Winner's Unlimited - No. 107
Eretz Israel and Zionism, Postcards and Photographs, Numismatics, Posters, Maps, Judaica, Holy books, Letters from Rabbis and Rebbes - Buyer's commission 22%
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- (-) Remove Letters from rabbis filter Letters from rabbis
Fifteen Yemenite manuscripts - most from the 19th century, some earlier or later.
Aggadeta D'Pischa, Tafsid, siddurs and machzors, piyyuts, commentaries on Prophets and Writings and more. Nice decorations on some of them.
The collection has not been thoroughly examined.
Most of the manuscripts have severe worming damage. Poor condition.
Piece of paper in the handwriting of the holy Rabbeinu Yosef Chaim of Baghdad, author of Ben Ish Chai.
26 half-lines in the handwriting of the Ben Ish Chai - some from a composition.
Rabbi Yosef Chaim of Baghdad (1839 - 1909), author of Ben Ish Chai and great oriental scholar of our time. Born to Rabbi Eliyahu Chaim son of Rabbi Moshe Chaim, rabbi of Baghdad. Student of Rabbeinu Abdullah Somech, already known for his genius and righteousness from his youth. Began sermonizing in the Great Synagogue when he was only 26, and thereafter spoke every Shabbat and Yom Tov for the next fifty years. Became renowned as "unique in his generation" in both hidden and revealed Torah all over the world, and known for his tremendous righteousness. In 1869, he traveled to the Land of Israel to prostrate himself on the graves of the righteous, when it was revealed to him from heaven that he is from the root of the soul of Benayahu Ben Yehoyada, and this is why his some of his dozens of books are called Ben Ish Chai, Ben Ish Chayil, Ben Yehoyada, Rav Pealim, Od Yosef Chai, and more.
[1] leaf. 13x4 cm. Written on both sides. Fine condition.
Important letter for the rescue of the immigrants from Iraq - stencil print and signatures of the rabbis - Rabbi Ben Tziyon Mordechai Chazan, Rabbi Yehudah Tzadkah, Rabbi Ephraim Menasheh HaKohen and Rabbi David Sharaby. 1940s.
'The condition of the new immigrants from Iraq is dire. All the immigrants are sent to irreligious places. Meaning, that the immigrants are, G-d forbid, headed for destruction. This situation requires us to be vigilant, to send religious messengers to the camps and to supervise the immigrants so that they not be lost, Heaven forbid ...' In the margins of the letter, the rabbis call for donations no less than one lira for the purpose of saving the immigrants.
The rabbinical signatories are among the great kabbalists, leaders of Iraqi Jewry in Israel - Rabbi Ben Tziyon Mordechai Chazan [1877-1951] student of kabbalah of Rabbi Chaim Shaul Dwek HaKohen, Rabbi Avraham Chaim Ades and Rabbi Yom Tov Yedid HaLevi, founder of the Shoshanim L'David yeshiva and Sephardic rabbi of the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem. Rabbi Ephraim Menasheh Cohen [1885-1956 - "Elder of the Kabbalists," student of kabbalah of Rabbi Shimon Aggasi, head of the kabbalists' yeshiva for over 20 years. After the events of 1941, when the Jews of Iraq began to immigrate to Israel, he traveled with Rabbi Salman Mutzafi, Rabbi Yehudah Tzadkah and Rabbi Ben Tziyon Chazan to the immigrant camps in which they resided, to fill shortages and strengthen them.The father of Chacham Shalom HaCohen, Rosh Yeshiva of the Porat Yosef and the president of the Shas Council of Torah] Sages Rabbi David Sharaby, among the rabbinical and kabbalistic leaders of Iraq. Rabbi Yehudah Tzadkah [1910-1992, rosh yeshiva of Porat Yosef].
[1] leaf 21x28 cm., fold marks, filing holes, fine condition.
Handwritten and signed letter by Rabbi Natan Bamberger, rabbi of Wurzburg, dated 1914.
Handwritten list of financial stipend recipients as well as other issues. Hebrew-language letters from him are rare, as he generally wrote in German.
