Auction No. 100
Rare and special items
- (-) Remove Manuscripts & letters. Ashkenaz filter Manuscripts & letters. Ashkenaz
- (-) Remove Manuscripts & letters. Ashkenaz filter Manuscripts & letters. Ashkenaz
Semicha from Rabbi Shalom Mordechai HaKohen Schwadron, the Maharsham of Berezhany, given to Rabbi Shalom Moskowitz, the Admor of Shatz. Berezhany, 1901.
Specifications: [1] doubled leaf. 26x21 cm.
Unique features: The semicha was written, signed and stamped by the Maharsham. It was given after Rabbi Shalom Moskowitz lived in his house for nine months to learn practical halacha. The Maharsham extols Rabbi Shalom's approach to halacha extensively, and he taught him things that he did not wish to publicize in writing. He gave Rabbi Shalom semicha to be a rabbi-posek when he was only 24 years old. He writes: "He is worthy of being accepted as rabbi in every place reached by the words of the King of the world, his rulings are to be relied upon like every outstanding rabbi's." Despite their great difference in age, Rabbi Shalom Moskowitz is often considered the leading disciple of the Maharsham.
Background: Rabbi Shalom Mordechai HaKohen Schwardron, the Maharsham of Berezhany (1835-1911) was a prominent Galician rabbi and posek of his time. He had close relationships with leading Admors, and the Admors of Belz considered him the primary posek. Many questions were sent to him from around the world, and his questioners included the Chofetz Chaim. His printed works include the Shu"t Maharsham, which includes thousands of halachic responses, his large halachic treatises Da'at Torah, and many other works.
Rabbi Shalom Moskowitz of Shatz [1877-1958] was born in Shatz, Romania. He was a scion of the Maggid of Zolotchov. He was proficient in kabbala and halacha and authored halachic works. In his youth, he received semicha from the Maharsham who praised him extensively. In 1929, he moved to London where he was known as the "Admor of Shatz" and was a reputed wonder-worker. In his will, he promised to arouse Divine pity for anybody who prayed at his grave and took upon himself to fortify his mitzvah observance and light candles. His grave became a pilgrimage site, primarily on Fridays. Some of his Torah thoughts were printed in the Da'at Shalom series. Refer to: Encyclopedia L'Chassidut, 3, 661-662.
Condition: Light tears in the folds, lightly affecting text. Fine condition.
Lengthy letter written by Rabbi Samson Refael Hirsch, sent as a response to Rabbi Moshe Leib Cohen of Nikolsburg. The letter focuses on Torah thoughts and ends with a clause regarding the fundamentals of the Torah, as a response to his opponents. Frankfurt, [1878].
Specifications: [3] pages, 22x14 cm. The letter was sent to Rabbi Moshe Leib Cohen, Av Beit Din of Nikolsburg and prominent disciple of Rabbi Yehuda Assad. Rav Hirsch begins the letter with effusive honorifics. The entire letter is in Hebrew, in Rav Hirsch's handwriting, and is signed at the conclusion: הק' שמשון בן לא"א כמה"ו רפאל הירש פ"פ זצ"ל".
Unique features: Lengthy letter full of Torah ideas. In the last section, Rav Hirsch discusses the words of the gemara (Megilla 3), "Torah megilla megilla nitna oh Torah chatuma nitna," and the Ramban's discussion of this phrase in his introduction to his commentary on the Torah. In his letter, Rav Hirsch thanks Rabbi Moshe Leib of Nikolsburg and notes that what he wrote fortifies his position and he did not stray from the path of truth. He adds that he is very pained by those who oppose his opinion in this matter (!). Igrei Dibei Hilulei (2004) includes a short letter that Rav Hirsch sent to Rabbi Moshe Leib Cohen. However, this is a lengthy, three-paged letter. Rav Hirsch's Hebrew letters are especially rare.
Background: Rabbi Samson Refael Hirsch (1808-1888) fashioned the "Torah im Derech Eretz" stream of Orthodoxy in Germany. He was a prime opponent of the Reform movement that was spreading at the time to many Jewish communities throughout Germany. When Rav Hirsch was appointed Rabbi of Frankfurt am Main in 1851, he started working to improve and fortify the spiritual condition of Jewish youth. He focused on founding a Jewish school where the students could acquire a Torah and secular education. Rav Hirsch used his many writings (written in German to increase their readership) to pave a path to the hearts of Jewish youth and enable them to overcome the spiritual challenges of the time. He noted in his introduction to his essay: "To fill all spirits and souls with the thoughts of David."
