Auction 72 - Rare and Important Items
Large Collection of Letters from the Rebbe Rayatz and His Son-in-Law the Lubavitcher Rebbe, with Their Signatures and Many Additions in Their Handwriting – Many Blessings for Livelihood, Health, New Year and Repayment of Loans – Detailed Unpublished Instructions on Health Matters in the Handwriting of the Lubavitcher Rebbe – 1926-1979 / Copying of an Unpublished Long Discourse of the Rayatz at the Purim 1926 Farbrengen
Opening: $10,000
Estimate: $30,000 - $40,000
Sold for: $37,500
Including buyer's premium
Large collection of letters from Rebbe Yosef Yitzchak Schneerson of Lubavitch and his son-in-law Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, with their signatures and words added in their handwriting, sometimes even entire lines. Most are addressed to R. Yosef Shmotkin of Rishon LeZion and his family. Leningrad (Russia), Riga (Latvia), Warsaw, Otvosk (Otwock, Poland), Brooklyn (New York), 1926-1979.
• 17 letters from the Rebbe Rayatz (most typewritten on official stationery, a few written by a scribe), some unpublished. All the letters bear his signature; some his full signature, including his surname, and three the special signature which he used in the last year of his life (with the letter Yud in Ashuri script). Several letters contain words added in his handwriting.
Among the letters is an invitation to the wedding of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, bearing the Rebbe Rayatz's signature, the date, the name and address of the recipient and the words: "His friend who seeks his wellbeing and blesses him", all in the handwriting of the Rayatz.
• 18 letters and a telegram from the Lubavitcher Rebbe (typewritten on official stationery), some unpublished. The letters bear his signature, with some containing words or entire lines added in his handwriting.
Among the letters: New Year greetings from Elul 1950 (year of mourning for the Rebbe Rayatz), where next to the signature of the Rebbe (who was yet to be appointed rebbe) appear the signatures of his mother-in-law Rebbetzin Nechama Dina Schneerson and his brother-in-law R. Shemaryahu Gur-Aryeh; letter on the official stationery of the Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch.
• Rare copying of a discourse ("Hanocha", 8 pages) delivered by the Rayatz at the Purim feast in 1926, which was never fully printed (short sections of this discourse were printed in Shemuot V'Sipurim MeRabbotenu HaKedoshim, I, p. 41, and in Sipur shel Chag – Chag Purim, p. 161); copying of a discourse delivered by the Rayatz on 19th Kislev [1928], never printed (piece of paper, written on both sides).
• The collection also contains the following: 14 letters from R. Yechezkel Feigin, secretary of the Rayatz (most in the name of the Rayatz on official stationery); two letters from R. Shmuel Zalmanov (one sent by the directive and in the name of the Rayatz); a letter from R. Nachman Yisrael HaKohen (in the name of the Rayatz); a long letter from R. Shmuel HaLevi Levitin (sent from Kutaisi), regarding sending "maamadot" funds of the Rebbe Rayatz; a kvitel written by R. Yosef Shmotkin to his Rebbe the Rayatz; long letters from R. Yosef Shmotkin to the Rebbe Rayatz and to his secretary R. Yechezkel Feigin; a letter acknowledging receipt of a donation, from the management of the Tomchei Temimim Lubavitch Yeshiva in 1912 (on the yeshiva's official stationery, with the stamp of the Rayatz); signs and cards which document the visit of the Rayatz to Eretz Israel in 1929; "General Letter", with the Rebbe's signature in photocopy; official membership certificate of the Chabad Kollel; newspaper clippings with articles about the Lubavitcher Rebbe and other items related to Chabad.
Enclosed: A photograph of the Lubavitcher Rebbe; two legal documents of the Tel Aviv Chief Rabbinate, from 1929, with the signatures of the Chief Rabbis of Tel Aviv, R. Shlomo Aharonson and R. Ben Tzion Chai Uziel; Chok L'Yisrael – Bereshit, Piotrków 1898.
R. Yosef Shmotkin (1892-1979), the recipient of most of the letters, was a Chabad orchard owner and businessman. He immigrated to Eretz Israel in 1925 and was one of the founders of the Chabad community in Rishon LeZion, initiating the construction of the Chabad synagogue there. The letters the Rayatz sent to him deal among other matters, with the debts he incurred and complicated issues related to an estate and the sale of his orchard. Many letters sent to him by the Rebbe concern the health of his grandson Zohar Olpiner (1945-2012, owner of a law office in Rishon LeZion and chairman of the Chess Club in Rishon LeZion), who contracted polio at the age of 5 and was left with paralyzed legs. These letters contain much advice which the Rebbe gave regarding this illness, including information on treatments, doctors, hospitalizations and surgery. Apparently, these letters have not been printed.
