Bidspirit auction | “His Coffin Has Arrived!” —

“His Coffin Has Arrived!” — Broadside announcing the funeral of the pure and intact body of the “Admor of the Land of Israel, ” the holy Rabbi Alter of Lelov, fifteen months after his passing. Jerusalem, 1934 - An important broadside announcing the arrival of the coffin of Rabbi Alter of Sosnowiec, son of the holy Rabbi Elazar Menachem Mendel of Lelov and brother of the holy Rabbi David Zvi Shlomo (Rabbi “Dovid’l”). After returning from Jerusalem to Poland, he served as Rebbe in the city of Sosnowiec and became known as “the Admor of the Land of Israel.” From there his fame spread as a worker of wondrous salvations and a servant of God of rare spiritual refinement. The Rebbe passed away on 25 Elul 5693 (1933), and his coffin was brought to the Land of Israel on 20 Kislev 5695 (1934). Members of the Jerusalem Chevra Kadisha testified that the holy body of the Rebbe—who had passed away approximately fifteen months earlier—remained intact as on the day of his death. The notice bears printed signatures of the rabbinical courts of both the Perushim and the Hasidim in Jerusalem, together with “the family of our holy master of Lelov, of blessed memory.” The broadside was printed at the press of the kabbalist Rabbi Judah Zvi Brandwein in the Orenstein Courtyards, known as “Yehudah ve-Yerushalayim, ” circa 1930. Rabbi Judah Zvi Brandwein was the brother-in-law of the Baal HaSulam. One large sheet: 31 × 47 cm. Condition: Fair; tears to the margins and numerous creases. (It should be noted that the “Encyclopedia of Jewish Communities” entry on the Rebbe states that his funeral in the Land of Israel took place on 2 Kislev, and this date also appears on the tombstone. However, the present broadside gives a double dating—day (Tuesday) and date (the 20th)—which is necessarily correct according to the Hebrew calendar. It is therefore clear that the correct date is 20 Kislev, as stated on this broadside, and not 2 Kislev.)