Bidspirit auction | Chovat HaDar Ledger in Batei

Chovat HaDar Ledger in Batei Neitin – Signatures of Prominent Figures of Jerusalem – Jerusalem, 1904-1913 - Ledger (thick volume) including printed statute forms ”Chovat HaDar – in the estate of Menachem Neitin, to build refuges for the poor of the Ashkenazic community in Jerusalem”, with signatures of the residents. Jerusalem, [ca. 1904-1913]. The Batei Neitin neighborhood is located between Meah Shearim and Batei Ungarn in Jerusalem. The apartments in the neighborhood are dedicated by R. Menachem Neitin (a childless philanthropist, born in Suwałki, Russian Poland, immigrated to Chicago, United States and later Jerusalem, where he established synagogues and homes for the poor and Torah scholars). Residents were granted three years' stay, with a commitment to maintain a study and prayer regimen. Elder rabbis who immigrated from abroad, Torah scholars, kabbalists and tzaddikim were given higher priority. Many great tzaddikim lived in the neighborhood over the years (including the Leshem and his disciple R. Aharon Shlomo Maharil, R. Yosef Kadish Krishevsky, R. Zelig Reuven Bengis chief rabbi of the Jerusalem Beit Din, R. Matityahu Davis, R. Nachman Dubinky and many other leading figures of Jerusalem). The first neighborhood started with 13 homes in 1904, expanding to 42 by 1907 and continuing to increase in population and living conditions (see enclosed material). In some cases the stay was restricted to two years or increased to many years (as the proselyte Avraham Leon who lived in the neighborhood until his passing). The present ledger includes signatures of recipients of homes in 1904, including: R. Yisrael Binyamin Lempert (a disciple of R. Yehoshua Leib Diskin and prolific author), R. Yaakov Moshe Charlap, R. Shalom Rakovsky, R. Shmuel Hillel Shenker (son-in-law of R. Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld), R. Avraham Yaakov Leon the proselyte, R. Yonah Romm and others. The recipients of homes in 1907 include the elder preacher R. Moshe Asher Vasilishki (author of Matzevet Moshe), R. Chaim Yeshayah HaKohen (Halbersberg, author of Misgeret HaShulchan and many other well-known books), R. Yitzchak Maltzan (author of Shevitat HaShabbat and many other books, a disciple of R. Yisrael Salanter), R. Leib Spektor nephew of R. Leib Chassid of Kelm, R. Moshe Yitzchak son of R. Eliyahu posek and preacher in Jerusalem, R. Yehonatan HaKohen Lapin, R. Shmuel Leon Rabbi of Chasniki[?], and others. The headers of homes granted in 1910 and 1913 include inscriptions of lots cast in division between the various kollels (Suvalk, Lomza, Warsaw, Pinsk, Vilna, Ungarn, Minsk, America, Grodno, Belarus and others). [Notably, most of the leaves for the year 1913 are filled out by officials without signatures of the tenants]. [79] leaves with handwritten inscriptions (including over 60 leaves signed by tenants) and tens of leaves not filled out. Approx. 29.5 cm. Varying condition of leaves; stains and defects to first leaves, rest in good condition. New binding, with original spine, inscribed ”Chovat HaDar Menachem Neitin”.