Auction 93 Part 1 - Manuscripts, Prints and Engravings, Objects and Facsimiles, from the Gross Family Collection, and Private Collections
Large handwritten certificate, signed by nine leading Torah scholars of Tunis, headed by the rabbi of the city R. Yeshuah Bessis. Tunis, [1843].
Letter of recommendation in semi–cursive and square script, for R. Shlomo Zalman Ashkenazi of Jerusalem, who was setting out to raise funds for his orphaned siblings, survivors of the Safed earthquake.
The letter is signed by seven rabbis: R. Yeshuah Bessis (the first; 1773–1860, rabbi of Tunisia, kabbalist and halachic authority, renowned as a wonder–worker); R. Natan Burgel (the second; d. 1874, rabbi of Tunisia after the passing of R. Yeshuah Bessis); R. Avraham HaKohen (Yitzchaki, author of Mishmerot Kehunah; d. 1864, close disciple of R. Yeshuah Bessis and founder of the Tunisian study method); R. Mordechai Guedj (the first; author of Magen David, dayan in Tunis, prominent disciple of R. Yaakov Fitoussi); R. Mordechai Nadjar (d. 1849, dayan in Tunis); R. Rachamim Ashkenazi; and R. Shmuel Sfadj (dayan in Tunis for forty years).
Three additional lines at the foot of the leaf, in cursive script, signed by two other rabbis approving the recommendation: R. Yehuda HaLevi (d. before 1850) and R. David Bounan (d. before 1857; both dayanim in the Portuguese Beit Din, close disciples of R. Yitzchak Taieb author Erech HaShulchan).
[1] double leaf. 41 cm. Thick paper. Good–fair condition. Many stains and wear. Tears to back leaf (blank; repaired with paper).
Provenance: The Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, 057.011.021.
Certificate with letters of recommendation and signatures, from Ashkenazi and Sephardi rabbis of Safed and Tiberias. Safed, 1858–1860.
Certificate in square script, recommendation to support R. Yaakov of Safed (grandson of the Chavat Daat).
The first signatories are rabbis of Safed: R. Shmuel Heller, R. Mordechai Silberman, R. Baruch Kahana and others.
Further on the leaf, to the right, is a letter of recommendation (in Oriental script), from the Sephardi rabbis of Safed, signed by R. Refael Maman, R. Shmuel Abbou and others. To the left is a letter of recommendation (in Oriental script), signed by R. Chaim Shmuel HaKohen of Tiberias, followed by other recommendations (in Ashkenazic script), signed by R. Yaakov Moshe of Kosov, R. Shlomo Heilperin, and others.
Additional recommendation at the foot of the leaf (5 lines), handwritten and signed by R. Chaim Yitzchak Eizik Heilperin of Botoshan (disciple of R. Baruch of Medzhibuzh).
R. Shmuel Heller (1786–1884), prominent Torah scholar and physician, rabbi of Safed for sixty years.
R. Mordechai Silberman (1819–1872), rabbi of Uman and later dayan in Safed and Tiberias.
R. Baruch Kahana, dayan in Safed in the 1860s.
R. Shmuel Abbou (1789–1879), rabbi of the Sephardic community in Safed and consul of France. Rebuilt Safed after the earthquake in 1837.
R. Refael Maman (1810–1882) from Meknes (Morocco). Dayan in Safed and later rabbi of Tiberias.
R. Chaim Shmuel HaKohen (d. 1873). Born in Italy, he served as chief rabbi of Tiberias for thirty years.
R. Yaakov Moshe, dayan and posek in Kitov and Kosov, and later in the Safed Beit Din.
The last signatory, R. Chaim Yitzchak Eizik Heilperin (d. 1867), disciple of R. Baruch of Medzhibuzh. Head of the Botoshan Beit Din until 1858, when he immigrated to Safed.
