Auction 96 Early Printed Books, Chassidut and Kabbalah, Books Printed in Jerusalem, Letters and Manuscripts

Letter of Rebbe David Tzvi Shlomo Bidermann of Lelov – Jerusalem, 1892

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Handwritten letter of the Chassidic Gemilut Chasadim society in Jerusalem, signed by the directors: R. "David Tzvi Shlomo" Bidermann – the Rebbe of Lelov, and his relative R. "Binyamin Berenstein", with stamps of the society. Jerusalem, Shevat 1892.
Confirmation of receipt of a donation to the Gemilut Chasadim society from "the elder philanthropist… R. David son of R. Tzvi Weissman of Rozhniativ". The above directors bless the donor to succeed in transferring the full sum he had pledged (in installments): "…And may God judge him worthy to complete the task as he said…".


Rebbe David Tzvi Shlomo Bidermann (1844-1918), son of Rebbe Elazar Menachem Mendel of Lelov (1827-1883), leader of the Chassidic communities of Jerusalem. R. David Tzvi was holy and pure from his youth. In 1850, when his grandfather Rebbe Moshele travelled to Eretz Israel and took leave of Rebbe Yisrael of Ruzhin, the Ruzhiner said that the boy David has "shining, bright eyes". Over the years, he would travel from Jerusalem to Karlin and became one of the leading Chassidim of the Beit Aharon. His father, Rebbe Elazar Mendel, attested that he never ceased to see God as standing before him. The Yismach Yisrael of Aleksander dubbed him "a Sefer Torah". R. Chaim Shmuel of Chęciny said that for many years he was the "Tzaddik of the generation". Upon his father’s death in 1883 he was appointed rebbe, and was the primary leader of the Chassidic community of Jerusalem.


R. Binyamin Yehudah Leib Berenstein, born ca. 1930s in Safed to his father R. Fishel Berenstein, a follower of Rebbe Moshe Tzvi of Savran. His father, who was childless, was blessed by his rebbe to have a child, and he advised him to immigrate to Eretz Israel. At a young age R. Binyamin married the daughter of R. Yitzchak David Bidermann of Lelov (son of Rebbe Moshe of Lelov and uncle of Rebbe David Tzvi Shlomo). R. Binyamin was a leader of the Chassidic community in Jerusalem, and he traveled abroad on missions for the Jerusalem Chassidim, where he was received with great honor by leading rebbes, the Divrei Chaim of Sanz and the Rebbe of Ruzhin: "he was received with open arms by the Tzaddikim of the generation, who closely associated with him due to his high virtue, his greatness in Torah, nobility of character and pure fear of heaven" (Tiferet Beit David, pp. 251-252). He was an extraordinary Torah scholar; reputedly, R. Yosef Babad, Rabbi of Ternopil, sent him the manuscript of his Minchat Chinuch to review and comment on before bringing it to press (Binyamin Rabinowitz, Amuda DiNehora – Labat Esh, Jerusalem 2003, pp. 68-69). His descendants include distinguished dynasties of rabbis and rebbes. His sons, sons-in-law and grandsons were known as scholarly and righteous individuals in Jerusalem, including his son-in-law Rebbe Alter Betzalel Nata Bidermann of Sosnowice and Jerusalem (brother of Rebbe David Tzvi Shlomo).


[1] leaf. 13x11.5 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains and folds. Tears to fold (repaired with tape on verso).

Chassidut – Letters
Chassidut – Letters