Ancient amulet for protecting one's home, customarily given by R. Yeshaya Steiner of Kerestir (R. Yeshaya'le Kerestirer), Rebbe Author of Yismach Moshe and other rebbes. [Europe, late 19th century - early 20th century].
Scribal writing on a piece of paper.
R. Moshe Teitelbaum was accustomed to giving an amulet with this same text to protect one's home from theft and harm. In the Nachlat Zvi anthology (16, pp. 126-127) is a photo of a similar amulet written by the Yismach Moshe which the Rebbe's grandson author of Yitav Lev gave to his assistant (mashbak), R. Meir Schwartz. The story is told that at the time the Satmar Rebbe, author of Divrei Yo'el came to Eretz Israel, he went especially to see this amulet and was pleased with it. Similar amulets are known to have been given later by Sanz, Belz, Ruzhyn, Siget and Liska rebbes. Rabbi Hillel of Kolomyya, in his book Beit Hillel HeChadash responsa (Siman 32), also recommends the version of this amulet and to "place it on all the openings of a new home for some time and no bad will befall him and all the members of his household".
In the book Mofet HaDor written about the celebrated tsaddik Rabbi Yeshaya of Kerestir, the author writes that most of the amulets he gave contained the same text as this amulet. He tells of a shop for which the Kerestirer Rebbe prepared such amulets which was wondrously saved from being set on fire by a non-Jew, see ibid two images of these amulets.
In the book Aleph Ktav (by R. Yitzchak Weiss of Verboy, Ot 515), he deciphers this amulet. Acronyms of two verses from Psalms are integrated alternatively into the words of the first line. The second line is an acronym of a verse from Bereshit.
Paper amulet, approx. 4X10 cm. Good condition. Worming.
Enclosed is an expert's report.