Auction No. 102
Holy books, Chassidut, Manuscripts, Rabbinical & Admors' letters, Eretz Yisrael & Zionism, Americana, Judiaca & Prof. Albert Einstein
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Bibliographical list of Hebrew books, manuscripts and prints, which are found in the library of Mayer Sulzberger in Philadelphia, United States. 28 manuscripts and 394 prints. By Efraim Deinard. New York, 1896.
Specifications: 100 pages, 20 cm. High-quality paper.
Background: Meir Sulzberger (1843-1923), Jewish-American judge, born in Germany. Jewish activist, among the wealthiest American Jews of his time, member of philanthropic organizations. Involved with Jewish literature and taught in Jewish educational institutions. His library was one of the best private libraries in the United States and contained rare and valuable Hebrew books, including approximately 45 incunabula.
Condition: Fine. Tears in the white margins of pages 60-72. Simple binding.
Proclamation of the Reform rabbis of the United States against the Balfour Declaration which proclaimed "The Establishment of a National Home for the Jewish Nation in Palestine." Chicago, 1918. Rare. Not found in the National Library.
Specifications: [1] leaf, paper. 14x21 cm.
Content of the Resolution: The Conference expresses its appreciation for the good will toward the Jews expressed by the Balfour Declaration. They are in favor of Jews being able to immigrate to Palestine, as well as anywhere else, and to enjoy equality in political, civil and religious rights. Nevertheless, they oppose the declaration that "Palestine is to be a national homeland for the Jewish people." In its opinion, Judaism is a religion, not a nationality: the Jews are not a nation without a land, but rather belong to any place in which they live, and as such they should be considered. Jews, like the members of any other religion, are entitled to live and assert their message anywhere in the world. Jews in America are part of the American nation, and they have no need for a "national home" in the Land of Israel. The current ideal of the Jew, as they define it, is not the establishment of a Jewish state or to renew the antiquated idea of the revival of the Jewish nation. The survival of Judaism depends on its historic religious role to witness [the existence of] G-d, and not in receiving the Palestine as a homeland for the Jewish people.
The Central Conference of American Rabbis (The CCAR) was founded in 1889, and is the largest and most long-standing organization of Reform rabbis in America.
Condition: Excellent.
Siddur Divrei Tzadikim, contains the order of prayers for the entire year according to the congregations of Germany and Poland ... proofread and copied to English by me ... Yitzchak son of Uri son of Eliezer [Leeser]. Philadelphia, 1848. Rare prayer book.
Specifications: 242, 243, [1] page. 22 cm. Rosenbach 636, Goldman 37.
Content: First prayer book according to the Ashkenazic custom printed in the continent of America. With an additional English title page: The Book of Daily Prayers ... edited by Isaac Leeser. The English translation is on facing pages with parallel pagination. The prayer book was edited by Isaac Leeser, one of the leaders of American Jewry.
Unique Features: Rare prayer book, complete with the introduction and indexes. Typical binding. Ownership inscription.
Condition: Minimal stains. Very fine condition.
Siddur Siftei Tzadikim, the order of prayers for the entire year according to the Sephardic custom. Philadelphia, 1878.
Specifications: [1], 7 pages, 277 leaves, 279-285 pages, approximately 18 cm. Goldman 65.
Content: With an additional English title page: The Form of Prayers ... new edition ... edited and revised by Abraham de Sola.
The English translation is on facing pages with corresponding pagination. The prayer book was printed by David de Sola and Isaac Leeser.
Unique Features: New edition with additions by Rabbi Binyamin Artum, rabbi of the Sephardic community in England, printed by Avraham son of David de Sola from Montreal, with an introduction by him. Machzorim were also printed together with the Siddur, and on the title page before us: Part One.
Condition: Fine-very fine. Aging stains. Original binding.
Torah, Prophets and Writings, Seu Biblia Hebraica, a Bible proofread according to Johann Leusden, August Hahn ... Rabbi Wolf Heidenheim and Isaac Leeser. Philadelphia, 1849. The first vowelized Jewish Bible printed in America.
Specifications: XX [1] 1416 pages, 21 cm. Goldman 9. With an introduction by August Hahn in his lifetime. With an introduction in Latin by Isaac Leeser. Short dictionary printed on the last leaves.
Unique Features: Extraordinarily rare. Not in the National Library and not listed in the Bibliography of the Hebrew Book.
