Poem in honor of Yosef Almanzi by Rabib Dovid Chananya Viterbi. Padua, [1838]. Manuscript. Autograph. [1] solitary leaf. 18 cm. Poem in honor of Yosef Almanzi, born in Padua and died in Trieste [1800-1860]. Yosef Almanzi was a noted poet. Over 100 poems that he authored were known. Most of his poems were printed during his lifetime on solitary leaves in honor of his friend's happy occasions and the like. After his death, his poems were collected and printed in "Yad Yosef" [Krakow, 1889]. Signed on the 23rd of the Month, 1838, and signed ד.ח. – the initials of Dovid Chananya Viterbi, famed rabbi of Mantua, third generation disciple of the Ramchal of Padua. Autograph by the Rabbi of Padua. To the best of our knowledge, this poem is unknown. Very fine condition.

Kama Yosef Icha B'Shuka'. Slanderous document from [1820], Mainz, Germany. [1] solitary leaf, 21x17.5 cm. Ashkenazic hand. Slander written about someone named Yosef. Shverin is either his family name or his place of residence. This person, [Yosef Shverin], came to Mainz and did something that stirred the writer's ire. This handwritten document labels Yosef – 'Yosef the Roman'. He contrasts him to Joseph in Egypt who overcame his evil impulses, while this Yosef did the opposite. The writer calls him a 'sham chassid' and other negative titles. The writer went so far as to compare him to the father of Jesus. He alludes to Yosef's father and the use of the book of Zohar. This was possibly written against a Chassidic leader who travelled through the Ashkenazic communities. The text doesn't reveal enough details about the episode. The writer concludes with his signature and the year that he composed the pashkevil in the form of a gematria. This is possibly the earliest handwritten broadside – pashkevil - known today. Complete. A few marginal tears, without loss. Marks from red wax on the corners of the reverse – apparently used to hang this paper on a public notice board.

Pitum HaKitoret, ink on parchment. With a "Lamnatzeich" menorah. Beginning of the 20th century. Parchment is 15 cm. tall. One strip, five columns, 13 lines to a column. Nice scribal print. Begins with 'Ata Hu Hashem Elokeinu' through 'U'kishanim Kadmoniot'. "Lamnatzeich" menorah on the last page. Rabbi Chaim Palagi included a segula in his "Kaf HaChaim" (siman 17, 18) "one should write the Kitoret on parchment….and he should read it…he will be assured that he will always have abundant income…'. Light creases and aging stains. Very fine condition.

Ledger of a Hebron fundraiser, Rabbi Chaim Baruch Maistro, to German and Dutch communities from [1814-1815]. Handwritten copy. [90] leaves, 21x17 cm. Due to the difficult conditions in the Hebron Jewish community and the heavy debts accumulated by the community coffers, Rabbi Chaim Baruch was sent to German and Dutch communities to collect funds to rescue the community. He maintained an organized ledger with a list of donations and other issues regarding his journey. He visited close to one hundred communities – some large cities and some small villages. Donations were also collected from villages surrounding the cities he visited, so many tens of communities with the names of their resident families, community leaders and rabbis of are mentioned. The large cities he visited included: Frankfurt, Furth, Worms, Karlsruhe, Hanau, Fulda, Ittingen, Wurzburg, Mainz and Amsterdam. The ledger includes letters of recommendation that the fundraiser received during his trip, including: a letter from Rabbi Asher av"d of Karlsruhe, a son of the "Sha'agat Aryeh"; and a letter from Rabbi Zvi Hersh HaLevi Horowitz, the "Machaneh Levi", rabbi of Frankfurt and the son of the author of the "Hafla'a". This is a copy of the important ledger with content of first-rate importance regarding the history of German and Dutch communities. Regarding this fundraiser, interesting reactions from the communities and this ledger, refer to: A. Yaari, Shluchei Eretz Yisrael, p. 606-607, and Kiryat Sefer, year 14, p. 392-399. Blemished binding. Overall fine-very fine condition.

Handwritten ledger of the Albert-Irsa community, near Budapest. 1923-1925. 100 leaves. 40x25 cm. Various Hungarian hands. The ledger includes tens of neat protocols from monthly meetings by the community's elected officials between 1923-1925. Sequential pagination, though missing the years of the First World War and an additional few years. The protocols include the community members, worshippers, salaries, teacher pensions, aid received from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, annual financial report and proposed budget for the upcoming year. The Albert-Irsa community was a "Status Quo" community; it was Torah and mitzvah observant though its members were influenced by the haskala. For example, the ledger is written entirely in Hungarian, without any Hebrew words and the community Rabbi is referred to with the same title used for Christian priests. Apparently does not note the number of community members, however, this most probably was a small community that was completely destroyed during World War II. Leather binding – only the exterior binding remains. Solitary leaves at the end were blemished by water, but are still legible. A number of leaves were torn out. Fine condition.