Leaf handwritten on both sides – two authorizations confirming the acceptance of new members to the Chevrat Mishnayot in the city of Volozhin, signed by the members of the society, including the signatures of R. Chaim of Volozhin author of Nefesh HaChaim and of his eldest brother, R. Simcha of Volozhin. Volozhin, 1764.
This document was issued by the society of Torah study in Volozhin, in which R. Chaim of Volozhin was a member. He signed this document at the age of 15, a decade before he was appointed rabbi of Volozhin and many years before he established his famous yeshiva in the city.
On one side of the leaf is an authorization dated 8th Iyar 1764, accepting R. Shmuel son of R. Shimon to the Chevrat Mishnayot.
The last signature on the leaf is that of "Chaim son of R. Yitzchak" – signature of R. Chaim of Volozhin (the word "of Volozhin" was added in a different hand near his signature).
The other signatures: "Mordechai son of Meir", "Aryeh Leib son of R. Yitzchak", "Simcha son of R. Yitzchak", "Moshe son of R. Yaakov", "Yeshaya son of Chaim Zecharya", "Avraham son of R. Aharon", "Shimshon son of R. Moshe".
On verso, a confirmation of the acceptance of R. Avraham Dov Ber son of R. Yehuda Yidel and his son-in-law R. Avril(?) and the latter's brother R. Yaakov, dated Tuesday, 11th Marcheshvan 1764.
The last signature is: "Chaim son of R. Yitzchak" – R. Chaim of Volozhin.
The other signatures: "Tzvi Hirsh son of R. H…", "Simcha son of R. Yitzchak", "Moshe son of R. Yitzchak", "Avraham son of R. Aharon".
The signature "Simcha son of R. Yitzchak" is presumably the signature of R. Simcha of Volozhin, eldest brother of R. Chaim (see below).
[1] leaf (two written pages). 19.5 cm. Fair-good condition. Stains, dark stains and ink smudging. Tiny marginal tears and wear. Folding marks.

R. Chaim of Volozhin (1749-1821) author of Nefesh HaChaim was a foremost Torah leader who stood at the helm of Lithuanian Jewry and was instrumental in promoting Torah study in Europe. A close disciple of the Gaon of Vilna, he founded the Volozhin yeshiva, forerunner of Lithuanian yeshivot. Born in Volozhin to R. Yitzchak, a community leader, he studied in his youth under R. Refael HaKohen of Hamburg author of Torat Yekutiel, while the latter was serving as rabbi of Minsk. He later studied under the Shaagat Aryeh when he served as rabbi of Volozhin. He then went to bask in the presence of the Gaon of Vilna, attaching himself to him for many years until his teacher's passing, and became his foremost disciple. His colleague R. Yisrael of Shklow lavishly praised R. Chaim in his preface to his work Taklin Chadtin, using superlative titles describing his Torah greatness and pure character.
In 1774, at about the age of 25, R. Chaim was appointed rabbi of Volozhin, a position he held until 1789. He then relocated to serve as rabbi of Vilkomir (Ukmergė), however due to the opposition of several community members, he returned to Volozhin after only one year, serving as rabbi there until his passing. He was an active leader, issued innumerable halachic responsa and was the decisive opinion on current issues in his days. Concerned about the low prestige of Torah study in his generation, he established the Etz Chaim yeshiva in Volozhin. Under his management, the yeshiva thrived and drew disciples from all over Lithuania, becoming a prototype of other yeshivot founded throughout Lithuania. In contrast to his teacher, the Gaon of Vilna, who severely opposed the Chassidic movement, R. Chaim believed that their intent was praiseworthy and their claims should be addressed. This led to his famous work "Nefesh HaChaim", outlining pure conduct and service of G-d based on both kabbalistic and non-kabbalistic Torah teachings, according to the school of thought of the Gaon of Vilna and his disciples.

R. Simcha of Volozhin and Neshviz (Nyasvizh), eldest brother of R. Chaim of Volozhin was an exceptional Torah scholar, disciple of the Shaagat Aryeh together with his younger brother. From a young age, he studied with his brother R. Chaim day and night with tremendous diligence. If the oil lamp burned out, they would study Torah by moonlight, as R. Itzele of Volozhin attested in his biography of his father in the foreword to Nefesh HaChaim. R. Simcha guided his younger brother in the method of toiling in Torah study. R. Yosef Zundel of Salant recounts that his teacher R. Chaim of Volozhin mentioned that he is grateful to his brother R. Simcha "for etching faith in his heart for 48 years with all that a man must know" (HaTzaddik Rabbi Yosef Zundel MiSalant VeRabbotav, Jerusalem 1926, p. 113). He reputedly served as rabbi of a Lithuanian city (perhaps Neshviz, his home for many years). At the age of 24, he authored Kitzur Piskei Dinim in a similar format to Simlah Chadasha by the Tevuot Shor.