Auction 92 Part 2 Rare and Important Manuscripts and Items of the Gross Family Collection
![Manuscript – Chassidic essays on the Torah portions, by R. Yisrael of Ruzhin. [Galicia, 19th century]. Decorated manuscript.](https://files.kedem-auctions.com/files/Sale92_2/165_1.jpg "Decorated Manuscript – Selections on the Torah Portions by Rabbi Yisra")
![Manuscript – Chassidic essays on the Torah portions, by R. Yisrael of Ruzhin. [Galicia, 19th century]. Decorated manuscript.](https://files.kedem-auctions.com/files/Sale92_2/165_2.jpg "Decorated Manuscript – Selections on the Torah Portions by Rabbi Yisra")
![Manuscript – Chassidic essays on the Torah portions, by R. Yisrael of Ruzhin. [Galicia, 19th century]. Decorated manuscript.](https://files.kedem-auctions.com/files/Sale92_2/165_3.jpg "Decorated Manuscript – Selections on the Torah Portions by Rabbi Yisra")
![Manuscript – Chassidic essays on the Torah portions, by R. Yisrael of Ruzhin. [Galicia, 19th century]. Decorated manuscript.](https://files.kedem-auctions.com/files/Sale92_2/165_4.jpg "Decorated Manuscript – Selections on the Torah Portions by Rabbi Yisra")
![Manuscript – Chassidic essays on the Torah portions, by R. Yisrael of Ruzhin. [Galicia, 19th century]. Decorated manuscript.](https://files.kedem-auctions.com/files/Sale92_2/165_5.jpg "Decorated Manuscript – Selections on the Torah Portions by Rabbi Yisra")
![Manuscript – Chassidic essays on the Torah portions, by R. Yisrael of Ruzhin. [Galicia, 19th century]. Decorated manuscript.](https://files.kedem-auctions.com/files/Sale92_2/165_6.jpg "Decorated Manuscript – Selections on the Torah Portions by Rabbi Yisra")
Manuscript – Chassidic essays on the Torah portions, by R. Yisrael of Ruzhin. [Galicia, 19th century].
Decorated manuscript. Ornamental initial panels at the beginning of each book of the Torah. Tailpiece ornaments at the end of each book. Cursive Ashkenazic script, with headings in square script.
The manuscript begins with Parashat Noach, and ends in the middle of Parashat Shoftim (Book of Devarim). Headings with name of Parasha and the name of the author. Two essays are dated: 1844 and 1824.
Most of the contents of the present manuscript was published, occasionally with textual variations, in the books Irin Kadishin, Nachalat Yisrael and Pe'er LaYesharim. However, several sections we have not found published.
R. Yisrael of Ruzhin's Torah thoughts, which he delivered to his Chassidim, were not published for several decades, as a matter of principle. R. Yisrael of Ruzhin would state regarding himself: "Everyone produces works, but I produce sons – we'll see who takes the lead… (his grandson R. Levi Yitzchak Monson, Becha Yevarech Yisrael, Parashat Noach). The notes recorded by his leading disciples were preserved amongst Chassidim as classified manuscripts, and they were particular to only allow those suitable of studying them to copy them. Even when the book Irin Kadishin was published in 1885, it aroused a great polemic amongst the Ruzhin Chassidim, and the publisher added an extra leaf to the book where he listed the names of the rebbes of Ruzhin who agreed that publishing the book was correct and beneficial.
1-58 (lacking end). Approx. 19 cm. Good condition. Stains. Minor tears and worming to several leaves. Inner margins of several leaves strengthened and repaired with paper. Old binding, with minor blemishes.
Provenance: The Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, EE.011.008.
Manuscript, Torah thoughts by R. Ze'ev Wolf of Zbaraż, son of R. Yechiel Michel of Zlotchov – Chassidic essays following the order of the Torah portions. [Sadigura, 1867].
The manuscript was gifted to Rebbe Nachum Dov Ber Friedman of Sadigura, who signed on the front endpaper: "This book belongs to Nachum Dov Ber Friedman". With two of his stamps on the title page, one with his name and a lion-emblem in the center, and the other reading "Minchat Shai".
Detailed illustrated title page (in brown and red ink): the upper part of the title page depicts two griffins bearing a medallion topped with a Torah crown. The title page text is flanked with the figures of Moses and Aaron. A cityscape – houses, towers with pointed turrets and a bridge – decorates the bottom part of the title page.
The year, which is partially deleted, presumably reads 5627 (1866-1867). Beneath the date: "Written here, Sadigura" (this appears to have been scribed over the name of a different place, which was erased).
Neat Rashi script. Colophon on final page, followed by a tailpiece in color (tree with branches and flowers, set in a frame).
R. Ze'ev Wolf (R. Velvel) of Zbaraż (1832-1862) was one of the five sons of the maggid R. Yechiel Michel of Zlotchov, who attested that his sons were equivalent to the Five Books of the Torah. The Maggid of Zlotchov regarded his son R. Ze'ev Wolf as supremely holy, comparable to the book of Vayikra, which deals with the Temple service; and considered him pious and perfect like the Olah offering.
The contents of the present manuscript were later published (with slight variations) in the book Razin DeOraita, Warsaw 1903. Sections of the manuscript were published previously in the book Tiferet Tzvi Ze'ev, Lviv 1896.
