Large collection of letter, drafts, printed pamphlets and printed sheets sent in the midst of printing - rich correspondence between R. Shlomo Aharon Wertheimer of Jerusalem (researcher and author, known for being one of the first to publicize the Cairo geniza and the Yemenite manuscripts) and the members of the Sassoon family and the Ezra family in London. Includes colorful lithographs with New Year greetings. Jerusalem, 1924-1935.
The content of the correspondence is particularly interesting: Discussions and studies of ancient manuscripts, R. Wertheimer's involvement in printing books, etc. The collection is composed of more than 24 autograph letters signed by R. "Shlomo Aharon Wertheimer" (most of the letters are in Rashi script, two are in English). · 9 letters and drafts by Ms. Farha Sassoon and her son David Sassoon sent to R. Wertheimer (some signed). · Typewritten letter (5 pages) with a copy of the ruling of the "Great Beit Din in Jerusalem of the Chassidic Community", by R. Avraham Zvi Schorr, R. Mordechai Rabinowitz and "David son of R. G." and a copy of a letter by R. Shmuel Aharon Wertheimer containing the history of the institutes of the kupot (funds) of the various communities in Jerusalem: Sephardim, Ashkenazim and Chassidim.
· Printed sheets sent in the midst of the printing process by R. Wertheimer, sections of the books: Or HaTargum (Bereshit-Mishpatim), She'elat Shlomo responsa, Part 1 (Jerusalem 1932) and Part 2 (Jerusalem, 1934).
· Booklets and parts of books authored by R. Wertheimer: Batei Midrashot, Part 2, Jerusalem 1894. · Ginzei Yerushalayim, first booklet, Jerusalem, 1896. · Ginzei Yerushalayim Part 2, Jerusalem 1901. · Ginzei Yerushalayim, Part 3, Jerusalem 1902. (Two copies). · Shir Zion, Bardejov (Slovakia) 1826. · Midrash Chaser V'Yeter Shebatanach, Jerusalem, 1930 (two copies, one with hundreds of marginalia and additions in Ashkenazi writing).
· The collection also contains a notice of a gathering in Jerusalem, for a eulogy in tribute of R. Wertheimer (Tamuz, 1935). · HaMa'alot LiShlomo in his memory, by Pinchas Grayevsky. Jerusalem, 1935. · Printed portraits of R. Wertheimer. · Booklet (stencil) about the Karaite population and the Jews in India, by his son R. Moshe Wertheimer (Jerusalem, 1964).
R. Shlomo Aharon (Solomon Aaron) Wertheimer (1866-1935) was born in Pezinok (Bösing), Hungary. Orphaned at the age of nine, he ascended to Jerusalem and there studied Torah from Ashkenazi and Sephardi sages, his genius amazing the Torah scholars. He served as head of yeshiva, preacher, Dayan and posek in Jerusalem. A prolific author, he published and authored dozens of books. He was the first who discovered and published in print the manuscripts of the "Cairo Geniza" and Yemenite manuscripts featured in his books: Ginzei Yerushalayim, Batei Midrashot, Otzar Midrashim, etc. This archive of letters, written in his senior years (five were written in 1935) reflect his heroic efforts to continue printing and writing books in spite of his advanced age and frailty.
Approximately 60 items, including about 30 letters. Size and condition vary. Contains 3 colorful lithograph leaves (two of them have cut-out pieces).
Provenance: Sassoon family collection.

Large collection of letter by rabbis from Poland and from Eastern-Europe. Letters regarding divorce documents (gittin) and halachic issues. Letters of recommendation, letters related to rescue issues and private letters. 1920s-1930s.
Including letters by: · R. Leibush Rosenberg, Chairman of Va'ad HaRabbanim in the city of Lodz. · R. Simcha Gelernter Rabbi of Klimontów and his son R. Shimshon Gelernter the junior Rabbi of Klimontów. · R. Reuven HaLevi Epstein, Rabbi of Ożarów. · R. Binyamin Mendelson, Rabbi of Kfar Ata. · Letters by Rabbis of Bodzanowie, Tarnopol, Plock, Warsaw, Koden, Skierniewice, Dobrzyń, Solec, Belz- Bessarabia, and more. For additional details see Hebrew description.
26 letters. Some written on official stationery or with official stamps. Size and condition vary.

Autograph letter signed by R. Abba Grossbard, mashgiach at the Lomza Yeshiva. Petach Tikva, Sivan 1943.
In this letter, the mashgiach describes his plans to establish more yeshivas and Torah centers in various settlements in Eretz Israel: "The idea has arisen in our yeshiva… to build a handsome impressive yeshiva so that the students can grow in Torah and fear of Heaven. The rule is that if a yeshiva exists in the city, it has positive influence on the city. First of all, the number of Torah students increases because the local boys envy them…therefore, we have [in the yeshiva in Petach Tikva] young men immersed in Torah and fear of Heaven…They want to be active in this project and with G-d's help they have the ability, both due to their fear of G-d and their skills with good characteristic attributes…". Further in the letter, he focuses on a practical suggestion to appoint his disciple R. Reuven Yosef Gershonowitz head of the yeshiva "Because he is one of the most select students in the yeshiva, leading in Torah knowledge and fear of Heaven… he was one of the leading students of the Kaminetz Yeshiva…".
R. Avraham Abba Grossbard (1890-1946), the first mashgiach of the Ponovezh Yeshiva in Bnei Brak was one of the leading mussar figures of his generation. A close disciple of R. Yerucham Leibowitz from the time he studied in the Radun Yeshiva. He served as mashgiach of the Ponovezh Yeshiva in Lithuania and after moved to establish a yeshiva in Riga. At the end of 1939, he moved to Eretz Israel to serve as mashgiach of the Lomze Yeshiva in Petach Tikva. In 1944, he moved with a group of disciples to Bnei Brak, to establish the Ponovezh Yeshiva. This group was organized by his initiative and with his encouragement. At the head of this group, R. Abba placed his distinguished disciple R. Shmuel Rozovsky who had already begun to deliver discourses. At the end of WWII, R. Grossbard discovered that his wife and all his children were murdered during the Holocaust and his heart failed him and he died a year later. This letter reveals a few of his activities to spread Torah and build yeshivas in Eretz Israel, an initiative which preceded his other plan to establish the Ponovezh Yeshiva in Bnei Brak.
Leaf, 25.5 cm. Good-fair condition. Wear to folding creases.

A collection of rulings, documents and letters by dayanim, from the time of the opposition to the "invalid conversions" and the struggle for halachic independence of the rabbinical courts in the State of Israel in the beginning of the 1970s.
· Ruling signed by the dayanim of the Great Rabbinical Court: R. Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, R. Betzalel Zolty, R. Eliezer Goldschmidt and R. Shaul Yisraeli, Jerusalem, Sivan 1970.
· "Urgent request for restraining order" - class action of R. Zvi Weinman according to a previous ruling of the Great Beit Din, "to issue an order prohibiting the respondents to register Ms. Zeidman as a Jewess, for as long as her conversion is not approved by the District Beit Din". Further in the document is a passage based on the ruling of R. Elyashiv: "The appellant has the right to appear before the beit din according to the responsa of the Rashbash, Siman 46". [Jerusalem, 1970].
· Ruling and halachic responsum [of R. Elyashiv] on the laws of Tosefet Ketubah. Signed by the dayanim of the Great Rabbinical Beit Din: R. Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, R. Betzalel Zolty and R. Eliezer Goldschmidt. Av 1971.
· Four forms of notices, with 27 signature of rabbis of various cities and of dayanim. Shevat 1973. Opposing the accusations of the media regarding the "callousness" of the "stringent" dayanim. The most crucial passage of the notice appears in the second section: "No power and no factor can change the halacha even a hairbreadth, and in the future just like in the past, Jewish dayanim will continue to rule without altering the halacha in any way. They will not be influenced by any pressure and fiercely opposed any involvement in the way they rule". Among the signatures: R. Mordechai Yaffe Schlesinger, R. Shalom Mizrachi, R. Yitzchak Kulitz, R. Chaim Gedalya Zimbalist, R. Amram Azulai, R. Shlomo Shimshon Karelitz, R. Zevulun Graz, R. Eliyahu Kushelevsky, R. Avraham Simcha Kaplan, R. Betzalel Zolty, etc.
At that time, dayanim in Israel fought for their independence to rule according to Jewish law in rabbinical courts. R. Elyashiv headed the struggle [and supported the activities of R. Weinman who submitted class actions against the Ministry of Interior and against the authorities, due to their acceptance of invalid conversions for registering the nationality in the Israeli identity cards and in the resident registrar - the question of "Who is a Jew?"]. One of the famous affairs was the question of the conversion of Helen Zeidman of Kibbutz Nachal Oz, who was "converted" by the IDF Chief Rabbi Goren 24 hours after she applied to the Beit Din, contrary to all halachic stipulations and rules for a proper conversion. Afterward, R. Goren was appointed Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv and became known for his part in the affair of permitting mamzerim to wed, which took place in 1973 during his term as Chief Rabbi of the State of Israel.
This affair of wedding the mamazerim caused the dayanim in Israel to distrust the rulings of R. Goren and the Charedi communities called war on the liberty he took in his halachic rulings. Their opposition peaked with the assemblies and protests which took place in the autumn of 1972, during which the Badatz of the Eda HaCharedit in Jerusalem rent their garments as a sign of woe, and the great gathering at Hechal HaTarbut attended by thousands of yeshiva students. At that assembly, R. Shach announced that the rulings of R. Goren are not (valid halachic) rulings.
8 leaves. 27-32 cm. Condition varies, good to fair, wear and tears.

Large diverse collection of letters and documents signed by the Rishon L'Zion R. Ovadia Yosef. Halachic responsa, recommendations for individuals and for public institutes, documents related to charity funds and various public issues, leaves of dedications for his books, approbations for books, and more. Some of the letters are entirely in his handwriting and some just bear his signature.
Rabbi Ovadia Yosef (1920-2013) was born in Baghdad and at a young age moved to Jerusalem. One of the greatest disciples of Rabbi Ezra Attiya Head of the Porat Yosef Yeshiva. During 1948-1951, served in the rabbinate of Egypt. On his return to Israel, he served in the Petach Tikva rabbinate and delivered sermons and Torah discourses in Jerusalem and throughout Israel. During 1958-1969 he served as Dayan in the Jerusalem Beit Din and in the Great Rabbinical Beit Din. In 1969, was appointed Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv-Yaffo and in 1973 was appointed Rishon L'Zion and Chief Rabbi of the State of Israel. Was especially renowned for his incredible erudition in Torah knowledge and his clear Torah rulings. With time, he reached the status of one of the leading Torah authorities of our days and became an unequalled influential spiritual leader. He was very active in teaching Torah to the masses and raised the honor and authority of Jews of Sephardic descent in Israel. One of his life's activities was "restoring the past glory" of Sephardic Jewry; this goal was portrayed in the area of halachic rulings and in the social and political arenas as well. In the framework of this vision, he stood at the helm of Mo'etzet Chachmei HaTorah and navigated the worldwide Shas movement. Rabbi Ovadia left a huge yield of books, including: Yabia Omer responsa (10 volumes), Yechave Da'at responsa (six volumes), Chazon Ovadia (18 volumes) and many other books.
39 items, including 15 autograph letters. Size and condition vary.