Bidspirit auction | “Kol Koreh” in the handwriting

“Kol Koreh” in the handwriting of the Gaonim and Sages of Jerusalem to save and preserve pure education in Hebron. Jerusalem, 1905. Broadside in the handwriting and with the signatures of the great sages of Jerusalem: Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld, Rabbi Yehoshua Tzvi Michel Shapira, Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Behr”n, and the leaders of Kollel Chabad. The struggle of the heads of Kollel Chabad in Hebron against the opening of secular schools. The letter was written a few months after the passing of the author of Sdei Chemed, who fought with all his strength against the opening of secular schools. “…And this holy city until now has stood in its purity almost miraculously, and it is fitting for all who are able… to uphold the study of the holy Torah and the education of the holy seed, the children of Israel, in purity, as an ancestral heritage from generation to generation.” A call of the sages of Jerusalem to save the Jewish settlement in Hebron and preserve the purity of the city’s educational institutions. Jerusalem, 1905. A fascinating historical document about the struggle of the Chabad community in Hebron to preserve pure education. Background to the letter: The letter was written a few months after the passing of Rabbi Chaim Chizkiyah Medini ztz”l, author of Sdei Chemed, who fought strongly against the opening of secular schools. [1] Leaf, written as a call to support the emissary (shadar) of Hebron to strengthen the Ashkenazi–Chabad settlement in Hebron and reinforce its educational institutions, in light of the danger of a school being opened in the city which sought “to spread in it the spirit of heresy which, unfortunately, floods… every good portion.” On the sheet appear [3] letters for the preservation of the purity of Hebron, the City of the Avot, continuing the call of the late Rabbi Chaim Chizkiyah Medini, author of Sdei Chemed: - The first letter is signed by the Gaon Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld and the righteous Jerusalemite Rabbi Yehoshua Tzvi Michel Shapira. - The second letter is signed by Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Behr”n Lewi. - The third letter is signed by the rabbis of Kollel Chabad: Rabbi Elimelech Perlman, Rabbi Dov Ber Efrat, Rabbi Yehuda Leib son of Reuven, Rabbi Mordechai Avraham Schlank, and Rabbi Yaakov Orenshtein. Regarding the struggle to prevent the opening of the Alliance school in Hebron in 1904, see Mara D’Ara Yisrael, vol. 1, pp. 288–294. Mara D’Ara D’Yisrael Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld (1848–1932) – Rabbi of the Eidah HaChareidis and Agudat Yisrael in Jerusalem. One of the great leaders of the previous generation. Disciple of Maran the Ktav Sofer of Pressburg and Rabbi Avraham Shaag. He immigrated to Jerusalem and became a close disciple of Rabbi Yehoshua Leib Diskin. In time, he succeeded him and led the Chareidi community of Eretz Yisrael with strength. He served as President of the Diskin Orphanage, head of Kollel Shomrei HaChomot, and chief gabbai of the Chevra Kadisha HaKlali in Jerusalem. Rabbi Yehoshua Tzvi Michel Shapira, son of Rabbi Yaakov Kopel (c.1840–1906) – kabbalist and exalted tzaddik, among the most refined and pure souls of Jerusalem. Born in Hebron and moved to Jerusalem in 1857. Author of Amarot Tehorot, Hitragshut HaLev, Tzitz HaKodesh, Sefer Tikkun Chatzot, and Tzvi LaTzaddik. The Gaon Tzaddik Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Behr”n Lewi (1836–1910) – the foremost leader in all matters of holiness in Jerusalem. One of the founders of the Meah Shearim neighborhood. Among the pure and pious of Jerusalem and its prominent activists. Born in Poland to his father, Rabbi Nachum of Shadik, rabbi of Shadik and later head of Kollel Poland in Eretz Yisrael. From the day of his arrival, he was active in promoting religious life and opposing secular influences in the Land. He was renowned for his fight against the secular “Lemel School.” He was a close confidant of the Maharil Diskin and served as dayan in his court. Among his students were the Gaonim of Jerusalem, Rabbi Gershon Lapidot and his brother Rabbi David Behr”n. The Gabbei and parnas Rabbi Elimelech son of Rabbi Yisrael Isser Perlman (c.1847–1911) – one of the heads and leaders of the Chassidic community in Jerusalem, among the chief officials of the Vaad HaKlali Knesset Yisrael, representative of the holy cities Tzfat and Tiberias, and emissary of Kollel Austria and Galicia. He established a building materials and iron store, the first Jewish-owned business of its kind outside the Old City. He built the Batei Perlman neighborhood. Rabbi Dov Ber Efrat (1845–1912) – rabbi in Moscow and rabbi of the Ashkenazi community of Hebron for twelve years. From a family of Lubavitch–Chabad Chassidim, he would repeat Chassidic discourses in Hebron. Rabbi Yehuda Leib, son of Reuven , one of the leaders of Kollel HaChassidim in Jerusalem, co-founder of Otzar HaChesed under the Vaad HaKlali Knesset Yisrael. Rabbi Mordechai Avraham,