[1] leaf. Approx. 37 cm. Fair–good condition. Stains. Folding marks. Tears and open tears to folds, affecting text, repaired with paper.
Provenance: The Gross Family Collection, 057.011.031.
Emissary letter for R. Avraham Chai Shaki, leaving on a mission for Morocco. Signed by the rabbis of Safed. Safed, 1874.
Neat scribal script. Signature–stamp of R. Shmuel Abbou, and signatures of the rabbis of Safed (right to left): R. Mordechai Maman, R. Aharon Carsenti, R. Eliyahu Levi, R. Yechezkel Shlomo Kohen and R. Moshe Shuraki.
Beneath the signatures, stamp of the Safed "Kollelot HaSephardim" in Hebrew and Latin characters.
[1] leaf. 30 cm. Fair condition. Stains and wear. Folding marks, with tears, repaired in part with tape. Inscriptions.
Provenance: The Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, 057.011.029.
Large parchment certificate, signed by over thirty Sephardic Torah scholars. Safed, Elul [1895].
Decorative upper edge. Neat calligraphic script – Rashi script; headings and emphasized words in enlarged square script. Arched inscriptions at top of leaf.
Certificate for the emissary R. Yaakov Yosef Afriat, issued by the organizations of the Sephardic community in Safed, addressed to the communities of Algeria. The certificate lists the Tzadikim buried in the Galil, by whose gravesites they would pray for the donors.
At the foot of the leaf, signatures of close to forty rabbis and Torah scholars of Safed (some signatures are faded and difficult to decipher). Several stamps. See Hebrew description for list of signatories.
[1] large parchment leaf. 78X53 cm. Fair condition. Stains, creases and wear. Open tears to center of leaf, affecting text (repaired with paper).
Provenance: The Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, 057.012.002.
Large handwritten certificate, with the signatures of seven Sephardic rabbis of Safed. Safed, [Cheshvan 1912].
Neat Oriental semi–cursive (Rashi) script, with headings and emphasized words in square script. Certificate for R. Rachamim HaKohen, emissary to the cities of Inner Maghreb (Morocco), authorizing him to collect all funds designated for the Kollelot of Safed.
With the calligraphic signatures of R. Chaim Menashe Sithon (signature–stamp), R. Avraham Chai Mizrachi, R. Shlomo Mizrachi, R. Chaim Edery, R. Eliyahu Rachamim Antebi, R. Rachamim Mizrachi and R. Yeshuah Vaish. Stamps.
[1] double leaf. 53.5 cm. Good–fair condition. Stains. Folding marks. Wear and tears to folds, affecting text (professionally repaired with paper). Open tear, with loss to blank quarter of leaf (repaired with paper).
Provenance: The Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, 057.011.013.
Printed leaf with a handwritten emissary letter, signed by the Sephardic rabbis of Tiberias. [Tiberias, after 1867, ca. early 1870s].
Handwritten letter in semi–cursive Oriental script (Rashi script), with emphasized words in square calligraphic script. Scribed on stationery with printed verse and illustration of the synagogue of R. Meir Baal HaNes set against the Sea of Galilee.
Signed by seven rabbis of Tiberias: R. Refael Maman (signature–stamp), R. Masoud Hatchuel, R. Refael Avraham Khalfon, R. Shlomo Toledano, R. Yosef David Abulafia, R. Yaakov Abulafia, and another stamp. Stamp of the Kollelot of the Sephardim in Tiberias beneath the signatures.
Letter of blessings and appeal, addressed to the philanthropist R. Mordechai Nissim Chazan, with a recommendation for the emissary R. David Soudri, who was being sent on a mission to relieve the famine caused by three years of drought in the Galilee.
[1] double leaf. 30 cm. Good–fair condition. Stains. Folding marks, with tiny tears, repaired with paper.
The stationery was presumably printed in Jerusalem in 1867.
Provenance: The Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv.
