Auction 59 Judaica - Books, Manuscripts, Rabbinical Letters, Ceremonial Art
Feb 20, 2018 (Your local time)
Israel
 8 Ramban St. Jerusalem
The auction has ended

LOT 330:

Rabbi Sheinberg's Tallit Katan

Sold for: $1,700
Start price:
$ 500
Auction house commission: 23%
VAT: On commission only
tags:

Woolen tallit katan, with fringes (tzitzit), worn by R. Chaim Pinchas Sheinberg, head of the Torah Or Yeshiva.
R. Chaim Pinchas Sheinberg (1910-2012), a leading Torah scholar of recent times, a holy amazing figure. Exceptional Torah scholar, even past the age of 100, he would spend almost all his days and nights diligently studying Torah. Head of the Torah Or Yeshiva and renowned posek. He was born in Poland and at a very young age immigrated with his parents to the US. There he became close to R. Ya'akov Yitzchak Herman ("All for the Boss") who convinced the lad to study in yeshivas in the US. He was known for his genius and completed studying the entire Talmud at age 16. After his marriage to R. Herman's daughter, the newlyweds travelled to Poland so that R. Sheinberg could study at the Mir Yeshiva and he became close to European Torah giants (such as R. Yerucham of Mir, the Chafetz Chaim and R. Baruch Ber who ordained him for the rabbinate). In 1935, they returned to the US, and R. Sheinberg filled rabbinic and teaching positions in various yeshivas. In 1960, he founded the Torah Or Yeshiva in the US and a year later relocated to Eretz Israel with his disciples, establishing the yeshiva in Jerusalem. Within a very short time, the yeshiva became a large Torah center attracting over 1000 students. He wrote dozens of halachic and aggadic books: his series on Ketzot Hachoshen, Avnei Milu'im and Shev Shemat'ta; etc.
He was known as an outstanding tsaddik with knowledge of segulot and many came to him for blessings. He adopted many holy practices. For example, he would not speak during the time he studied Torah, on Shabbat he did not speak about mundane matters, he only ate leftovers of se'udot mitzvah, he would don tefillin the entire day and wrapped a tallit on top of his suit. Under his suit-jacket, he wore dozens of tzitziot, one above another. This was one of his extraordinary practices which until today remains a mystery. Even when walking in the street, he would don dozens of tzitziot and upon returning home, he would add more bundles of tzitziot until he could almost not be seen under the mountain of cloth. He never revealed his reason for this practice and would deny all explanations others gave for this custom, but reputedly, he did so to fulfill a vow he pledged at a time of trouble, possibly out of love of this particular mitzvah or perhaps for ascetic reasons.
Tallit katan, thin wool, white with black stripes. Approx. 68X142 cm. Good condition.
Enclosed is a letter of authorization by his son R. Simcha Sheinberg who gave this tallit to his friend and he attests "that the tzitzit I gave to [---] was worn by my father R. Chaim Pinchas Sheinberg".