Manuscript, guestbook of the Torat Eretz Yisrael General Torah School and Yeshiva in Safed – the yeshiva of R. Yaakov David Wilovsky (Ridvaz) of Slutsk, with tens of letters and copies of letters from supporters and donors of the yeshiva from all over the world. Safed, ca. 1907-1914.

Title page in calligraphy, partially gilded letters, with gilt decorations. The notebook contains a leaf of ordinances (printed), lists of donors (their address and yahrzeits), letters of rabbis and copies of letters of rabbis, entries signed by various supporters and guests who came to Safed (many in Iyar, when many guests come from all over the world to visit gravesites of Tzaddikim in the Galilee and R. Shimon ben Yochai's gravesite on Lag BaOmer).

The notebook contains letters of recommendation and entries with original signatures, including: Signature of Rebbe Moshe David Teitelbaum [Rabbi of Târgu Lăpuș; grandson of the Yitav Lev]; signature of Rebbe Yisrael Hager of Radovitz; signature of R. Meir Adler of Jerusalem [son-in-law of the Rebbe of Lelov]; signature of R. Eliyahu Chamoi, head of the Syrian Beit Din; signature and stamp of R. Nisim Danon, Rabbi of Beirut; letter (on a separate leaf) signed and stamped by R. Chaim Nachum, Hakham Bashi in Constantinople; entries signed by supporters from Metula; signature of R. Moshe Auerbach [founder of Netzach Yisrael school in Petah Tikva]; signature of guest R. Yaakov Leib Kuntzler; entries signed by R. Ze'ev Blumberg of Odessa and R. Meir shochet of Odessa; signature of R. Avraham son of Yechiel Kisselson, shochet of Hoboken, New Jersey; signatures of the guests R. Shlomo Melamed, R. Bechor Yitzchak Katan and R. Moshe Albaali; letter of Dr. Shimon Moyal; letter of R. Yehudah Leib HaKohen Fishman, director of Mizrachi in Israel; letter of Nachum Sokolov; and many more signed entries.

The notebook also includes copies of letters of rabbis, including from R. Chaim Soloveitchik of Brisk; R. Yehoshua Heshel Babad of Ternopil; R. Meshulam Roth; R. Yitzchak Wiedenfeld Rabbi of Hrymailiv; R, Gershon Hager Rabbi of Tauste; R. Asher Zelig Rabbi of Ozerna; R. Yitzchak Moskowitz and R. Chanoch Henich of Sassov; R. David Kleinhandler Rabbi of Zborov; R. Binyamin Aryeh HaKohen Weiss, Rabbi of Chernivtsi; Rebbe Aharon Menachem Mendel Eichenstein of Alesk; and more.

The notebook also contains copies of letters of attendants on behalf of leading Galician rebbes, including letters from attendants and family members of the rebbes of Sadigura, Chortkov, Husiatyn, Kopitchnitz, Czernowitz, Boyan, Vizhnitz, and more.

[45] written pages along with tens of blank leaves. 23.5 cm. Fair-good condition. Stains, including dampstains. Wear and tears. Original leather binding, worn, loose and disconnected, missing spine.

Provenance: Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, EI.011.021.

PLEASE NOTE: Item descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.