Letter from the rabbis of Constantine, R. Avraham Kohen and R. Eliyahu Allouch, to R. Chaim Shmuel HaKohen Konorti of Tiberias; with an authorization by the emissary R. David Netanel Rofe. [Constantine (Algeria), 1872].
Written by a scribe, with the signature and stamp of R. Avraham Kohen and the signature of R. Eliyahu Allouch (d. 1892; rabbi and posek in Constantine). At the foot of the leaf, several lines handwritten and signed by the emissary R. David Netanel Rofe.
Lengthy letter regarding the emissary of Tiberias R. Shlomo Maman (1828–1884), who was involved in receiving testimony regarding the marriage of a young girl from Souk Ahras. He later travelled to Algiers, taking the original record of the testimony with him, thus causing difficulties for the rabbis of Constantine who did not know how to rule regarding this girl. The rabbis appeal to R. Konorti for help in resolving this affair. Their letter is authorized by R. David Netanel Rofe, emissary of Tiberias who was visiting Constantine at that time.
R. David Netanel Rofe (d. 1903), righteous and holy Torah scholar and wonder–worker who saved the community of Tiberias from financial collapse through his missions to North Africa. His gravesite in Tunis is visited by many on the anniversary of his passing.
[1] double leaf (written on the outer pages, inner pages blank). 27 cm. Fair condition. Stains, including dampstains. Defects and worming, affecting text, repaired with paper. Creases and folding marks.
Exhibition:
• Les Juifs d'Algérie. Musée d'art et d'histoire du judaïsme. Curated by Anne Hélène Hoog Paris, France, 2012.
Provenance: The Gross Family Collection, 057.011.051.
Large parchment certificate, with over fifty signatures of Sephardic Torah scholars. Tiberias, Sivan 1914.
Decorative upper edged. Neat calligraphic script – Rashi script; headings and emphasized words in enlarged square script. Arched inscription at top of leaf. Colorful ornaments added at a later date.
Certificate for the emissary R. Yaakov Ben Tzuri, issued by the Sephardic Kollelot in Tiberias (Rabbi Meir Baal HaNes fund), and addressed to the communities of Morocco, Gibraltar, Portugal and Brazil.
Signatures of over fifty Torah scholars and rabbis of Tiberias (some signatures are faded and difficult to decipher). See Hebrew description for list of signatories.
At foot of leaf, recommendation from the Chacham Bashi of Tiberias, R. Chai Abulafia, with his stamp.
[1] large parchment leaf. 90X50 cm. Good–fair condition. Stains, creases and wear. Tears and open tears (repaired, new parchment replacements).
The present emissary letter was published in "Sefer Teveria", by Oded Avissar, Jerusalem: Keter 1973, opposite p. 152 (Hebrew).
Provenance: The Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, 057.012.001.
Printed emissary letter for the emissary of the Hebron community, R. Chaim Avraham Yisrael Ze'evi. [Livorno, 1784]. Italian.
Leaf printed on both sides, with the name of the philanthropist completed by hand [Emanuel Roseli]. The leaf begins with the translation of the emissary letter issued by the community of Hebron on 10th Sivan 1782, signed by the rabbis of Hebron.
The letter is followed by authorizations by the Hebron officials in Constantinople, dated 3rd Adar I 1783, and by a letter of recommendation by the Chida, a colleague and relative of R. Chaim Avraham Yisrael Ze'evi, written in Livorno, 3rd Cheshvan 1783. The leaf was presumably printed shortly thereafter, alongside another version of this leaf – in Hebrew (original language of the letters).
R. Chaim Avraham Yisrael Ze'evi, a Hebron Torah scholar. Travelled to Europe on two missions on behalf the Hebron community, the first to Ashkenazic countries, where he built close ties with the Chida in Amsterdam, and a second time also to Italy (1782–1789), for which this leaf was printed.
[2] pages. 32 cm. Good condition. Folding marks. Stains.