Rabbi Natan Bamberger [1842-1919]: chief rabbi of Wurzburg and the Bavarian region of Germany, son of Rabbi Yitzchak Dov Bamberger who was among the rabbinical leaders of Germany in the 19th century [known for the great controversy with Rabbi Shimshon Refael Hirsch with respect to the communities who separated themselves]. After his father's passing in 1839, he served as the city's rabbi and head of the teachers' study hall. He was officially named chief rabbi of Wurzburg by the government in 1886 after unsuccessful attempts by the Reform to remove him from office. Known for his many activities on behalf of the residents of the Land of Israel with a personal relationship with Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld and Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Kook [Rabbi Bamberger was the one who extricated Rabbi Kook from imprisonment during WWI, and hosted him in his home until Rabbi Kook moved to Switzerland]. Authored Likkutei HaLevi and Pekudat HaLeviim.
[1] leaf official stationery. 23x15 cm. Fold marks. Fine condition.
Handwritten and signed letter by the gaon Rabbi Meir Lerner, dated 1910.
Rabbi Meir Lerner [1857-1930], rabbi of the Bnei Yisrael Society in London and rabbi of Altona. In his youth, he learned with Rabbi Shalom Kutna, and established ties with the head of the Beit Din Krakow, Avraham Naftali Hertz Yanner. In late 1873, he traveled to Berlin to study with Rabbi Ezriel Hildesheimer in the Beit Midrash L'Rabbanim in Berlin. He was rabbinically ordained by him in 1880. After a number of years, he moved to Altona to be rabbi there. He founded the Moriah society for the settlement of the Land of Israel, particular that people who are not mitzvah-observant not take part.
[1] leaf official paper. 14x22 cm. Filing holes. Fine condition.
Letter handwritten and signed by the Av Beit Din of Rotterdam, son-in-law of the author of Aruch L'Ner, Rabbi Yosef Issacson [signed twice - Hebrew and foreign language].
Some Hebrew and a foreign language.
[1] leaf 22x28 cm. Fine condition.
Handwritten and signed letter by Rabbi Moshe Clears from Kislev 1923.
The letter, which was sent to Rabbi Abish Eisen, opens with a discussion on the laws of cooking, and then relates to the initiative to open a Talmud Torah in Petach Tikvah, dismissing his opinion on the matter due to the fact the in the city itself there are scholars and righteous people who can decide the issue themselves: 'It's astonishing for me to be asked - don't you have rabbis elders, and righteous people there - what is my opinion against theirs ..." Despite this, the gaon adds that it is a blessed initiative, and "my opinion is that the Talmud Torah in Petach Tikvah is a great and sublime matter, to found a place of Torah and religion there ..." His signature is in the margins of the letter.
Rabbi Moshe Clears [1876-1934] established Yeshivat Ohr Torah next to the grave site of Rabbi Meir Baal HaNes and stood at its head until his passing. By invitation of the Admor of Slonim, Rabbi Shmuel Weinberg, who requested that he teach his son, he traveled to Slonim for a few years. Known for his holy conduct [he would stay in the Yeshiva from Sunday until Thursday and return to his home within the walls of Tiberias only at the end of the week], among the sons of the leaders of the Slonim Chassidut.
[1] leaf official stationery from Yeshivat Ohr Torah HaKlallit in Tiberias. 23x14 cm. Slight stain on lower right. Fine condition.
Letter in the handwriting and with the signature of Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Kook from 26 Sivan, 1927.
Interesting letter which was sent to Rabbi Yaakov Mosendheit in which Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Kook relates to a book written by Rabbi M. Roish, which would later be published. After he saw the manuscript, the rabbi made a number of interesting comments to improve the future usefulness of the book, where it should be written differently than as appears in the manuscript.
Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Kook starts by praising the book: 'It is an honest and useful book for straightening opinions in matters of faith ... it is arranged nicely from works of research and religious philosophy such as Guide for the Perplexed, the Kuzari, Chovot HaLevavot and more.' After that, Rabbi Kook comments regarding the style of questions which are brought at the beginning of the book, and the style of the comments brought there regarding the reciprocal relationship between "research" and "faith," that 'A bit of sweetening at first is necessary, and then the book will be enhanced and of great use to its straight-hearted readership' and he signs with an interesting expression: 'I hereby send regards to my dear friend, the rabbi and author or inventor of this precious notebook ..." Rabbi Kook's signature is in the margins.
Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Kook [1865-1935], was the leader of Religious Zionism, adjudicator, and kabbalist. He served as rabbi in Zheimel and Busk, rabbi of Jaffa and the colonies, and then Ashkenazi rabbi of Jerusalem. Founded the Chief Rabbinate of the Land of Israel and served as the first chief Ashkenazic rabbi. Founder of "HaYeshiva HaMercazit HaOlamit" - which is the Merkaz HaRav yeshiva.
