Auction 92 Part 2 Rare and Important Manuscripts and Items of the Gross Family Collection
Pinkas of the Chesed Shel Emet Burial Society – Iași, 1875-1879 – Color Illustrations and Ornaments
Opening: $6,000
Estimate: $10,000 - $15,000
Sold for: $7,500
Including buyer's premium
Manuscript, Pinkas (register) of the Chesed Shel Emet burial society of Iași. Iași (Romania), [1875-1879].
Neat scribal script, with title pages and leaves illustrated and ornamented in color. The Pinkas contains the regulations of the Chevra Kadisha, words of ethics by R. Naftali Katz author of Semichat Chachamim, copyings of letters from rabbis of Iași dated 1878-1879 (R. Yaakov Taubes, a rabbi of Iași; and his nephew R. Uri Shraga Feivel Taubes Rabbi of Iași), a copying of the sales deed of the burial plot near the gravesite of Rebbe Menachem Nachum of Shtefanesht, and more.
The manuscript opens with a colorful title page, depicting various animals (heraldic lions, langued; gazelles; birds and more), leaves and flowers. Chronogram indicating the year 1875 at the center of the title page.
Leaves 1-3 contain a copying of words of ethics and reproof from R. Naftali Katz (author of Semichat Chachamim) on the importance of preparing for death, and the necessity for the Chevra Kadisha to also take care of the needs of ill people (printed in his book Beit Rachel, Ahavat Shalom edition, Jerusalem 2001, II, pp. 235-238; 36 regulations he wrote there were not copied in the present Pinkas).
On leaf 4, additional colorful architectural title page. On leaf 5, headpiece for a table of contents, depicting an eagle carrying a key, standing on a medallion. The table of contents was eventually not included, resulting in two blank leaves.
33 regulations of the society occupy leaves 14-31, inscribed in color, ornamented circular frames. Three additional regulations on leaf 32.
The regulations are preceded by two introductions – one beginning with a decorated leaf containing a poem forming the acrostic "Yaakov Shlomo son of Mordechai" and a chronogram indicating the year 1875. The second introduction explains the necessity for instituting regulations.
Additional architectural title page on leaf 38, introducing several leaves listing the names of the society members. This part of the Pinkas is lacking several leaves (apparent from the pagination; the leaves may have been blank).
On p. 40a, copying of an essay titled Te'udah BeYisrael by R. Uri Shraga Feivel Taubes Rabbi of Iași, dated 1879. On p. 40b, copying of a letter by R. Yaakov Taubes, a rabbi of Iași, dated 1878.
R. Yaakov Taubes (ca. 1818-1890), fourth son of R. Aharon Moshe Taubes Rabbi of Iași (author of Karnei Re'em), and son-in-law of R. Yehuda Tzvi Eichenstein of Rozdil (author of Amud HaTorah, son-in-law of Rebbe Tzvi Hirsh of Zidichov). A prominent Torah scholar, one of the leading Chassidic rabbis in his times. He first served as rabbi of Zidichov, and in 1868, he moved to Iași to serve on the rabbinate (together with R. Yeshaya Schor author of Kelil Tiferet, and his brother R. Shmuel Shmelke Taubes Rabbi of the city; the latter was succeeded by his son R. Uri Shraga Feivel Taubes). R. Yaakov Taubes was one of the dayanim in the city, and the rabbi of the Podu Roș neighborhood. He exchanged halachic correspondence with the leading rabbis of his times: R. Shlomo Kluger of Brody, the Divrei Chaim of Sanz, the Beit Yitzchak of Lviv, and others. The Divrei Chaim of Sanz, in a letter published in Kol Yaakov (Czernowitz, 1872 – regarding the dispute over the Buchach rabbinate), writes that "one must obey my mechutan", in reference to R. Yaakov Taubes.
R. Uri Shraga Taubes (1840-1908), son of R. Shmuel Shmelke Taubes, a leading Torah scholar in his times. He served as rabbi of Iași in place of his father and grandfather, for over forty years. He authored Responsa Ori VeYish'i (Encyclopedia L'Chachmei Galitzia, III, pp. 53-54).
A deed, dated 1870, recording the sale of the plot of land east of the gravesite of R. Menachem Nachum of Shtefanesht to R. Yaakov Neuschotz, was copied on pp. 77b-78a. Stamped "Chesed Shel Emet society, founded in Iași in 1875".
A homily regarding Chesed shel Emet was inscribed in decorative frames on leaves 179-180.
