Bidspirit auction | Historical Document “Peace Agreement” between

Historical Document “Peace Agreement” between the Kollelim in the Four Holy Cities! Jerusalem, 1868 * The “Collective Agreement” between the kollelim of the Perushim, Chassidim, and Chabad in the Four Holy Cities: Yerushalayim, Chevron, Tzfas and Teveria, regarding the rights to collect and distribute the charitable funds for the support of Eretz Yisrael, that came from the regions of Russia, Siberia, Georgia, and Dagestan. It is signed by 22 prominent individuals who were among the leaders of the Jewish settlement in Eretz Yisrael, among them Gedolei Torah and important Dayanim, such as: Rabbi Shmuel Heller, Av Beis Din Tzfas; Rabbi Avraham Eisenstein and Rabbi Yaakov Yehuda Levi, important Dayanim in the Beis Din of the Imrei Binah; Rabbi Eliezer Dan Ralbag, who would later become the Rosh Yeshiva of Eitz Chaim; and many others. The “wars of the kollelim” in Eretz Yisrael dragged on for many years, causing splits among the kollelim and occupying the attention of leading Rabbanim and askanim for many years. The present document is a first-class historical document: A “peace agreement” between the kollelim over the rights of the collection and distribution of the contributions from all across Russia and its surroundings in the east. Background to the Agreement As is known, for years, the needs of the Jewish public in Eretz Yisrael were divided according to kollelim, each representing a different land of origin (Kollel Russia, Kollel Warsaw, etc.). The overseers of the kollelim cared for their own people, and often disputes arose between the overseers of the kollelim concerning the various rights to collect tzedakah funds in different countries, and their distribution. In 1866, an organization called the “Vaad Kol HaKollelim” was established, later called “The General Committee of Knesses Yisrael, ” which aimed to unite the administration and distribute the resources equitably and properly among the different kollelim, in keeping with the accepted practice of that period. In the present historical document, three prominent kollelim joined together: Kollel HaPerushim, Kollel HaChassidim, and Kollel Chabad, and they established a “peace agreement” consisting of ten clauses for organizing the collection and distribution of donations from the entire region of Russia, Siberia, Georgia, and Dagestan. The historical document is signed by 22 Rabbanim, Dayanim, and overseers of the kollelim: · Rabbi Avraham Eisenstein of Daroitchin – one of the notable Dayanim in the Beis Din of the Imrei Binah, representative of Kollel Vilna (Perushim) · Rabbi Yaakov Yehuda Levi – brother of Rabbi Nachum of Shadik and one of the prominent Dayanim in the Beis Din of the Imrei Binah, representative of Kollel Warsaw (Perushim) · Rabbi Eliezer Tzvi Kav V’naki of Horodna · Rabbi Moshe Eliezer Dan Ralbag, representative of Kollel Reisen (Perushim) · Rabbi Meir Maniksht, representative of Kollel Zamut (Perushim) · