Manuscript, sermons and eulogies, from an unidentified author [a rabbi of Prussia - western Poland?, ca. 1838-1851].
Many gatherings bound together, containing notes and outlines of sermons which the writer delivered over the years, with comments which he added after he gave the address. Handwritten by the author, who was presumably a rabbi of one of the towns of Prussia (western Poland). The manuscript includes sermons for festivals and Shabbat, as well as for events related to the royal family: sermons for the birthday of King Frederick William IV of Prussia, and for the passing of King Frederick William III of Prussia (about whom he writes: "Who ruled over his country for 44 years, with kindness and compassion, he loved peace, truth and justice… and even other countries learned from his benevolent ways to treat the Jewish people kindly…). The notes include references to historical events which took place in those times (the Damascus blood libel in 1840, the fire in the Szubin community, and others).
The manuscript contains many eulogies for rabbis of that time. The second sermon is a eulogy on rabbis who passed away in 1838-1839: R. Yehuda Leib Falk, head of the Breslau and Dyhernfurth Beit Din (d. 30th Sivan 1838, a disciple of R. Akiva Eger); R. Shmuel Bernstein Rabbi of Amsterdam (d. 4th Tevet 1838); R. Avraham Löwenstam Rabbi of Emden and Mezeritch (d. 29th Tevet 1839, son of R. Aryeh Leib author of Penei Aryeh); R. Binyamin Schreiber Rabbi of Greiditz (author of Em LeBina, d. 29th Shevat 1839); R. Naftali Hirsch Bleichrode Rabbi of Kórnik (d. 24th Adar 1839, disciple of R. Akiva Eger and son-in-law of R. Avraham Eger of Rawicz); R. Shlomo Zalman Lipschitz Rabbi of Warsaw (author of Chemdat Shlomo, d. 11th Nisan 1839).
The seventh sermon includes a eulogy for R. Aharon Yehoshua Eliyahu Herzfeld Rabbi of Rawicz (d. 3rd Elul 1846) - "…who lived approximately ninety years… in Lemberg in a generation full of Torah, and then in Berlin by R. Hirschell (Levin)… and then in Königsburg, and then in Rawicz… and indeed, he did not leave behind a Tzaddik and exceptional Torah scholar like him in the entire country…" (it appears from his words further that the writer was close to him, and exchanged halachic correspondence with him). Sermon [19] contains a eulogy for R. Itzek Heldenstein head of the Lissa Beit Din (d. 22nd Tammuz 1845).
Sermon [22] and the leaves at the end of the volume contain eulogies for his father-in-law R. Elazar HaKohen (both eulogies are in a different handwriting, possibly from a different writer).
In the sixth and [18th] sermon, the rabbi arouses to the necessity of building a synagogue and mikveh for the community, and writes: "…for our community, formerly did not have a mikveh, cemetery or synagogue…". In the sermon for Shabbat Nachamu 1838, he speaks of German Jewry's degeneration in Halacha observance, and of the decline in the Torah standards of the rabbis ("…and I thought that even the fact that the public wants to hear ethics sermons from the rabbi, this too is a ploy of the Evil inclination, to take them away from their Torah study… to be drawn after Aggadah, at the end he will lose out on both sides… and in this way, the rabbi in Germany has become a preacher…".
Approx. 290 written pages. Size varies. 13.5-17.5 cm (most leaves: 16.5 cm). Good condition. Wear. Dampstains. New binding.

Manuscript, homilies and essays on Aggadah and ethics, by an unidentified author. [Lithuania? After 1836 - mid-19th century?].
Complete composition in Ashkenazic script. Written by various copyists, with many corrections, glosses, additions and deletions by the author. We were unable to identify the author, though it appears that he was a Torah scholar of Lithuania or Belarus, who served as Maggid and delivered sermons.
The main part of the manuscript consists of seven homilies, entitled: Netivot Olam; Derech Tamim; Maaglei Yosher; Orach Mishor; Netivot HaShalom; Derech Tzedaka; Mesilat HaLev. Each homily begins with an introduction summarizing the subject of the homily. In the middle and end of the volume, other homilies in a slightly different style were bound (they may originate from a different work by the same author). The style of the composition is clear and engaging, and it contains in-depth essays on the midrashim and Aggadot of the sages, ethics and principles in worship of G-d. The contents attest to the author's exceptional erudition in midrashim and books of Jewish thought.
