finally the United States, where he established the Kehillat Yaakov Pupa community, and served as rabbi and yeshiva dean.
[1] leaf. 21x15 cm. Good condition. Stains and folding marks. Signed inscriptions on verso.