Condition: Very fine. Old, worn, semi-leather binding.
Yearbook in honor of the grade finishing the Jewish high school in Chicago, Ill. Chicago, 1929.
Specifications: 63 pages, paper. 25 cm.
Unique Features: The original works of 24 graduates of the second year of the "Jewish Academy" in Chicago, providing a glimpse into the inner world of Jewish Zionist students in America in the late 1930's. The works contain articles [such as: Antisemitism in America, Dr. Theodore Herzl, the Hebrew language], "Stories, poems and descriptions" and "Parperaot." Pictures of the graduating class are on page 6, the names of the graduates and a short description of their characters are on page 56, and information on the school and its activities is on page 57. The booklet is decorated with many illustrations and several photographs.
Condition: Fine. Aging stains, detached binding cover with a slight tear.
Long letter regarding the kollels in Jerusalem, by Rabbi Yaakov Yosef Charif, the Chief Rabbi of New York, to Rabbi Shmuel Salant. New York, 1891.
Specifications: [3] pages, paper. 12x20 cm. The entire letter is in the handwriting and with the signature of Rabbi Yaakov Yosef. In the letter, he mentions Rabbi Yerucham Kanterovitz who was the chairman of Eretz HaKodesh in New York.
Rabbi Yaakov Yosef, who was known ever since his days as a student in Volozhin by the name Rabbi Yaakov Charif due to his great sharpness, was born in the village of Kražiai in Lithuania in 1841, studied in Volozhin, from where he moved to Kovno, to the study hall of Rabbi Yisrael Salanter who built a close relationship with him and formed his mussar personality. He served as rabbi of several villages: Vilon, Yurburg and Zhager, and in 1883 was appointed as Maggid and head adjudicator of Vilna, one of the most respected positions in the rabbinic world of the time. He was a talented public speaker and many people came to hear his sermons, in which he quoted the mussar teachings of his teacher, Rabbi Yisrael Salanter. He printed his well known book of sermons in Vilna, L'Beit Yaakov, in 1888, and in the same year was appointed as Chief Rabbi of New York. He found that much work was needed to raise the level of Jewish observance in New York, and he established a yeshiva, made many decrees in the fields of ritual slaughter and kashrut, and at the end of his life established America's well known "Union of Orthodox Rabbis." He passed away in 1902 and was greatly honored after his death (Tnuat HaMussar part two pages 295-310). He was the first and last Chief Rabbi of the state of New York and no subsequent rabbi bore this honorable title.
Condition: Very fine.
Volume One of the Protocols: The State of Israel - Moetzet Ha'Am. Meetings 1-4 ... The Provisional State Council. Meetings 1-21. Tel Aviv, 1948.
Specifications: 8, 26, [2], 23, [1], 20, 35, [1], 48, 46, [2], 30, 16, 18, [2], 15, [1], 15, [1], 23, [1], 40, 43, [1], 28, 23, [1], 29, [3], 48, 32, 43, [1], 43, [1], 32 pages. Paper. 23 cm.
Unique Features: Fascinating primary historical documentation of the discussions in the Moetzet Ha'Am and the Provisional State Council of the new State (May 4, 1948-September 27, 1948), during which the challenges of the time are discussed - declaration of the establishment of the State, the War of Independence, the state of emergency in the country, the "Altalena" case and more - and the frameworks and principles of the governmental bodies are established: elections for the president of the State, the Order of Government Ordinance, the Courts Ordinance, discussions about the flag and the symbol of the State, transferring responsibility for education to the government and more.
Includes minutes of the special meeting which was convened the day after the Altalena tragedy, a tempestuous meeting in which Ben Gurion argued with several ministers, and the proposal to establish an investigatory committee to discuss the matter was dismissed.
Condition: Moderate-fine. Aging stains. Loose binding without a spine.
Map from the game "Tiyul B'Aretz." Map to help acquire knowledge of the Land of Israel, with the game's instruction booklet. Published by "Sifrut," B. Berlau. Tel Aviv, 1946.
Specifications: [1] Map from a game, paper. 47x67 cm.
[1] Instruction booklet: [6] leaves, paper and cover. 15x25 cm.
[1] Lid of the game box, paper. 19x26 cm.