In this work, the author quotes repeatedly the books of leading Lithuanian Torah scholars, such as: "Nefesh HaChaim" by Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin, the books of the Maggid of Dubno - Ohel Yaakov and Kol Yaakov, the book of R. Yehuda Leib Edel - Maggid of Slonim - Iyei HaYam and Afikei Yehuda (regarding this last book, the author writes one of the times he mentions it: "See Afikei Yehuda who wrote on this topic pleasing words… but he did not finish explaining… and we will follow in his footsteps a little…", p. [46b]), and the book Kapot Zahav (Vilna and Hrodna 1836). Kapot Zahav is the most recent of all the books quoted by the author (the author challenges this book repeatedly. On the first leaf of the composition, he writes: "And see in Kapot, ibid, and his ways are not like mine, nor my thoughts like his").
In several places, the author quotes the writings of his father-in-law (see Hebrew description). We were unable to identify who the father-in-law of the writer was (but it must be noted that the lengthy idea quoted in his name on p. [67] onwards, corresponds with the style and expressions of Chabad teachings).
The final sermons contain lengthy and detailed parables, taken from his surroundings, which provide us with information regarding his time and location. On p. [112b], the cities of St. Petersburg and Königsberg are mentioned as royal cities. On p. [125b], he mentions several concepts connected to commerce, indicating in parentheses the names of these notions, presumably in Lithuanian.
At the end of the volume, several leaves which are not part of the body of the book are bound, the last leaf states: "This book was written by R. David Tovia". It is unclear if this refers to the author or copyist of this book, or is perhaps not connected to this composition.
To the best of our knowledge, the manuscript was never published.
[130] leaves (and several blank leaves). 23.5 cm. Good condition. Stains and wear. Worming to several leaves. Marginal paper repairs to first three leaves. Tear to leaf [91], repaired with paper with text replacement. Cloth binding.

Manuscript, parts of Shtei Halechem and Lechem Shemen - autograph by R. Asher Luria, novellae and commentaries to the Mishna and parts of Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim and Yoreh De'ah. [Jerusalem? Presumably written between 1900-1907].
Autograph, with many corrections, additions and deletions.
This manuscripts contains novellae and commentaries entitled Shtei Halechem and Lechem Shemen, on Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim and Yoreh De'ah: Laws of Kila'im, Megillah, Yom Kippur, Shemitta, Terumot, Birkat HaTorah, Shema and its blessings, the Priestly Blessing, Torah reading, Synagogues, commentary to Mishnayot Tractate Nidda, laws of rising in the morning, tzitzit and tefillin, blessings over fruit, commentary to the Keitzad Mevarchin chapter of Tractate Berachot, laws of Terefot. Several leaves relating to other topics are bound with it as well. Thoughts on Aggadah and Kabbalah are presented in a few places.
On p. 22b, the author writes: "And my father-in-law wrote…" (=R. Shlomo Zalman Rivlin of Shklow).
The author, R. Asher Luria (d. 1907), a descendant of the Maharshal, was a Torah scholar of Mogilev, Belarus. He was the son-in-law and disciple of R. Shlomo Zalman son of R. Hillel Rivlin of Shklow. An extremely prosperous man, dealing in forest logging, R. Asher was an illustrious figure combining wealth and prominence in Torah. In 1867, he published commentaries and additions to his father-in-law's book Divrei Shlomo, two parts (Warsaw-Vilna, 1868-1888). In 1890, he printed in Vilna his book Shtei Halechem with the Lechem Shemen commentary, on the laws of Rosh Chodesh, Pesach, Yom Tov and Chol HaMoed. In Shtei Halechem, the author brings a summary of the teachings of the Beit Yosef, and an abstract of the words of the Rishonim which are not quoted by the Beit Yosef, whilst his own novellae are printed under the title of Lechem Shemen. In 1891, he immigrated to Jerusalem, where he printed his book Or Yekarot on Mishnayot - Tractates Kelim, Ohalot and Nega'im of Order Taharot. The upper part of the page features a summary of the commentaries of the Rishonim, and in the lower part, Biurim VeChiddushim - commentaries and novellae. He frequently quotes the writings of the Gaon of Vilna in his books, and occasionally quotes commentaries from his father-in-law's writings. In his books, it is apparent that he followed the study methodology of the Gaon of Vilna and his disciples.
