Handwritten booklet, Mohel's records. [Halberstadt, Germany], 1767-1783.
Contains inscriptions on 24 circumcisions performed by the Mohel. The first inscription is from 12 Tamuz, 1767, and the last one is from 3 Av, 1783.

On the first page is a title: "Swift like a deer to do the will of our father in heaven…". The word Tzvi (deer) is marked, apparently alluding to the Mohel's name, which may have been Tzvi Hirsch Kohen (see below).
The identification of the Mohel's city as Halberstadt is based on the names appearing in the booklet, primarily R. Leib Eiger, who was dayan and Rabbi of Halberstadt, and is mentioned in about half of the inscriptions. In addition, the booklet mentions names of known people from Halberstadt: "R. Bendit Levi", "R. Zalman Hildesheim", and more.

Other inscriptions mention the fact of the Mohel being a Kohen, and names of his family members. In an inscription from 1777 he mentions circumcising his own son Aharon, for whom the Sandak was "R. Hirsch Keslin" (R. Tzvi Keslin donated a large sum to found a school in Halberstadt which opened in 1795, and was named for him Hazkarat Tzvi). Additional inscription on circumcising his son Eliezer Lipman in Tevet, 1779. In 1768 he mentions circumcising Lipman the son of his brother-in-law R. Feivish Katz. In 1779 he mentions Chaim Zelig the grandson of his brother-in-law R. Pinchas Segal. In 1781 he mentions Pinchas the grandson of his brother-in-law R. Pinchas.

Many of the people mentioned in this booklet are signatories of the "Ordinances for the Circumcision Feast" of the Halberstadt community, 1776, signed by leaders and respected members of the community, also including a signature by "Tzvi Hirsch Kohen". This may be the Mohel who was the author of the present booklet.

R. Yehudah Leib Eiger (d. 1808), son of R. Akiva Eiger, Rabbi of Zülz (Biała) and Pressburg (R. Akiva Eiger the first; 1718-1758), served as Rabbi of Halberstadt for forty years. Uncle of R. Akiva Eiger, Rabbi of Posen (1762-1837). Together with his brother R. Wolf, he published his father's novellae in Mishnat DeRabbi Akiva.

[5] leaves (7 written pages). 15 cm. Fair-good condition. Many dark stains. Wear and a few tears. Disconnected leaves. Missing binding.

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