Rebbe Nachum Dov Ber Friedman of Sadigura (d. 1883), grandson of Rebbe Yisrael of Ruzhin. He was the son of R. Shalom Yosef and son-in-law of Rebbe Avraham Yaakov of Sadigura. R. Nachum Dov Ber was a prominent collector of early manuscripts and books, and possessed a large library (see: David Assaf, Derech Malchut, p. 454, footnote 34; R. Zusha Dinkeles, Library of R. Nachum Bernyu, MiBeinei Amudei, Betar 2017, pp. 419-439). R. Nachum Dov used several types of stamps in his library. Books he inherited from his father were stamped "Nachalat Avotai", books acquired with his money were stamped "Kinyan Kaspi" and books received as a gift (such as the present book) were stamped "Minchat Shai".
15 leaves. 25 cm. Good condition. Stains. Wormhole to title page. Minor blemishes to endpapers. Worming to inside boards. Early leather binding, damaged, with restored spine.
Reference: Batsheva Goldman Ida, Hasidic Art and the Kabbalah, Leiden-Boston: Brill, 2018. The present manuscript is photographed on p. 69.
Provenance:
The manuscript was offered at auction in 1927 in a special sale of books and manuscripts from the library of R. Nachum Dov Ber, and is listed in the auction catalog (catalog number 9, typewritten and mimeographed), lot 15.
Formerly Library of Mossad HaRav Kook Ms. 372; listed by Naftali ben Menachem in Manuscripts from the Library of Rabbi Nahum Dov-Ber Friedman, Areshet I (1959), p. 404, no. 10.
The Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, EE.011.020.
Decorated manuscript, Likutim Nechmadim – Chassidic essays following the order of the Torah portions, by R. Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk, produced by "the scribe Yeshayahu Mordechai son of Yosef". Sadigura, 1869.
Impressive, beautiful manuscript produced in Sadigura, and gifted to Rebbe Nachum Dov Ber Friedman of Sadigura (presumably prepared especially for him). His signature appears on the front endpaper: "This book belongs to Nachum Dov Ber Friedman". Two of his stamps on the second leaf, one with his name, with a lion-emblem in the center, and another one reading "Minchat Shai". Bookplate inside front board, reading: "Library of Rebbe Nachum Dov Friedman of Sadigura".
The manuscript opens with two decorated leaves, in color: the first is a title page set in a floral border, with two columns topped by a medallion and a pair of peacocks. The title page states the name of the book – Likutim Nechmadim, the name of the author – R. Menachem Mendel son of R. Moshe of Tiberias, the name of the scribe – Yeshayahu Mordechai son of Yosef, and the place and date the manuscript was scribed – Sadigura, 1869.
The second leaf states: "This book Likutim Nechmadim belongs to… 1869, Sadigura". The book title is set in a decorative panel, with a vase of flowers beneath it containing an empty medallion, presumably for inscribing the name of the owner (this medallion was stamped "Minchat Shai").
The entire manuscript is written in neat, calligraphic Rashi script. Tailpiece in color on p. 67.
On the penultimate page, table of planetary hours. The final page is framed in a colored border, and contains a poem by the scribe (forming an acrostic of his name), signed: "Yeshayahu Mordechai son of Fruma for salvation…".
The present manuscript contains essays by R. Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk, which are not included in his book Pri HaAretz (Kopust, 1814). The contents of the present manuscript were later published in Zhitomir in 1874, under the title "Pri Etz", from a copying which was in the possession of Rebbe Aharon of Chernobyl (the title page there states: "Copied word for word from a manuscript in the possession of R. Aharon of Chernobyl… which he received as a gift from Jerusalem").
A printed leaf was bound at the beginning of the manuscript, after the two decorated leaves, with the will of R. Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk, from the aforementioned Zhitomir edition.
Rebbe Nachum Dov Ber Friedman of Sadigura (d. 1883), grandson of Rebbe Yisrael of Ruzhin. He was the son of R. Shalom Yosef and son-in-law of Rebbe Avraham Yaakov of Sadigura. R. Nachum Dov Ber was a prominent collector of early manuscripts and books, and possessed a large library (see: David Assaf, Derech Malchut, p. 454, footnote 34; R. Zusha Dinkeles, Library of R. Nachum Bernyu, MiBeinei Amudei, Betar 2017, pp. 419-439). R. Nachum Dov used several types of stamps in his library. Books he inherited from his father were stamped "Nachalat Avotai", books acquired with his money were stamped "Kinyan Kaspi" and books received as a gift (such as the present book) were stamped "Minchat Shai".
[3] leaves; 2-67, 2 pages. 18.5 cm. Good condition. Stains. Minor marginal tear to one leaf, repaired with acidic tape (several minor tears to endpapers). Stamps: "F.T. Dent Collection, London". Original binding, red velvet with gilt decorations (binding partially detached; wear and blemishes to binding).
The manuscript appears in the exhibition catalog "BeIkvot HaBaal Shem Tov" – exhibition of the National Library in honor of the 250th anniversary of the passing of the Baal Shem Tov and the 200th anniversary of the passing of R. Nachman of Breslov, Jerusalem, 2010-2011, p. 79, no. 74.
Reference: Batsheva Goldman Ida, Hasidic Art and the Kabbalah, Leiden-Boston: Brill, 2018. The present manuscript is photographed on p. 70.
Provenance:
The manuscript was offered at auction in 1927, in a special auction of books and manuscripts from the library of R. Nachum Dov Ber. It is listed in the auction catalog (catalog no. 9; typewritten and mimeographed), lot 48, where it is described: "Beautiful manuscript in Rashi script, copied in Sadigura by Yeshaya Mordechai son of Yosef for the famous book collector R. Nachum Dov Friedman".
Formerly Library of Mossad HaRav Kook Ms. 137 (old number – Ms. 215); listed by Naftali ben Menachem in Manuscripts from the Library of Rabbi Nahum Dov-Ber Friedman, Areshet I (1959), pp. 403-404, no. 9.
The Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, EE.011.019.