Devarim, by Yona Wallach. Tel Aviv: "Achshav", 1966. First edition.
On the title page appears a dedication handwritten by Wallach: "Hurwitz residence, 7/7/66. Yair, Your mother and I agree and praise your wonders and here is a book for you, from Yona".
This copy is from the collections of the Tel-Aviv University Central Library to which Yair Hurwitz's library was bequeathed. Over the years, the dedication was covered with white correction fluid (Tipp-Ex). Once the copy was no longer in the university library's collections, the Tipp-Ex marks were removed and the dedication was revealed.
46, [1] pp, 24 cm. Good condition. Ex library copy. Ink stamps and label near the spine. Stains to cover and title page.

First Day Cover, Independence Day, 1949.
The envelope bears two JNF stamps: "Declaration of Israel Independence" and "The Road to Jerusalem", Day of issue of Stamp" ink-stamps and a postal ink stamp from Haifa. The envelope is signed by David Ben-Gurion (original signature) and stamped: "David Ben-Gurion, Israel Prime Minister and Defense Minister".
17.5X10 cm. Good condition. Some stains.

1. Autograph letter by Shmuel David Luzatto, to the scholar Meir Halevi Letteris. Padua, November 1847.
Shadal writes in this letter sharp statements against Spinoza, in response to an article in favor of Spinoza written by Letteris and published in "Bikure HaItim HaChadashim": "I am Jewish… don't you see that this man expels the human being from mercy and pity and is therefore the enemy of humanity, and there is no Satan who will harm society more than him, and whoever speaks for his virtues and leads the young people to read his book, is corrupting society…". Shadal signed in initials with the citation: "the left hand drive sinners away" (Hebrew).
Meir Halevi Letteris (1800-1871) - member of the enlightenment movement in Galicia and Austria, poet, author and translator.
[1] folded leaf, 27 cm, written on both sides of the leaf. A wide piece of paper is pasted on top of the leaf, hiding the opening of the letter, on which Shadal wrote about the letter - name of the receiver, date etc. Creases, stains and folding marks. Open tear, repaired.
2. Autograph letter by Shmuel David Lussatto, to Rabbi Shlomo Judah Hacohen Rapoport (Shir). September 1849.
Shadal writes at great length about the 1848 revolutions in Padua, about the birth of his son Joseph, and mentions his scholarly work. At the end of the letter Shadal cites from a letter sent to him. It seems that the letter is not complete.
Shir (Shlomo Judah Hacohen Rapoport, 1790-1867) - one of the founders of "Chochmat Israel" movement and of the enlightenment movement in Galicia, Rabbi of Tarnopol and Prague.
[1] leaf written on both sides, 33 cm. A wide piece of paper is pasted on top of the leaf, hiding the heading of the letter, on which Shadal wrote information about the letter - name of receiver, date etc. Fair-good condition. Tears and creases at margins. Some stains.
Provenance: Collection of Ben Zion Kahana.