Provenance: The Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, 057.011.049.
Printed leaf, emissary letter signed by five rabbis of Hebron, with the stamp of the Kollelot HaSephardim in Hebron. [Jerusalem, Tevet 1872].
At the foot of the letter, handwritten signatures of R. Moshe son of R. David Kimchi, R. Tzvi Nissim Bijaoui, R. David Polychron Hasson, R. Yitzchak Refael Azariah Zevi and R. Meir Yom Tov Farhi.
Printed letter for the emissary R. Eliyahu Mani (rabbi of the city), leaving on a mission to Egypt on behalf of his community in Hebron, to relieve the famine caused by two years of severe drought.
[1] leaf. 35.5 cm. Good condition. Folding marks. Traces of tape at top of leaf.
Presumably printed in Jerusalem (not listed by Sh. HaLevy).
Provenance: The Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, 057.011.032.
Handwritten emissary letter, signed and stamped by the leading rabbis of Jerusalem, R. Avraham Ashkenazi the Rishon LeTzion, and R. Meir Panigel. [Jerusalem, ca. 1860s–1870s].
Semi–cursive Oriental script (Rashi script), with emphasized words in square calligraphic script. Written for R. Nissim Yisrael Sasson, emissary of Kollel Hebron and the Magen Avot yeshiva, leaving on a mission for Tripoli and the surrounding villages (Libya).
R. Avraham Ashkenazi (1811–1880), prominent Torah scholar, Rishon LeTzion of Jerusalem. His opinion was conclusive on communal matters in Jerusalem and throughout the world.
R. (Refael) Meir Panigel (1804–1893), Rishon LeTzion and Chacham Bashi of Jerusalem. Born in Bulgaria, he was raised in Jerusalem. Already in his youth he was known as a holy, righteous person and wonder–worker. He succeeded R. Avraham Ashkenazi as Chacham Bashi in 1880.
[1] double leaf. 39.5 cm. Good–fair condition. Stains and tape stains (tape on verso). Tears. Folding marks.
Provenance: The Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, 057.011.015.
• Printed appeal issued by Beit HaSofer VehaMe'iri – the Hungarian Kollel Jerusalem, [Yechiel Michel Brill, Michel HaKohen and Yoel Moshe Solomon], [ca. 1864]. Printed in gilt, with decorated border. (Beit HaSofer VehaMe'iri was the first name of the Hungarian Kollel Shomrei HaChomot, after R. Mosher Sofer – the Chatam Sofer, and R. Meir Eisenstadt).
[1] leaf. 40 cm. Good–fair condition. Stains and ink fading. Wear and minor tears. Marginal open tears (repaired with paper).
Sh. HaLevy, no. 102.
Provenance: The Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, 057.011.001.
• Modaa Rabba, Beit Din ruling. Printed letter issued by the trustees of the Volhynian Kollel for immigrants from Volhynia, Podolia and Ukraine. [Jerusalem: R. Yisrael and Nissan Bak, Av 1869].
Protest against the emissaries of the Belarusian Kollel who had fundraised in the Kiev province, which was in the fundraising domain of the Volhynian Kollel. The leaf defines the provinces which fall under the domain of the fundraisers of the Volhynian Kollel, and is signed in print the Kollel trustees.
Further on the leaf is a Beit Din ruling from the Ashkenazi Beit Din in Jerusalem, against the violation of the fundraising rights. Signed in print by R. Meir Auerbach Rabbi of Kalisch (the Imrei Binah), R. Avraham Eisenstein of Drohitchin (a Jerusalem Torah leader) and R. Yaakov Yehuda Levi (head of the Beit Din, brother of R. Nachum of Shadik).
[1] leaf. 40.5 cm. Fair–good condition. Stains. Folding marks. Wear and tears to folds, slightly affecting text (professionally restored with paper).
Rare! Not listed by Sh. HaLevy.
Provenance: The Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, 057.011.053.