Huge manuscript archive of the Landsberg family of Poznań – an illustrious rabbinic family whose sons served in key rabbinic positions in Poznań over the generations. Rabbi Akiva Eiger was appointed to serve as rabbi in Poznań through their efforts. Members of this illustrious family were disciples and associates of the gaon Rabbi Akiva Eiger, and their families even married into each other.
The archive before us contains:
* [126] leaves, most written on both sides, comprising letters from the head of the family, the gaon Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Pozner-Landsberg. The letters are addressed to his family members: his parents, his bothers, his sisters and his children. The letters deal with family matters, Torah topics, descriptions of community life, internal community events, foreign news that influenced the community, descriptions of teachers, rabbinic instructors and more. The letters are dated 1801-1860.
Examples of some of the topics the letters discuss: live description of the enactment of the law to conscript Jewish boys to the Russian army; a chilling description from 1828; a letter to his son in which he requests that he take leave on his behalf ‘from the Admo”r, the gaon, the pious Rabbi Akiva [Eiger]’; another letter from 1824, in which he writes most honorably: “Send regards to his honor with the appropriate trembling and strength, from me, one unfit to find favor in his pure memory”; details about his in-law, “The great rabbi, master Rabbi Sh. Eiger”; many details about the landowners of the country’s districts.
* [9] pp. handwritten by Rabbi Moshe, son of Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Landsberg, adjudicator in Poznań and foremost disciple of the gaon Rabbi Akiva Eiger. These letters comprise a heartfelt and interesting description of Poznań. The description was written in a lyrical, fluent style, and attached to a ruling that was connected to him.
* Approximately 180 pp. of sermons by Rabbi Eliyahu Landsberg for the entire annual cycle, which he delivered 1760-1781. His sermons are peppered with halachic rulings, midrash and some in-depth deliberation. He occasionally mentions breaches in Judaism to be considered and addressed. He also cites sayings in the name of his father and ancestors.
[19] leaves. Letters from Rabbi Leibush, son of Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Landsberg, most of which are to his brother, the aforementioned Rabbi Moshe.
Refer to the Hebrew text for brief biographies of the members of the
Landsberg family of Poznań .
[Approximately 240 leaves], some of which are uncut sheets. Various sizes and conditions. The book Kitvei Kodesh (Bnei Brak, 1990) is included with this lot; it contains much material about this illustrious family.