Condition: Very fine. Minimal aging stains, fold marks.
Autograph of Rabbi Yosef Shaul Notenhausen, Av Beit Din of Lemberg, author of Shoel U'Meishiv, [Lemberg], [1857].
Specifications: [1] doubled leaf, 21x17 cm. The response was written and signed by the author of Shoel U'Meishiv. It was written to Rabbi Yaakov Shlomo, Av Beit Din of Premishlan, and its content includes a section of a question from Shoel U'Meishiv, second edition. The response appears on one page, and the second page bears the address of the sender, a stamp and traces of a red wax stamp.
Unique features: Response regarding selling chametz and renting the location with the chametz to a non-Jew, accomplished without witnesses and without the seller writing his name in the contract.
Background: The great gaon, Rabbi Yosef Shaul HaLevi Notenhausen, author of Shoel U'Meishiv (1808-1875) was the rabbi of Lemberg for about twenty years. He was a master of Torah and one of the leading halachic responders of his time. He received questions from all corners of the world. He was asked to provide many approbations and rabbinic semicha. He was known to be "holy from the womb" and was admired by the Torah leaders of his generation - including the Chatam Sofer - from a very young age. When Rabbi Chaim of Sanz addressed a question to him regarding mikvaot, he used many honorifics (Shu"t Shoel U'Meishiv, second edition, section 1, siman 24).
Condition: Moderate-fine. Fold marks. Aging stains. The ink has faded but is legible. Light tears without loss of text.
![Letter from Rabbi Refael Shapiro, Rosh Yeshiva of Volozhin [1905-1908?]](https://winners-files.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/sale100-public/92_1.jpg)
![Letter from Rabbi Refael Shapiro, Rosh Yeshiva of Volozhin [1905-1908?]](https://winners-files.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/sale100-public/92_2.jpg)
![Letter from Rabbi Refael Shapiro, Rosh Yeshiva of Volozhin [1905-1908?]](https://winners-files.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/styles/gallery-small-thumb/s3/sale100-public/92_1.jpg?itok=9cKikL2v)
![Letter from Rabbi Refael Shapiro, Rosh Yeshiva of Volozhin [1905-1908?]](https://winners-files.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/styles/gallery-small-thumb/s3/sale100-public/92_2.jpg?itok=-231XLfD)
Letter from Rabbi Refael Shapiro, Rosh Yeshiva of Volozhin, sent to the Av Beit Din of Jerusalem, his disciple Rabbi Aryeh Levin and his sick son, Rabbi Menachem Zundel [1905-1908?], with a supplement by his wife in her handwriting.
Specifications: [1] leaf, graph paper. 20x13 cm. Text on both sides of the leaf, all in Rabbi Refael's handwriting, signed twice by him.
Content: In his letter, he sends regards to Rabbi Chaim Yaakov Shapiro, Av Beit Din in Jerusalem, and to the son-in-law of Rabbi Chaim Yaakov's son, a reference to Rabbi Aryeh Levin who studied with him in Volozhin in his youth. Rabbi Refael warmly blesses them: "May Hashem give you all the requests of your hearts for good..." Later, he adds a blessing for his son Rabbi Zundel who was ill, "Hashem should strengthen and fortify him..." Rabbi Zundel moved to Jerusalem and passed away in 1908, during his father's lifetime.
The margins feature an emotional plea in Yiddish, in pen, in a different handwriting, apparently that of Rabbi Refael Shapiro's wife, Rabbi Zundel's mother.
Background: Rabbi Refael Shapiro was born in [1837]. His father was Rabbi Aryeh Leib Shapiro, Rabbi of Kovno, known as "Rabbi Leibel Kovner." In 1852, he married the daughter of the Netziv and in 1870 was appointed deputy Rosh Yeshiva of Volozhin. In 1881, he gave up his position to Rabbi Chaim Soloveitchik of Brisk and was appointed Rabbi of Novoalexandrovsk in Lithuania, and afterwards in Brisk.
Condition: Restored tears and tape marks. The text is all legible. Moderate condition.