Bidspirit auction | The Personal and Still-Full Tobacco

The Personal and Still-Full Tobacco Box of the Holy Admor, the “Lev Simcha” of Ger — A Sacred and Segulah-Laden Relic from the Treasury of the Ger Dynasty - The personal tobacco box, preserved together with its original tobacco contents, used by the holy Admor Rabbi Simcha Bunim Alter, author of the Lev Simcha of Ger zt”l — one of the most revered and influential Hasidic leaders of the last generation, and leader of Ger, the largest Hasidic dynasty in Eretz Israel and among the largest Hasidic courts in the entire Jewish world. Before us is a deeply personal object that remained in the direct use of the Rebbe himself and survived in exceptionally rare condition, with a remarkably large quantity of the original tobacco still preserved inside. The box — manufactured by the English company “Smith’s” — remains almost completely full, an extraordinary rarity among such relics, which generally survive either entirely empty or with only minute traces of their original contents remaining. The box measures approximately 6 cm in height, while the original tobacco preserved inside rises to a height of approximately 4 cm — an unusually large and highly significant surviving quantity of tobacco personally used by the Rebbe over many years. The item is accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticity from one of the most respected veteran חסידי גור, a figure long renowned within the Hasidic world for his exceptional reliability, integrity, and precise knowledge regarding the traditions and sacred objects of the Ger court. Condition of both the box and tobacco: Very fine, carefully preserved throughout the years in a manner befitting their extraordinary significance. ............................................. The holy Admor Rabbi Simcha Bunim Alter, author of the Lev Simcha [1898–1992], son of the famed Imrei Emes and scion of the Ger dynasty tracing back to the renowned Chiddushei HaRim, was celebrated not only as an extraordinary gaon of phenomenal memory and immense Torah scholarship, but no less as a wonder-working tzaddik to whom thousands of Jews turned for salvation, healing, and blessing. He became especially renowned in matters of healing the sick. Time and again, he would advise gravely ill individuals to follow seemingly simple remedies — such as drinking mineral water — through which, according to countless testimonies of חסידים, patients abandoned by physicians recovered in miraculous fashion. His reputation spread widely as one possessing extraordinary insight in matters of illness and salvation. It is told that one of his חסידים once came to him after physicians had ruled that he required an immediate life-saving operation. The Lev Simcha instructed him not to undergo the procedure. One of the doctors, deeply angered by this intervention, came personally to confront the Rebbe and demanded to know how he could advise against the unanimous medical opinion. The Rebbe answered simply: “That is how it appeared to me.” The physician replied sarcastically that if so, perhaps the hospital should abolish its weekly medical consultations altogether and simply bring the list of difficult cases to the Rebbe for decision. The Lev Simcha, with characteristic Gerrer wit, answered: “There is no need to come… you can also call.” .............................................. The Sanctity of Tobacco Boxes Among the Tzaddikim Throughout Hasidic and kabbalistic literature, special significance is attributed to objects used personally by tzaddikim. It is related in the name of Rabbi Mordechai of Neshchiz that a vessel received from his master possessed “the power to perform miracles and wonders.” Likewise, the Degel Machaneh Ephraim, grandson of the Baal Shem Tov, writes that all of a person’s possessions are spiritually connected to the root of his soul. Particular reverence surrounded tobacco and fragrance boxes used by the great Admorim. Chazal teach: “What is that from which the soul derives pleasure, yet not the body? This is fragrance.” Unlike ordinary food, which is consumed and disappears, fragrant tobacco was regarded as nourishing the soul itself. It is well known that Rabbi Yeshaya of Tchabev, son of the holy Divrei Chaim of Sanz, inherited his father’s sacred tobacco box, through which — according to Hasidic tradition — wondrous salvations and healings were performed. Similarly, in Jerusalem, the tobacco box of Rabbi Moshele of Lelov became renowned among sufferers who came to smell from it seeking healing and relief. Even in recent generations, the previous Vizhnitz Rebbe preserved a tobacco box containing remnants of tobacco from the founder of the dynasty, from which he would smell during the ימים נוראים prayers as a segulah that his prayers be accepted favorably. Similarly, it was told among the חסידי גור that the holy Rabbi Yehudah Aryeh Leib Alter possessed an inherited and highly revered besamim tower, long regarded as a segulah for healing and salvation.