Hakdamot U'She'arim - "One branch of the book Leshem Shevo V'Achlama", by the kabbalist R. Shlomo Elyashiv. Piotrków, 1908. First edition of the first book authored by the author of the Leshem.
Several notations and revisions in the handwriting of the author, the kabbalist R. Shlomo Elyashiv of Šiauliai, author of the Leshem Shevo V'Achlama (1841-1926), leading Lithuanian kabbalist. Author of the glosses on Etz Chaim which were printed in the Warsaw 1891 edition which are known as the glosses of "Harav Shevach" [Shlomo ben Chaim Chaikel]. He was the chief editor of the kabbalistic writings of the Vilna Gaon which were printed by R. Shmuel Luria in the 1880s.
The series of the Leshem Shevo V'Achlama kabbalistic books was printed during 1909-1948; these books are basic books of kabbalistic wisdom, written in holiness, fear of Heaven and purity [reputedly, the author also used Hashba'at HaKulmus]. This first part is called Hakdamot V'She'arim [or as the author labels them HaSefer HaKadosh, which portrays its importance and holiness and also contains the acronym of Hakdamot U'She'arim]. Part 2 is called Sefer HaDe'ha and is printed in two volumes (Piotrków, 1912). Additional parts are Sefer HaKelalim and Sefer HaBe'urim which were printed in Jerusalem after the author's death by his son-in-law R. Avraham Elyashiv, the Rabbi of Gomel (Belarus), father of R. Y. S. Elyashiv.
212 pages + back wrapper with the author's address. 29.5 cm. Fair condition, dampstains and damages. Wear and detached leaves. Ancient leather binding, detached and torn.

Emissary document from Jerusalem, for the emissary R. Rachamim Shalom HaLevi, sent on behalf of the Bikur Holim society, to collect funds for the construction of a hostel for sick and needy Jews, named Osfei Dal (play on the word "hospital", in Hebrew - gathering the needy). Signed by the leading city rabbis: R. "Refael Avraham Shalom Mizrachi known as Sharabi", R. "Yosef Zamiro", R. "Ya'akov Ibn Tzahal" and R. "Avraham Moshe Zakut". Jerusalem. [1815].
The kabbalist R. (Refael) Avraham Shalom Mizrachi Sharabi - HaRav HaRosh (1775-1826), son of Kabbalist R. Chizkiyahu Yitzchak Sharabi, grandson of the Rashash, was born two years before his illustrious grandfather died. From his youth, he was raised and educated in the kabbalist Beit El Yeshiva. In his lifetime, he was known by the cognomen "R. Avraham Chassid" but is more famed by the name "HaRav HaRosh". He was also called "Ba'al Haness" because of the wonders and marvels he performed with his holy powers by use of practical kabbala. See: Or HaShemesh (Jerusalem, 1970, pp. 73-82). His book Divrei Shalom contains his kabbalistic manuscripts and was published posthumously by his son-in-law, the Rishon L'Zion R. Chaim Avraham Gagin.
The other signatures belong to R. Yosef Zamiro (died 1843), an eminent Jerusalem Torah scholar and kabbalist. Authored the Hon Yosef responsa printed together with the book Divrei David by the Radvaz (Livorno, 1828); R. Ya'akov ben Tzahal, a Jerusalem sage at the beginning of the 19th century who signed many approbations. Two of his responsa were printed by R. Nathan Coronel at the end of the book Piskei Challah (Jerusalem, 1876).
The emissary is R. Rachamim Shlomo HaLevi (died in 1874) who was sent on this mission in his youth. Already at that time his qualities of Torah knowledge and fear of G-d were apparent. He later became Ra'avad of Jerusalem and was one of the heads of the Beit El Yeshiva.
Leaf, 32X22 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains and folding creases. Inscriptions in Oriental script by R. Yitzchak Badahav.
This emissary document was copied and printed by R. Yitzchak Badahav in his book Binyan Yerushalayim - Ki B'Yitzchak (Jerusalem, 1927). For further information about this special mission, see Sheluchei Eretz Yisrael, A. Ya'ari, pp. 711-712.

