Talmud Bavli – complete set. Munich-Heidelberg, 1948. "Published by the Union of Rabbis in the American Occupation Zone in Germany".

After World War II, the demand for Talmud and holy books by surviving Jews congregated in the DP camps exceeded the few available copies. From 1946, the Union of Rabbis in Germany, with the assistance of the American army and the JDC, began to print volumes of Talmud for survivors. At first, only a few tractates were printed in various formats. In 1948, the present edition – a complete edition of the Talmud – was printed for the first time. Each volume contains two title pages. The first title page was especially designed to commemorate the printing of the Talmud on the debased German land; on its upper part is an illustration of a Jewish town with the caption "From slavery to redemption and from darkness to great light"; on its lower part is an illustration of barbed wire fences and a concentration camp, with the captions: "Labor camp in Germany during Nazi era", "They almost destroyed me on Earth, but I did not forsake Your precepts" (Psalms 119).

19 vols. Approx. 39 cm. Bristle paper in some of the volumes. Good to good-fair condition. Stains. Tears, including tears along title pages of tractates Gittin and kiddushin, affecting illustrations on title page. Title page of tractate Rosh HaShana missing. Creases. Original bindings. Blemishes to bindings, tears to spine, restored with tape and cloth.

PLEASE NOTE: Some lot descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to the Hebrew text.

Collection of over 30 letters sent to R. Chaim Berlin, Rabbi of Moscow, Kobryn, Yelisavetgrad and Jerusalem, from rabbis, Torah scholars, tzedakah collectors and donors throughout the world. Russia, England, United States and other countries, [1880s-1890s to 1900s-1910s].

The collection includes several letters on Torah matters, and responsa on halachic and public issues. Most of the letters are from his tenure as president of the Vaad HaKlali in Jerusalem [ca. 1900s-1910s] and relate to public affairs and fundraising for Eretz Israel.
See Hebrew description for a partial list of authors of the letters.

R. Chaim Berlin (1832-1912), foremost Torah scholar in his generation and an illustrious figure in Lithuania and Jerusalem. Eldest son of the Netziv of Volozhin, he served as Chief Rabbi of Moscow, yeshiva dean and Rabbi of Volozhin, Kobryn and Yelisavetgrad. When he immigrated to Jerusalem in 1906, he was swiftly recognized as one of the leading rabbis of the city.

Approx. 70 paper items, most documents signed. Size and condition vary.

PLEASE NOTE: Some lot descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to the Hebrew text.

Large assorted collection of over a hundred letters addressed to the philanthropist R. Binyamin (Wilhelm) Posen of Frankfurt am Main and his family, from rebbes, dayanim and Torah scholars, authors of books and printers, friends and relatives. Jerusalem, Prague, Vienna, Frankfurt, Germany, Lithuania, Italy, England, New York and elsewhere, [ca. 1880s-1920s]. Hebrew and German.

The authors include R. Chanoch Henich Ersohn of Zgierz (author of Gan Raveh and publisher of Chanukat HaTorah); R. Meir Wolf Roth [a disciple of the Divrei Chaim of Sanz, the Ktav Sofer and R. Hillel Lichtenstein]; R. Chaim Hirschensohn (publisher of Or Zarua alongside R. Binyamin Posen); R. Avraham Bik of Jerusalem and Pressburg, and many others (see Hebrew description for more names).
The philanthropist R. Binyamin (Wilhelm) son of R. Shimon Yekutiel Posen (1859-1923) was a disciple of R. Shimshon Refael Hirsch and a pillar of the Frankfurt am Main Jewish community. He was involved in the publication and printing of Parts III-IV of Or Zarua (Jerusalem, 1887-1890). A well-known bibliophile, many of the letters in the present collection deal with purchase of books and assistance in publication of manuscripts. He was a communal worker known for his charity and hospitality.

Over 100 letters, most on postcards (undivided). Varying size and condition; most in overall good condition.

PLEASE NOTE: Some lot descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to the Hebrew text.

Kuntres Halachah LeMaaseh, on shemitah produce, letters sent to the rabbis of Jerusalem, by R. Yaakov David (Wilovsky), Rabbi of Slutsk and Safed. Jerusalem, shemitah year [1910].
On endpaper, lengthy dedication by the author to R. Shlomo Mannes, Rabbi of Schwabach, requesting him to assist the Torah students in the Safed yeshiva. The Ridvaz recounts his efforts to promote the shemitah in the previous year (1910), opposing the settlers who desecrated the holiness of the Land. He recounts that those who did not observe shemitah the previous year were punished with low quality produce and impoverished. He stresses the importance of Torah study in Eretz Israel, without which "the Land of Israel would become the Land of Canaan, exactly like the cities of France…".
The letter appears to be In the handwriting of the Ridvaz, but the signature Is In his stamps (one stamped signature and another official stamp in Hebrew and Latin letters).

