Bidspirit auction | A Rare Ledger With Dozens

A Rare Ledger With Dozens of Rabbinical Autographs – Includes Many Rare Autographs of American Rabbonim. - A fascinating, rare ledger containing tens of autographs and letters of recommendation from the leading Rabbonim of Eretz Israel and America in the 1920s. It was given to Rabbi Meir Ohana of Teveriah, who served as an emissary for Kollel Ohr HaChaim of Jerusalem (named after the Ohr HaChaim). Not only does this ledger give us a strong historical perspective of the situation of the Old Yishuv, it also provides us with a rare glimpse of America’s most prominent Rabbonim of the time, many of whom are not widely known today. As such, this ledger might very well be an only source to autographs of major Torah personalities during the turn of the century.  Amongst the autographs are also many Moroccan Sephardic Chachamim, including: R. Elisha Efriat, R. Shalom Mordechai Azulai, R. Messoud Bitton, R. Yoseph Shaloush, R. Eliyahu Lagimi, and many others. They were known as the “Chachmei HaMa’arvim” and are known for their saintliness and piety. Also seen are autographs and letters from the following Rabbonim of Eretz Israel: R. Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld, Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem. 7 handwritten lines with his autograph and stamp.  R. Kook (handwritten and signed by his secretary R. Menachem Ralbag).  Kolel Ashkenazim of Teveriah and its members. R. Yoel Ashkenazi of Teveriah (1882-1970). He was considered one of the most prominent Chassidim of Teveriah and was the grandson of the Yesod HaAvodah of Slonim. 10 handwritten lines with autograph and stamp. The emissary then traveled to New York, where he was received warmly and was backed by all major Rabbonim of the time. Virtually all these autographs are very scarce and uncommon.  R. Moshe Zevulun Margolies (1851-1936), also known as Ramaz. Perhaps the most influential Rabbinic personality of New York in the early 1900s. He served as the Rabbi of Cong. Kehillath Yeshurun of New York’s Upper East Side. The famed Ramaz school of New York was founded in 1937 in his memory.  R. Avraham Aharon Yudelevitz (1850-1930), Rav HaKolel of Agudas Hakehilos of New York, and author of many Seforim.  R. Bezael Rosen (1871-1929), member of Agudas HaRabbonim of New York. R. Rosen was born in Tarnipol and studied under the Minchas Chinuch in Tarnipol. Later on, he learned under the Kesav Sofer and received Semicha from him.  R. Hillel Klein (1844-1926), disciple of the Kesav Sofer of Pressburg and son-in-law of R. Mendel Hirsch, grandson of R. Samson Refael Hirsch of Frankfurt. Upon his emigration to America, he served as a member of the Beis Din of the Rav Hakolel - R. Yaakov Yosef.  R. Shlomo David Posner, Rav of Jersey City, NJ.  R. Yitzchak Leib Epstein (-1938), a prominent Rav of several Kehillos in New York, and subsequently Rav in Toledo, Ohio. At the time he wrote this recommendation, he was serving as Rav of the “Seini and Vilna Shul” on 213 Henry St., New York.  R. Moshe Chaim Rabinowitz (1854-1935), known as the “Gaon of Brownsville”. He was one of the senior Rabbanim of New York, and was held in high esteem by all. He was born in the town of Lubcha (Belarus) and was known as a great Torah scholar. In his youth, he studied with R. Yitzchak Elchanan Spector of Kovno, and R. Malkiel Tennenbaum, known as the Divrei Malkiel. At the time of his death he was perhaps one of the most famous Rabbonim of New York. R. Yaakov Eskolsky (-1931), a member of Degel HaRabbonim, and Rav of several Shuls in New York, such as the Slutsker Shul and the Bialystoker Shul (where he served when writing his recommendation). Before emigrating to America, he attended the esteemed Kovno Kollel, which produced some of the finest Torah scholars of the day.  R. Zvi Hirsch Dachowitz (1887-1953), a leading Torah scholar, Rav of Anshei Lubavitch, Brownsville. He was an alumnus of the Volozhin Yeshiva where he learned under R. Refael Shapiro of Volozhin, as well as the Radin Yeshiva, where he became a foremost disciple of the Chofetz Chaim. In 1922, on the advice of the Chofetz Chaim himself, he traveled to America to assist in various congregational matters. There, he gave a speech in the large synagogue of Agudas Achim Anshei Lubavitch in Brownsville, Brooklyn. They immediately offered him a rabbinical contract and he accepted the position, which he held for 32 years as their spiritual leader. R. Dachowitz was also crowned with the position of Vice President of the Agudas HaRabbonim of the U.S. and Canada, as well as that of Chairman of the Rabbinical Committee of Greater New York. R. Dachowitz was a staunch fighter for Orthodox matters in all his high positions in the rabbinical world. He was the first of the speakers on all the various committees. He moved worlds with his power of speech, and inflamed public opinion regarding desecration of the honor of Torah and belittlement of the importance of the rabbis. R. Yaakov Ben Zion Mendelson-Morein (1875-1941), Chief Rabbi of Newark, NJ.