Unique Features: The game "Tiyul B'Aretz" has six tracks to deepen familiarity with the Land of Israel. The game map is designed as a map of the Land of Israel, from Rosh HaNikra until Metula in the north, the eastern side of the Jordan and until south of the Dead Sea in the east. The map shows roads on different levels, the Hejaz railway tracks, mountains, ruins and springs, as well as Hebrew and Arab cities and settlements, orchards and more. Settlements with historical-political-moral importance at the time were emphasized with illustrations next to the name.
Binyamin Berlau [1894-1964], Israeli publisher, native of Warsaw, published children's books and developed educational games which were meant to impart national Zionist values to Israeli children. He opened the store "Sifrut" to sell books and stationary, and the games factory on the level above.
Condition: Moderate. Tears along the fold marks. Tear with lack in the center. Some of the leaves in the instruction booklet are detached from the cover.
Kol Yaakov [Our Right to the Western Wall]: Unser Recht auf die Klagemauer, by Rabbi Dr. Avraham Y. Merik. Czernowitz, 1928.
Specifications: 14 pages, paper. 12x19 cm. German with expressions quoted in Hebrew. Title in Hebrew and German.
Unique Features: The booklet quotes the rabbi's words from his speech on October 31, 1928. The background to his words was the British and Arab harassment of Jews praying at the Western Wall in those years. About a month before the speech was delivered, the "Kotel Affair" broke out: On Yom Kippur 1928, armed British policemen entered the area of the Western Wall, destroyed the screen which served as a partition between men and women, and removed the benches on which the worshippers sat. The Mufti Haj Amin incited against the Jews and intensified the situation. As a result of protests from the Jews in Israel and worldwide regarding the harrassment and the insult to the worshippers, the British established the "commission to determine the rights and claims under dispute of the Muslims and the Jews at the Western Wall." The British authorities eventually determined that the Western Wall alleyway belongs to the Arabs but that the Jews have the right to pray there.
Background: Rabbi Dr. Avraham Yaakov Mark [1884-1941], studied Torah with his grandfather, Rabbi Ephraim of Jagielnica and with Rabbi Mordechai Pohorila. He was ordained by Rabbi Binyamin Weiss, and served as Av Beit Din of Ustrzyki when he was only 20 years old. Served as the Chief Rabbi of Czernowitz and the Jews of Bucovina from 1926 onward. Active in Austria and Romania and well known throughout the Jewish world. He was murdered by the Nazis in the massacre of the Jews of Czernowitz.
Condition: Fine-very fine, a few stains, fold mark.
Hagaddat HaAtzmaut by [Aharon Megged]. Tel Aviv, General Staff/Israeli Manpower Directorate, Education Corps, IDF. 1952. Retracted edition.
Specifications: [20] leaves, 20 cm.
Unique Features: Description of the War of Independence and the establishment of the State of Israel in the style of the Passover Haggada, for Independence Day. Written in a poetic, literary style. Many black and white photographs from the beginning of the state. One page features all IDF emblems.
The text of the haggada was created especially for Yom Ha'azmaut. The similarities to the original 'Passover Haggada' – not just in format, but also including the consumption of four cups of wine – created a piercing controversy within the young State. The religious community demanded that the Haggada be destroyed, and this edition was eventually retracted. Rare.
Condition: Very fine. Bound in an original, colored jacket binding. Part of the map on the back binding leaf has a small stain.
'Imrei Shefer': Poetry and song, for morals and lessons ... as a memory for my estate ... Meir She'en. At the end of the manuscript: Rosh HaShana Eve, 1914.
Specifications: 336, XXIV leaves, paper. 14X22 cm.
Unique Features: In the introduction, the author praises creativity in the Hebrew language, and criticizes those who wrote in inferior Hebrew and write Hebrew literature "Full of delusions, works of wooers and matters of darkness," he tells of his history and distress which brought him, at the advice of his friends, to collect all his writings into this work, and explains the reason for the name of the book.
Meir She'en, son of Yaakov Simcha and Mrs. Raizel, son-in-law of Rabbi "Wonderous Torani and rabbinic ... Rabbi Moshe Ungar, ztz"l." As arises from the book, the author was exposed to learning the Hebrew language and began to write poems and letters in it under the influence of youths who learned with him in yeshiva. He was an author, cantor and slaughterer many years in the service of his community. In his later years, after he was fired due to false claims and found no source of livelihood, he came almost to the point of having only a loaf of bread. Also, he still had a daughter left and was without means to marry her off. A picture appears before the title page.
Condition: Detached title page. Very fine condition.