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.
In the shemitah year of 1910, the Ridvaz fought to strengthen the observation of shemitah in Eretz Israel, but his efforts were not well received by the mostly secular Second Aliyah, and were actively opposed by the French representatives of Barons Rothschild and Hirsch.

[2], 7 leaves. Approx. 22.5 cm. Very brittle and dry paper. Fair-poor condition. Marginal open tears. All leaves and binding detached and placed in a nylon folder.

PLEASE NOTE: Some lot descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to the Hebrew text.

A long letter handwritten and signed by R. Chaim Ozer Grodzinski. Vilna, "7th of Teshuvah" [7th of Tishrei, September 1933].
Sent to London to R. Yechezkel Abramsky, one of London's rabbis and one of his close associates (from the time of R. Yechezkel's studies at the Ramailes Yeshiva in Vilna, and from his tenure as rabbi of Slutsk).
The letter deals with various matters. At the beginning of the letter, Rabbi Chaim Ozer writes about his return from vacation in Druskininkai (a resort town near Vilna) and about the great "anguish" he suffered in the last month "and especially from the passing of our teacher the righteous Gaon who left no one like him after his death, the Chafetz Chaim of blessed memory, and in this orphaned generation, we have no one to comfort us and strengthen us".
He continues to write about help for the "Vaad HaYeshivot" and about the visit to England of his brother-in-law R. Yitzchak Kosovsky, rabbi of Valkovisk, who traveled to South Africa via London, on his way to serve as rabbi in Johannesburg.
He then writes about the telegram he sent with "an awakening to strengthen the Chafetz Chaim Yeshiva which is entangled in debts". and then he writes about efforts with various people and organizations to help rabbis and yeshivas. At the end of the letter, Rabbi Chaim Ozer concludes with a New Year blessing.

Rabbi Chaim Ozer Grodzinski (1863-1940) was the greatest of his generation and the rabbi of all diaspora Jews. Son of R. David Shlomo Grodzinski, rabbi of Ivye. Known from childhood for his extraordinary genius. At age 11, he entered the Volozhin Yeshiva and was a student of rabbi Chaim of Brisk. At 24, he was appointed rabbi and posek in Vilna, taking the place of his father-in-law Rabbi Eliyahu Eliezer Grodnenski, posek in Vilna (son-in-law of Rabbi Yisrael of Salant). From a young age, rabbi Chaim Ozer bore the burden of public affairs, and his opinion was decisive for nearly fifty years in all public questions that arose throughout the Jewish diaspora.

The recipient of the letter, R. Yechezkel Abramsky (1886-1976), was one of R. Chaim Ozer's trusted associates and agents. From the time of his youth studying under R. Chaim Ozer in Vilna, he became close to him in faithful friendship. In the winter of 1906, "the prodigy from Mosty" Yechezkel Abramsky was forced to leave the Telz Yeshiva and flee to Vilna (which was then under Polish rule), for fear of conscription into the Russian army.
Upon arriving in Vilna, he was accepted to the Ramailes Yeshiva, and was also accepted to the select group of exceptional scholars who heard scholarly lectures from R. Chaim Ozer (according to Melech BeYofyo, pp. 29-33).
Later, when he served as rabbi of Smilovichi and Slutsk, he worked extensively on behalf of R. Chaim Ozer in various public affairs. R. Abramsky smuggled the manuscript of the first part of his book "Chazon Yechezkel" from Slutsk to Vilna, to R. Chaim Ozer who arranged for its printing in Vilna in 1925, through his trusted associate R. Aharon Dov Alter Waranowski (a cousin of Rabbi Abramsky's wife).
When R. Abramsky was arrested by the Soviet authorities in 1930 and sent to Siberia, R. Chaim Ozer stirred up the Jewish world in efforts to free him. After R. Abramsky's release in early 1932, R. Chaim Ozer established together with him and the Rebbe Rayatz of Lubavitch, the project of sending "Kimcha D'Pischa" and food shipments to Jews suffering under Bolshevik rule in Russia. R.Abramsky also worked extensively on behalf of R. Chaim Ozer for the holy yeshivas in Poland and Lithuania, and for the rabbis of Europe.
This present letter reflects some of their joint activities on these issues. They also worked together on many public matters, including the struggle for the purity of Jewish lineage and marriage, and the fight against anti-Semitic decrees in Germany and European countries against "Jewish slaughter" (on the question of stunning animals before slaughter, which renders the meat non-kosher).

[1] leaf. Official stationery. Approx. 26 cm. 17 lines in his handwriting. Good condition. Folding marks and stains.

PLEASE NOTE: Some lot descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to the Hebrew text.