[1] leaf official paper 20x29 cm. Fold marks. Fine condition.
Letter confirming receipt of monies to the "Kaminetz Yeshiva now in Vilna" in the handwriting and with the signature of the mashgiach of the yeshiva, Rabbi "Naftali Zeev Leibowitz." Wednesday of parashat VaEra 1940 [22 Tevet, January 3, 1940].
The letter was written in the period in which the yeshiva fled the captured Kaminetz to the city of Vilna, and about a month and a half after the passing of the gaon Rabbi Baruch Ber Leibowitz, who passed away in Vilna on the 5th of Kislev, 1940 [17.11.1939].
The gaon Rabbi Naftali Zeev HaKohen Leibowitz [passed away in 1954], student of the Alter of Slobodka. Son-in-law of Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Zimmerman, Av Beit Din of Krementchug. Served as mashgiach and spiritual leader of Yeshivat Kaminetz, headed by his brother-in-law, Rabbi Baruch Ber Leibowitz. When his bother-in-law, the rosh yeshiva, traveled to the United States, he ran the entire yeshiva. During the war years, he ran the yeshiva with dedication in its exile in Vilna and Rasayn. He arrived in the United States and established Yeshivat Kaminetz in New York.
[1] official paper leaf. 23x13 cm. Fine condition.
Letter handwritten and signed by the granddaughter of the second Divrei Chaim, Rebbetzin Rechel Devorah Twersky, ztz"l, daughter of R' Yeshayah of Tzitzov.
In the letter, the Rebbetzin relates with an abundance of blessing to the "friend of my holy fathers ... the rabbi, the chassid, great in Torah and good deeds, the rabbi the chassid, etc. Rabbi Yaakov Leibowitz" and also to the philanthropist Rabbi Baruch Eckstein. Written on an aerogram [signed twice, inside the letter and another time in the sender's details on the outside].
Aerogram 19x28 cm. Fold marks. Fine condition.
Two handwritten letters on the halachahs of shemittah from the author of Chazon Ish.
* Letter in which the Chazon Ish responds as to whether it is permitted to trim weeds so as to distance snakes from gathering there during the shemittah year, he determines that is is permitted under two conditions: that the trees don't need the weeds, and that the location is not meant to be sown: 'Weeding because of snakes in places where trees don't need those weeds, such as when the place is far from trees and all the weeding is just so that snakes don't gather, is permissible, and when that place is not meant to be sown.' After that, the Chazon Ish refers to chemical fertilization, which he had permitted during the shemittah year, he qualifies his words - that if without the fertilization the plant would not be completely lost, he is not deciding whether to forbid or permit: 'The chemical fertilization I permitted - my heart hesitates - perhaps even without fertilization, no plant would be lost, just that their development would be weak and thin this way. I'm not saying that it is forbidden, nor that it is permitted, it is difficult to decide. And when it is uncertain whether some of the plants would be lost, it is permitted.
* Letter in which the Chazon Ish responds regarding grafting a tree and the ban of hybrids (issur kilayim). Slightly damaged with damage to text at the beginning of the top line.
[2] lined leaves, a total of six lines in the Chazon Ish's handwriting. Fine condition.
Important letter handwritten and with the signature of Rabbi Tzvi Pesach Frank Regrading encroachment in the printing of the new edition of the mishnah, Yachin U'Boaz. Jerusalem 18 Adar 1959.
Important letter in which the gaon calls upon the printers of the new edition of the mishnah, Yachin U'Boaz to cease and desist as they are encroaching upon the El HaMekorot company who were the first to print these mishnahs. 'Even if your intention is for the sake of the mitzvah, it is a mitzvah which comes by way of an aveirah (sin),' because your printing of the new edition will damage the livelihood of the first printers. The gaon ties the prohibition to the words of the Chatam Sofer that it is a decree of the early ones which obligates all generations: 'This decree is ancient from all the gaonim for everyone.'
The gaon Rabbi Tzvi Pesach Frank [1873-1961] rabbi of Jerusalem, among the leading adjudicators and rabbis in his generation. Successor to Rabbi Shmuel Salant as a member of the Beit Din. His novellae and halachic responsa were printed in the books: Shu"t HaRav Tzvi, Mikraei Kodesh, Mikdash Melech, and more.
[1] official paper leaf. 21x31 cm. Very fine condition.