Letter from Dr. Theodor Herzl, April 15, 1899, on the importance of the society of young adults for an idealist who seeks to work for good and just ideas.
Specifications: [1] leaf, official letterhead of the Viennese newspaper Neue Freie Presse, where Herzl worked. 15X22 cm. German.
Contents: The following is a translation of the letter from German:
Honorable Sir,
Your precious letter pleased me very much. To merit young friends is the best reward for a man who does not think of himself, fame or profit, but merely seeks to work for ideas that are good and right in his eyes. The younger members of society are the guarantors that our efforts were not in vain. I wish that you and your colleagues will also treat me in the future with sympathy. I do not have time to write an article for your high school graduates’ newspaper. What can I tell you about my time as a student at the Gymnasium? It was probably similar to your time as a student. At first we are glad when this time passes, and then miss it afterwards, like we miss our youth.
Best regards, Yours, T. Herzl
Condition: Very fine. Fold marks. A few stains on the edges of the leaf without damage to text.
Tractate Baba Metzia published in Vilna, 1902, belonging to and studied by one of the greatest Zionist leaders, Ze’ev Jabotinsky .
Unique Features: Before us is an important discovery, revealing that Ze’ev Jabotinsky was interested in and studied the Babylonian Talmud. Ze’ev Jabotinsky signed his name on the title page. There are pencil marks throughout the book.
Jabotinsky studied in general public schools, and as a youth barely knew of Judaism and the Jews. Later on, he became acquainted with Judaism, visited many Jewish communities, and became familiar with the traditional Jewish way of life. In addition to his high level of knowledge in Hebrew, Jabotinsky was well versed in the Bible. In his speeches and articles, he quoted it often, as well as world views and many ideas which he drew from the Bible. However, his familiarity with the Talmud was unknown. So we have a surprising discovery, a Talmudic tractate that was in his possession, and even signed with his name. It is possible that during his visit to Petersburg he saw the book, and as was his way, wished to study it in depth and explore the tractate and the Talmud in general.
Background: Ze’ev Vladimir Jabotinsky [1880-1940] was a prominent Zionist leader, author, poet, and famous speaker. He was one of the founders of the Jewish Legion in the British Army during the First World War, and established Beitar and the Revisionist Zionist Organization (Hatzach).
Condition: Fine – very fine.
Letter from David Ben-Gurion, written to the editors of the Haartez newspaper, to deflect criticism of him for having conducted correspondence with French President De Gaulle. Sde Boker, January 16,1968.
Specifications: [1] page paper . 21×13 cm.
Background: After the Six-Day War, De Gaulle accused Israel of starting the war, and hence developed hostile policies against Israel, which included an embargo on weapon sales to Israel. In November, 1967, De Gaulle convened a press conference in which he harshly attacked the State of Israel. Using language with anti-Semitic undertones, he referred to the Jewish people as “an elitist, self-confident and domineering people.” Following this, a correspondence developed between David Ben Gurion, the former Prime Minister of Israel, and De Gaulle. At De Gaulle’s initiative, their correspondence was published in Israel and France, and this led to criticism of Ben Gurion by Foreign Minister Abba Eban. In order to defend his position, Ben-Gurion chose to write the letter before us and send it to Haaretz for publication. In his letter, Ben-Gurion stresses his right as a free citizen of the State of Israel to conduct communications without censorship and with whom he sees fit, and in the process criticizes the Mapai regime.
Quotes from the letter: ” Foreign Minister Abba Eban displayed public resentment of me for having sent a letter to General De Gaulle without his or his staff’s knowledge. And since I appreciate the Foreign Minister’s work, I see it as a duty to explain to him that we do not live – at the present time in any case, and I hope also for the future – in a dictatorial, “communist,” or fascist country – and each person is allowed to converse and correspond with anyone he sees fit, without any censorship whatsoever. I took upon myself, for reasons that I will not state here, a single limitation: not to discuss the present government’s interest and policy with anyone who is not Israeli, even foreign Jews who come to visit me in Sde Boker, for my own reasons …
Anyone who has read my letter … knows that in this letter I only discussed De Gaulle’s unfortunate statements at the November 1967 press conference; the nature and ways of our people; the return to Zion and the areas of the land; and conversations I had with De Gaulle on these matters when I was prime minister. I do not think I need guidance or censorship on these matters from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or anyone else, though I know there are others who possess the talent and capability to write things that are more beautiful and intelligent. I did not show my last letter to De Gaulle to anyone – except for Paula – until the letter reached the person to whom it was addressed. And I do not see the need to show anyone what I write to whom I write. The regime that was practiced over the past few years in Mapai does not obligate the state, and I hope that the citizen’s freedom will exist in the future in our country.
Respectfully, David Ben Gurion
Fine condition. Fold marks. Tiny tears on the edges of the page, along the fold line.