This volume contains additional parts of his compositions on Mishnayot and Shulchan Aruch. These parts were presumably never published.
[200] leaves (approx. 400 written pages). 22 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains and wear. Dampstains to some leaves. Worming to a few leaves. Tears to several leaves, some affecting text. New binding.

Babylonian Talmud. Vilna, 1928-1936. 17 volumes.
Some volumes bear stamps on the title pages and front endpapers: "Moshe Tzvi Freund Rabbi of Gheorgheni and the region".
The leaves of this set of Talmud contain hundreds of glosses from several writers.
R. Moshe Tzvi Freund (1913-perished in the Holocaust 1945), son-in-law of R. David Leib Silberstein Rabbi of Waitzen. He served as rabbi of Gheorgheni (Gyergyószentmiklós, Hungary, present day: Romania), from 1937. He was the disciple of R. Mordechai Brisk and of the Daat Sofer. R. Moshe Tzvi would frequently record his novellae on the pages of his books. From 1942, he was transferred from one camp to another in Ukraine, and was murdered on 6th Adar 1945, shortly before the liberation of the camps.
17 volumes (lacking tractates Berachot, Shevuot and Makkot from the full set). 40.5 cm. Overall good condition. Stains. Dampstains. Wear to some volumes. Original bindings, worn.
Dozens of paper items were found between the leaves of the volumes: letters, Shanah Tovah cards, receipts and various notes (most of the notes belong to R. Moshe Tzvi Freund, and most of the letters were addressed to R. David Yehuda Freund of Netanya).

Letter signed by R. "Yaakov Yosef - Chief Rabbi". New York, Nisan 1894.
Letter of ordination for a Shochet (ritual slaughterer) - R. Meshulam Feish Gross from Debrecen, Hungary. Written by a scribe, and signed by R. Yaakov Yosef: "So says Yaakov Yosef, Chief Rabbi". Stamped: "Yaakov Yosef - Chief Rabbi of the Association of American Orthodox Hebrew Congregations".
"I hereby license him to be a Shochet and Bodek (inspector) in all Jewish communities, and it is permitted for even those who are exceptionally meticulous, to eat from the products of this slaughterer, the humble shall eat and be sated, on condition he does not encroach on his fellow's territory in areas of Shechita, and reviews the laws of Shechita as is described in the Acharonim…".
The illustrious R. Yaakov Yosef (1841-1902), a leading Lithuanian Torah scholar, appointed in his later years as chief rabbi in NY (the first and last rabbi to serve as chief rabbi of New York and the United States). A prominent disciple of R. Yisrael of Salant, due to his exceptional Torah genius he was dubbed R. Yakli Charif (the sharp). He served as rabbi of Velon (Veliuona), Yurburg (Jurbarkas) and New Žagarė. In the summer of 1883, he was appointed orator and head posek of Vilna. His sermons, which incorporated the mussar of his teacher R. Yisrael Salant, were widely acclaimed and many thronged to hear him speak. L'Beit Yaakov, his book of homily, was printed in his lifetime in several editions. In 1888, he was appointed chief rabbi of New York by the Agudat HaKehillot who sought an illustrious personage to bolster Torah observance in the United States. Upon his arrival in the U.S., R. Yaakov Yosef established and consolidated all religious requirements of the Jewish community: Kashrut and Shechita, Batei Din and rabbinates, Torah education and the founding of the first yeshiva in the United States. He fell ill following fierce struggles with owners of meat plants who did not look favorably upon his activities in the area of Kashrut. He died in 1902 and was greatly honored by tens of thousands of Jews attending his funeral, the largest Jewish funeral to take place in the USA of those times.
His gravesite in the Union Field Cemetery, NY, is until this day a prayer site, with thousands of Jews from all sects of Orthodox Judaism in America visiting his grave on the anniversary of his passing. Many stories circulate of salvations attained after praying at his gravesite, whether for health, livelihood or finding a spouse (R. Yoel Teitelbaum of Satmar encouraged people to pray at R. Yaakov Yosef's gravesite and he would frequently recount of people who merited a salvation after visiting this holy site). Many biographic articles and compositions were written about R. Yaakov Yosef, the most renowned work being the English book (translated from Yiddish) "The Rav HaKolel and his Generation".
[1] double leaf. Approx. 20 cm. Fair condition. Tears and wear, primarily to left margin.