Collection of Documents from Berditchev, 1893-1901 – Documenting the Institutions and Holy Societies in the City

Collection of Documents from Berditchev, 1893-1901 – Documenting the Institutions and Holy Societies in the City

Collection of documents from Berditchev (Berdychiv), from the years 1893-1901, documenting the societies, organizations and institutions which operated in Berditchev during those years, with signatures of the gabbaim.
• 12 handwritten documents from 1893-1901, written by R. Ze'ev (Wolf) son of R. Koppel Kaminka of Berditchev. The documents are similar to each other (with minor variations), and confirm the transfer of funds from R. Ze'ev to four societies in the Berditchev community: "Talmud Torah", "Bikur Cholim", "Hachnassat Orchim" and "Yetomim VeAlmanot". The documents are signed by the gabbaim of the societies, and some also bear stamps of the societies. Some of the documents were written on the official stationery of R. Ze'ev Kaminka.
The money donated to these societies came from dividends of two funds, one in the sum of 100 rubles which R. Ze'ev Kaminka dedicated to these four societies, and the other from the estate of his brother-in-law R. Chaim Gad son of R. Ze'ev Feinsilver (d. Moscow, 29th Nissan 1885), in the amount of 400 rubles.
The document dated 1st Nissan 1898 records an additional donation, for "Beit Osef HaYetomim". The document dated 1900 records an additional donation, for "Moshav Zekenim (the new and precious institution, yet small in quantity but great in quality, to the glory of the city)".
• Five printed receipts, filled-in by hand (in Russian), for donations received from R. Ze'ev Kaminka in 1898. Two for donations made out to the Talmud Torah, two for Yetomim VeAlmanot and one for Bikur Cholim. Two receipts are stamped (in Russian) by "Talmud Torah".
• Handwritten leaf, transcript of an official document, listing the names and details of the members of the Kaminka family, 1885. Russian.
18 documents. Size varies, overall good-fair condition.

Mentioning the Name Berditchev as a Segulah for the Sweetening of Judgements
Several Chassidic leaders have been quoted stating that mention of the name Berditchev alone serves as a segulah. R. Naftali of Ropshitz reputedly said that mentioning the name Berditchev is "a segulah for being judged favorably and sweetening judgements". The first rebbe of Sadigura was likewise quoted affirming that "even just mentioning the name Berditchev is a segulah for sweetening judgements". Some explain that the Tzaddik sanctifies the city with his noble attributes, to the extent the city itself is named after the Tzaddik, since a part of his soul is left behind in the city for eternity (see material enclosed with item 72).