[1], 3, 5-15, 17-38, 40-43, 77-78, 178-180 leaves (some blank leaves). 39.5 cm. Good condition. Stains. Inscriptions. New, ornamented leather binding.
Provenance: The Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, EE.011.013.
Neat scribal script, with title pages and leaves illustrated and ornamented in color. The Pinkas contains the regulations of the Chevra Kadisha, words of ethics by R. Naftali Katz author of Semichat Chachamim, copyings of letters from rabbis of Iași dated 1878-1879 (R. Yaakov Taubes, a rabbi of Iași; and his nephew R. Uri Shraga Feivel Taubes Rabbi of Iași), a copying of the sales deed of the burial plot near the gravesite of Rebbe Menachem Nachum of Shtefanesht, and more.
The manuscript opens with a colorful title page, depicting various animals (heraldic lions, langued; gazelles; birds and more), leaves and flowers. Chronogram indicating the year 1875 at the center of the title page.
Leaves 1-3 contain a copying of words of ethics and reproof from R. Naftali Katz (author of Semichat Chachamim) on the importance of preparing for death, and the necessity for the Chevra Kadisha to also take care of the needs of ill people (printed in his book Beit Rachel, Ahavat Shalom edition, Jerusalem 2001, II, pp. 235-238; 36 regulations he wrote there were not copied in the present Pinkas).
On leaf 4, additional colorful architectural title page. On leaf 5, headpiece for a table of contents, depicting an eagle carrying a key, standing on a medallion. The table of contents was eventually not included, resulting in two blank leaves.
33 regulations of the society occupy leaves 14-31, inscribed in color, ornamented circular frames. Three additional regulations on leaf 32.
The regulations are preceded by two introductions – one beginning with a decorated leaf containing a poem forming the acrostic "Yaakov Shlomo son of Mordechai" and a chronogram indicating the year 1875. The second introduction explains the necessity for instituting regulations.
Additional architectural title page on leaf 38, introducing several leaves listing the names of the society members. This part of the Pinkas is lacking several leaves (apparent from the pagination; the leaves may have been blank).
On p. 40a, copying of an essay titled Te'udah BeYisrael by R. Uri Shraga Feivel Taubes Rabbi of Iași, dated 1879. On p. 40b, copying of a letter by R. Yaakov Taubes, a rabbi of Iași, dated 1878.
R. Yaakov Taubes (ca. 1818-1890), fourth son of R. Aharon Moshe Taubes Rabbi of Iași (author of Karnei Re'em), and son-in-law of R. Yehuda Tzvi Eichenstein of Rozdil (author of Amud HaTorah, son-in-law of Rebbe Tzvi Hirsh of Zidichov). A prominent Torah scholar, one of the leading Chassidic rabbis in his times. He first served as rabbi of Zidichov, and in 1868, he moved to Iași to serve on the rabbinate (together with R. Yeshaya Schor author of Kelil Tiferet, and his brother R. Shmuel Shmelke Taubes Rabbi of the city; the latter was succeeded by his son R. Uri Shraga Feivel Taubes). R. Yaakov Taubes was one of the dayanim in the city, and the rabbi of the Podu Roș neighborhood. He exchanged halachic correspondence with the leading rabbis of his times: R. Shlomo Kluger of Brody, the Divrei Chaim of Sanz, the Beit Yitzchak of Lviv, and others. The Divrei Chaim of Sanz, in a letter published in Kol Yaakov (Czernowitz, 1872 – regarding the dispute over the Buchach rabbinate), writes that "one must obey my mechutan", in reference to R. Yaakov Taubes.
R. Uri Shraga Taubes (1840-1908), son of R. Shmuel Shmelke Taubes, a leading Torah scholar in his times. He served as rabbi of Iași in place of his father and grandfather, for over forty years. He authored Responsa Ori VeYish'i (Encyclopedia L'Chachmei Galitzia, III, pp. 53-54).
A deed, dated 1870, recording the sale of the plot of land east of the gravesite of R. Menachem Nachum of Shtefanesht to R. Yaakov Neuschotz, was copied on pp. 77b-78a. Stamped "Chesed Shel Emet society, founded in Iași in 1875".
A homily regarding Chesed shel Emet was inscribed in decorative frames on leaves 179-180.
[1], 3, 5-15, 17-38, 40-43, 77-78, 178-180 leaves (some blank leaves). 39.5 cm. Good condition. Stains. Inscriptions. New, ornamented leather binding.
Provenance: The Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, EE.011.013.
Pinkasim – Communities and Societies
Pinkasim – Communities and Societies