Official stationery of Rebbe "Yisrael Perlow, Stolin, Minsk governate", with a handwritten list of Psalms customarily recited on one night of Chanukah. [Stolin, Belarus, before 1922?].
This leaf contains a handwritten list documenting a Karlin Chassidic custom - a list of Psalms and prayers to be recited on Thursday night of Chanukah. The list was presumably written by one of the associates or attendants of the Rebbe (it may have been written by the rebbe's close attendant, the renowned R. Yisrael Binyamin Gleuberman).
Karlin Chassidim would customarily return to the synagogue following the Chanukah candle lighting in their homes, and recite together some Psalms with great passion. The Beit Aharon VeYisrael siddur of Karlin Chassidim states after HaNerot Halalu: "Every night, after the Chanukah candle lighting, we gather in the synagogue and recite the Chanukah Psalms". This introduction is followed by a list of Psalms and prayers to be recited every night after candle lighting. Different Psalms are recited every night, in a particular order. None of the editions of this siddur record the specific order of Psalms recited on Thursday night of Chanukah, nor is it documented in the Karlin Chanukah customs (see: Beit Aharon VeYisrael anthology, 92, pp. 121-122). This leaf was presumably written before the first Karlin siddur was printed in 1922.
Rebbe Yisrael Perlow of Karlin Stolin, known as "the Yenuka" (1868-1921), was orphaned from his father R. Asher of Stolin in his childhood, and was appointed rebbe at the young age of four and a half (!). He was the son-in-law of R. David Twersky of Zlatopoli. He passed away at the age of 53, and was buried in Frankfurt, and was since known amongst Karlin Chassidim as "The Frankfurter". He left behind six sons and four daughters: Rebbe Moshe of Stolin, Rebbe Avraham Elimelech of Karlin, Rebbe Yochanan of Lutsk, Rebbe Yaakov of Detroit, R. Aharon of Warsaw and R. Asher of Stolin. Most of his descendants perished in the Holocaust. The only surviving scion of this distinguished family was his youngest son, Rebbe Yochanan of Lutsk and Detroit (1900-1955) - grandfather of the current rebbe of Karlin-Stolin and his brother, the rebbe of Lutsk.
The Beit Aharon VeYisrael siddur was first printed in Piotrkow 1922, following to the precise directives of Rebbe Yisrael Perlow of Karlin. During the course of the siddur's preparation for print, the Rebbe passed away on the second day of Rosh Hashana, 1921. The siddur was reprinted in Brooklyn 1952 by his son Rebbe Yochanan, with many additions. Neither of the two editions contain this order of Psalms and prayers for Thursday night of Chanukah, and this early custom presumably ceased at the time, and is no longer observed today.
[1] leaf, official stationery. 20 cm. Fair-poor condition. Stains. Wear. Tears affecting text. Mounted on paper for preservation. Old tape repairs to recto. Folding marks.