76 paper items (including 17 letters with the signature of the Rebbe Rayatz and 18 letters with the signature of the Lubavitcher Rebbe) + one photograph. Size varies. Overall good condition.
• 17 letters from the Rebbe Rayatz (most typewritten on official stationery, a few written by a scribe), some unpublished. All the letters bear his signature; some his full signature, including his surname, and three the special signature which he used in the last year of his life (with the letter Yud in Ashuri script). Several letters contain words added in his handwriting.
Among the letters is an invitation to the wedding of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, bearing the Rebbe Rayatz's signature, the date, the name and address of the recipient and the words: "His friend who seeks his wellbeing and blesses him", all in the handwriting of the Rayatz.
• 18 letters and a telegram from the Lubavitcher Rebbe (typewritten on official stationery), some unpublished. The letters bear his signature, with some containing words or entire lines added in his handwriting.
Among the letters: New Year greetings from Elul 1950 (year of mourning for the Rebbe Rayatz), where next to the signature of the Rebbe (who was yet to be appointed rebbe) appear the signatures of his mother-in-law Rebbetzin Nechama Dina Schneerson and his brother-in-law R. Shemaryahu Gur-Aryeh; letter on the official stationery of the Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch.
• Rare copying of a discourse ("Hanocha", 8 pages) delivered by the Rayatz at the Purim feast in 1926, which was never fully printed (short sections of this discourse were printed in Shemuot V'Sipurim MeRabbotenu HaKedoshim, I, p. 41, and in Sipur shel Chag – Chag Purim, p. 161); copying of a discourse delivered by the Rayatz on 19th Kislev [1928], never printed (piece of paper, written on both sides).
• The collection also contains the following: 14 letters from R. Yechezkel Feigin, secretary of the Rayatz (most in the name of the Rayatz on official stationery); two letters from R. Shmuel Zalmanov (one sent by the directive and in the name of the Rayatz); a letter from R. Nachman Yisrael HaKohen (in the name of the Rayatz); a long letter from R. Shmuel HaLevi Levitin (sent from Kutaisi), regarding sending "maamadot" funds of the Rebbe Rayatz; a kvitel written by R. Yosef Shmotkin to his Rebbe the Rayatz; long letters from R. Yosef Shmotkin to the Rebbe Rayatz and to his secretary R. Yechezkel Feigin; a letter acknowledging receipt of a donation, from the management of the Tomchei Temimim Lubavitch Yeshiva in 1912 (on the yeshiva's official stationery, with the stamp of the Rayatz); signs and cards which document the visit of the Rayatz to Eretz Israel in 1929; "General Letter", with the Rebbe's signature in photocopy; official membership certificate of the Chabad Kollel; newspaper clippings with articles about the Lubavitcher Rebbe and other items related to Chabad.
Enclosed: A photograph of the Lubavitcher Rebbe; two legal documents of the Tel Aviv Chief Rabbinate, from 1929, with the signatures of the Chief Rabbis of Tel Aviv, R. Shlomo Aharonson and R. Ben Tzion Chai Uziel; Chok L'Yisrael – Bereshit, Piotrków 1898.
R. Yosef Shmotkin (1892-1979), the recipient of most of the letters, was a Chabad orchard owner and businessman. He immigrated to Eretz Israel in 1925 and was one of the founders of the Chabad community in Rishon LeZion, initiating the construction of the Chabad synagogue there. The letters the Rayatz sent to him deal among other matters, with the debts he incurred and complicated issues related to an estate and the sale of his orchard. Many letters sent to him by the Rebbe concern the health of his grandson Zohar Olpiner (1945-2012, owner of a law office in Rishon LeZion and chairman of the Chess Club in Rishon LeZion), who contracted polio at the age of 5 and was left with paralyzed legs. These letters contain much advice which the Rebbe gave regarding this illness, including information on treatments, doctors, hospitalizations and surgery. Apparently, these letters have not been printed.
76 paper items (including 17 letters with the signature of the Rebbe Rayatz and 18 letters with the signature of the Lubavitcher Rebbe) + one photograph. Size varies. Overall good condition.
Chabad – Books and Letters
Chabad – Books and Letters