Two contracts dealing with partnership in property ownership and transfer of ownership of property in the new Jerusalem neighborhood built outside the walls of the Old City. Handsome calligraphic script, with many signatures of leading settlers, community leaders and Jerusalem rabbis.
· A contract for dividing property among the group of founders of the new Jerusalem neighborhood outside the walls, west of the path which rises from Jaffa Gate to the Nachlat Shiva neighborhood, purchased from Arab owners. Signed by witnesses and the buyers: R. Yochanan Hirsh Schlank [disciple of the Chatam Sofer], R. Moshe Yitzchak Goldsmith and R. Shalom son of R. Ya'akov HaCohen. Jerusalem, Kislev 1870. A Beit Din authorization appears on the margins dated Adar 1871, with signatures of R. Meir Auerbach [author of Imrei Binah], R. Avraham Eisenstein and of R. Ya'akov Yehuda Levy. Another Beit Din authorization from 1873, signed by the aforementioned rabbis.
On the verso of the leaf is another contract: "The second certificate" of that same property, dated Tamuz 1873, signed by the witnesses R. Avraham son of R. Asher Lemel and R. Aharon son of R. Gedalya, signatures of the settlers R. Yitzchak son of R. Hillel and R. Menachem Mendel HaCohen. Signatures of the dayanim, R. Binyamin son of R. Shmuel, R. Ya'akov Yehuda Levy, R. Meir Margalit and the community rabbi, R. Meir Auerbach.
· Another contract of sale of property, of those same properties. Various signatures of property owners and witnesses. Jerusalem, Elul 1873. Further in the leaf and on the verso are more contracts dealing with construction and sale of those same properties, with many signatures of witnesses and property owners. Jerusalem, Kislev 1875.
Unknown historical document from the beginning of the Jewish settlements built in Jerusalem outside the Old City walls. The lands of the Nachalat Shiva neighborhood were clandestinely purchased in 1867, and the construction of the neighborhood was only publicized in c. 1872. The properties of the neighborhood mentioned in these documents were purchased about two-three years after the founding of Nachalat Shiva, and its construction just began in 1875. Stated explicitly in these documents is that due to legal obstacles to purchasing property in the Land of Israel, the property was first registered only in the name of R. Yochanan Hirsh Schlank who was an Austrian citizen and this document is the primary ownership document of the property recording the true owners of the property until the beginning of the construction of the neighborhood in 1875. [We have not identified precisely to which land the documents refer and its current name. However, clearly the property is west of Jaffa St. in the section between Jaffa Gate and Nachalat Shiva].
2 leaves, 46-56 cm. Fair condition. Tears and gluing, slightly affecting text.

Three unsigned letters, from the archive of R. Shmuel Salant, Rabbi of Jerusalem. Jerusalem, [c. 1855-1896].
· Unsigned trenchant letter regarding the conduct of "the Rabbi of the Sephardim… R. D. C.". [David Chazan], who uses his authority to imprison people to strengthen his position in the rabbinate. [A fervent request to the recipients appears in the margins: "Be kind enough to burn the note after you have read it…because our intention in not to degrade the rabbi G-d forbid, but to save…and peace should reign in Israel". [Jerusalem, after 1855. Rabbi Chaim David Chazan son of the Chikrei Lev emigrated from Izmir to Jerusalem in 1855 and served as Chacham Bashi-Rishon L'Zion until his death in 1861].
· Unsigned letter [apparently in the handwriting of R. Shmuel Salant's scribe] to the managers of the Grodno Kollel, about a hurtful event - a father who refuses to circumcise and redeem his firstborn son, claiming that the baby's father is a non-Jew. Jerusalem, Cheshvan 1872. The grandson of the Vilna Gaon "R. Eliezer Landau" who was one of the heads of the Grodno Kollel is mentioned in the letter.
· Unsigned draft of a letter [apparently, the handwriting of the scribe of the Va'ad HaKlali or the scribe of R. Shmuel Salant], to R. Chaim Berlin. Jerusalem, Kislev 1896. It contains a response regarding the possibility of R. Chaim serving as Rabbi of Jerusalem, with details of the difficulty of the Va'ad HaKlali to promise a regular salary and to give him a position in the rabbinate for two reasons: 1. The death of R. Yosef Rivlin "who was the mainstay of the Va'ad HaKlali. 2. The scandal of the opening of Kollel America which is supposed to receive all the income from American donations "and the pillars of this great edifice are now unstable". [At that time, R. Chaim Berlin left the Kobryn rabbinate and because he could not immigrate to Jerusalem, he served in the Elisawetgrad (Kherson region) rabbinate for 10 years until he finally reached Jerusalem in 1906].
3 letters, size and condition vary. In one of the letters,
the identifying details of names were erased with ink or whitener.
R. Shmuel Salant was accustomed to using the services of scribes and secretaries in writing his letters and sometimes he would add his signature or stamp. Apparently, some or all these items are letters or drafts which were written at the behest of R. Shmuel Salant himself.