Online Auction 44 - Chabad
A Special Chabad Auction on the Occasion of "Yom HaBahir", Yud (the 10th of) Shevat – Day of Passing of the Rebbe Rayatz, and Day of the Ascendancy to Leadership of the Lubavitcher Rebbe"
Ten early publications of letters originating from the "Kherson Genizah" – an archive of letters and ceremonial objects, attributed to the holy founders of the Chassidut movement: the Baal Shem Tov, the Maggid of Mezeritch, the Alter Rebbe Baal HaTanya, and their disciples:
1. Sefer Beis Tzadikim, by Rebbe Meir Yehuda Leibush Langermann (1830-1886), a disciple of Rebbe Israel Friedman of Ruzhyn, and his son, Rabbi Avraham Yaakov of Sadigura. Pressburg (Bratislava): Alkalay, 1918. Lacking four final pages.
2. "Michtavim Kedoshim… by Maran the Baal Shem Tov… and… Rabbi Dov Ber… of Mezeritch…", 36 letters of the Kherson Genizah. Czernowitz: Hornik and Birnbaum, [1921].
3. "Sefer Chemda Genuzah, sayings… of R. Moshe Leib of Sassov…". [Vienna: Wagner, 1921].
4. "Letters from the Baal Shem Tov z"l and his Disciples", nine letters of the "Kherson Genizah". Lviv: Dawid Fränkel, 1923.
5. "Assortment of Original Letters by the Baal Shem Tov z"l and His Disciples", 17 letters by the Baal Shem Tov, and 29 letters by his disciples. Vienna-Berlin: Menorah, [1923].
6. "Sefer Chachmei Yisrael Besht, holy scriptures from all of our Rabbis…". New York: Ner Tamid Press, 1924. Includes letters from Rebbe Rashab and Rebbe Rayatz.
Rebbe Rayatz famously objected to the publication of materials from the controversial "Kherson Genizah", going so far as to send a letter to the publisher, R. David Shifrin of New York, advising him not to publish the current work. The letter, however, arrived to its destination only after the work was already published).
7. "Sefer Ginzey Nistarot…", letters by the Baal Shem Tov, Maggid of Mezeritch and the Alter Rebbe. Jerusalem: Zion Press, owned by the brothers Rohld, [1924].
8. "Sefer Chemda Genuzah, Assortment of Letters… by the Besht, and His Holy Companions". [Brooklyn, 1925].
9. Sefer Gevurat Ari, with Michtavei Kodesh, by Reuven Margulies. Lviv: R. Margulies, [1930].
10. "Igrot Kodesh, a Group of Letters of Our Rabbi… the Great Maggid of Mezeritch and His Disciples…", by R. Yoel Diskin. Jerusalem, Chaim Zukermann, 1933.
Enclosed: "Igrot Baal HaTanya", a chapter of which is dedicated to the question of credibility of the "Kherson Genizah", by Rabbi David Zvi Hillman. Jerusalem: HaMesorah, 1953.
10 books + "Igrot Baal HaTanya". Size and condition varies. Overall good condition. Some inscriptions and stamps. New bindings.
The Kherson Genizah
The "Kherson Genizah" ("Genizah", a repository for holy Jewish texts) was discovered in the latter part of WWI. It was claimed that the letters contained in it, reportedly written by the Baal Shem Tov and his disciples, were previously owned by Rebbe Israel Friedman of Ruzhyn – who inherited them from his great-grandfather, the Maggid of Mezeritch – and then confiscated by the Tsarist secret police, while Rebbe Israel was arrested in Russia in 1838; these letters were then allegedly held in the archives of the secret police in Kherson (south Ukraine), until they were looted during the October Revolution.
Following the discovery of the Genizah, a considerable part of the letters was purchased by the affluent Chabad Chassid, R. Shmuel Gurary of Kremenchuk, who presented them to Rabbi Shalom Dover Schneerson, Rebbe Rashab of Lubavitch. Despite various challenges to the letters' authenticity, Rebbe Rashab declared them to be genuine. As a result of the Rebbe's conclusion, which was based on his thorough examination of the letters, efforts were made to acquire the rest of the material of the Genizah.
Letters of the Genizah were first printed in the book "Beis Tzadikim" (Pressburg, 1918), "Chemda Genuzah" (Vienna, 1921), and a few other works (some of which are included in the present lot). Additional letters were published by R. Chaim Eliezer Bichovsky, a Chassid of Chabd-Kopust, in his 1924 book, "Ginzei Nistarot". The largest assortment of letters, based on manuscripts held by the Rebbe Rayatz of Lubavitch, was printed in the journal "HaTamim", published in Warsaw (1935-1938). It comprised some 300 letters of the Genizah, in chronological order.
The discovery of the "Kherson Genizah" led to a heated discussion in academic and Chassidic circles. Many studies were conducted in the subject of the authenticity of the Genizah, the consensus in academia being that the letters are forged, i.e., were not written by the Baal Shem Tov, nor by any of his immediate disciples (see enclosed volume by Rabbi Hillman).