About 90 handwritten letters sent to Shmuel David Luzatto by scholars and poets, linguists, commentators and intellectuals of the Enlightenment Movement. [Europe, first half of 19th century - most letters are from 1830s-40s].
A large collection of letters about research, copying of manuscripts, debates, scholarly comments about the bible and other compositions, sent to Shadal (1800-1865) - a member of the Jewish Enlightenment movement, one of the first scholars of "Chochmat Israel", head of Rabbinic Seminary in Padua, poet, biblical commentator, linguist, philosopher, researcher and translator.
The collection includes:
* 14 letters from the researcher and historian Ya'akov Reifman + a pamphlet in his handwriting + 2 letters from Reifman addressed to Rabbi Mordechai Shmuel Ghirondi, Rabbi of Padua. * 15 letters from Yehushua Höschel Schorr, one of the most extreme Haskala scholars in Galicia (some letters are particularly long). * 3 letters from Adam Hacohen Lebensohn (pen-name of Avraham Dov-Ber Michailishker, first Hebrew poet in the Russian Enlightenment movement, a pioneer of new Hebrew literature and one of the leaders of the enlightenment movement in Lithuania) + a letter from his disciple, Yosef Noah Vilkover + letter from his son, Micha Yosef Hacohen (Michal). * 6 letters from Raphael Kirchheim. * 7 letters from Shaul Yitzchak Kampf. * 17 letters from Shlomo Zalman ben Gottlieb (Salomon Gottlieb) Stern ("Kochav Tov"). * 7 letters from Yitzchak Rietenberg. * 2 letters from Yissachar Ber Blumenfeld. * 5 letters from Itzek (Yitzchak) Blumenfeld. * 2 letters from Shimon Santo. * As well as several letters from Shmuel Shoenblum, David Halevi, Ya'akov Halevi, Gabriel Rosenthal from Komarno, Moshe Reicherson, Mordechai Hacohen (Marcus Stum), Julius Fürst, Hirsch Mendel Pineles and Zelig Leib (Leopold) Schick.
In some of the letters the writers mention outstanding personalities of the period, like, for example, Rabbi Prof. Hillel Della Torre, Avraham Firkovich and Yom Tov Lipman Zunz. Many letters include copies of poems or literary passages, piyyutim, missives etc. On top of part of the letters appears the number of the reply letter sent by Shadal to the writer, as it is numbered in "Igrot Shadal").
Enclosed: envelope from Adam Hacohen; title page and pages with table of contents of booklet no. 3 of "Hechalutz"; two letters from Shadal's grandson, I. A. Luzatto, which accompanied the above letters (apparently, sent to the researcher Avraham Kahana): "please have… letters from the sages of this generation sent to my grandfather Shadal…".
Size and condition vary. Good overall condition. Most letters are folded. Tears or defects to some of the letters as a result of ink erosion. Some stains. Worming to some letters.
Provenance: Collection of Ben Zion Kahana.

About 45 handwritten letters, sent to Yashar - Isaac Samuel Reggio, by rabbis, scholars, commentators and intellectuals of the Enlightenment movement and the "Chochmat Israel" movement. [Europe, ca. first half of 19th century].
Isaac Samuel Reggio ("The Yashar from Gorizia", 1784-1855) served as rabbi of Gorizia; philosopher, scholar of Judaism, biblical commentator and author, one of the heads of "Chochmat Israel" movement and a close friend of Shadal.
The collection includes:
* Letter from Rabbi Naftali Benet, son of Rabbi Mordechai Benet (Rebbe and head of Nikolsburg Yeshiva, chief rabbi of Moravia). * Letter from Rabbi Leopold Löw, Rebbe of Szeged. * Letter from Rabbi Avraham Ben Yosef Israel of Brody (Aauthor of "Dvar HaMelech"). * Letter from Yehoshua Höschel Schorr. * Letter from Adam Hacohen Lebensohn. * Letter from Meir Halevi Letteris (signed "MAHAL"). * 6 letters from Nachman Yitzchak Fishman Hacohen of Lvov. * 10 letters from Itzek (Yitzchak) Blumenfeld of Brody. * 2 letters from Shlomo Zalman ben Gottlieb (Solomon Gottlieb) Stern ("Kochav Tov"). * Letter and a poem handwritten by Alexander Halevi Langbanen. * 4 letters from Avraham Mendel Mehr (Mendel Mor). * 2 letters from Rabbi Zvi Hirsch Chen Tov (Edelman). * Several letters from Ya'akov Bodek, Ya'akov Goldenberg, Hirsch (Herman) Wassertriling, Shimon Santo, Mordechai Motl Brahn, and some letters from unidentified writers.
Enclosed: letter sent by Silvio Michlstadter from Trieste to Avraham Kahana in Kiev in 1913, concerning letters by Yashar.
Size and condition vary. Good overall condition. Most letters are folded. Tears and slight defects to several letters. Some stains.
Provenance: Collection of Ben Zion Kahana.