However, Rebbe Rayatz and the Lubavitcher Rebbe denied this claim. They argued that the letters contained in the Genizah are, indeed, not authentic autographs, but reliable copies of letters written by our holy Rebbes, founders of the Chassidut movement.
PLEASE NOTE: Item descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.
34, [1] pp. Original wrappers (detached). 13.5 cm. Good condition. Minor stains. New leather binding.
PLEASE NOTE: Item descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.
Two calendars printed in Riga:
* Luach HaChaim calendar for the Year 1933/1934. Picture of Rebbe Shneur Zalman of Liadi, the Baal HaTanya, on the front cover. Riga: L. Remigolski, [1933]. Yiddish.
[36] pp. (including front and back covers). 14 cm. Overall good condition. Leaves trimmed, with damage to margins of text. Filing hole through the entire volume, affecting text. New binding.
* Luach HaMazkir Calendar for the Year 1934/1935. With a picture of Rebbe Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, Rebbe Rayatz of Lubavitch, on the front cover. Riga: B. Shershevski, [1934]. Yiddish.
[36] pp. (includes front and back covers). 14 cm. Overall good condition. Leaves trimmed close to text. Small open tears to cover margins, with slight damage to borders. Tape repairs. New binding.
Publications from the first years of the establishment of the Chabad Hasidic movement in the USA. Yiddish and English.
"Finef Yorgang fun HaKriah VeHaKedusha". Brooklyn, New York: Kehot / Agudas Chassidei Chabad, 1940-1945. Yiddish and some English. 54 Issues (issues 1-6, 8-9, 11-14, 16-19, 21-35, 37-43, 46-58, 60-61). Main title page and index at the beginning of the volume.
HaKriah VeHaKedusha, a monthly periodical published from 1940 through 1945 by Agudat Chassidei Chabad. Title at the beginning of the first booklet: "Under the supervision and with the participation of the Lubavitch Rebbe", but from the second booklet, the wording was changed to "with the approval and blessing of the Lubavitch Rebbe"; this title was printed on all following issues. Pasted to the top of the first issue of this volume is a strip of paper printed with the revised version.
The periodical regularly published articles and discourses by the Rayatz, including four famous proclamations in which the Rebbe announced the “L’Altar L’Teshuva L’Altar L’Geula” movement. The mystical column Otiot Porchot appeared in the periodical, comprised incomprehensible words, apparently written by the Rayatz. According to Chabad Chassidim, Heavenly secrets are hidden in these inscriptions; some have been deciphered as foretelling the global events which occurred later, such as the invasion of the Allied Forces of Europe during World War II.
"Shmuessen Mit Kinder Un Yugend" ("Talks and Tales"), Yiddish monthly for children and youth. New York: Kehot / Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch, 1942-1951. Yiddish and English.
124 issues in five volumes: 99 issues of the monthly in its Yiddish version (Shmuessen Mit Kinder Un Yugend), Tevet 1943 – Kislev 1944, Tevet 1946 – Cheshvan 1951 (13 double issues: Tevet 1947 -Kislev 1948), as well as 25 issues of the monthly's English version (Talks and Tales), Tevet 1946 -Kislev 1948.
"Sefer HaZichronot", by Rebbe Rayatz of Lubavitch. Vol. I. Brooklyn, New York: Kehot, 1947. Yiddish. First Edition.
The book, translated from Hebrew to Yiddish by author and journalist, R. David Leib Mekler, was brought to print by the son-in-law of the Rebbe Rayatz, director and editor-in-chief of the Kehot Publication Society, Menachem Mendel Schneerson – the future Lubavitcher Rebbe. Included in the volume are a foreword and some endnotes by the Lubavitcher Rebbe.
Size and condition vary. Overall good condition.
The present poster announces the establishment of two Torah institutes in Tel Aviv by the representative of the Rebbe Rayatz of Lubavitch, Rabbi Eliezer Karasik.
Not long after their establishment, the new Tomchei Tmimim institutions developed tremendously well, becoming prosperous centers of Torah study.
70X50 cm. Good-fair condition. Creases, stains, and wear. Tears and open tears to margins.
PLEASE NOTE: Item description was shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.
Sefer Ketzos HaShulchan, commentary on Shulchan Aruch – Orach Chaim, following the teachings of Rebbe Shneur Zalman of Liadi, Baal HaTanya, and the Tzemach Tzedek, and Chabad-Lubavitch customs. Jerusalem: [1926]-1935. First edition.
Approbations by Rebbe Rayatz of Lubavitch, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Naeh, Rabbi David Tzvi Chen, Rabbi Shlomo Yehuda Leib Eliezerov, Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld, and others.
Five parts in five volumes:
* Part I (1926): [4], 81, [2] ff.;
* Part II (1928): [3], 106, [1] ff.;
* Part III (1931): [4], 75, [1] ff.;
* Part IV (1933): [4], 62 ff.;
* Part V (1935): [4], 68 ff.
Approx. 22 cm. Good condition. Stains, including dark stains to part V. Minor worming to part IV. Stamps. New, matching bindings.
PLEASE NOTE: Item description was shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.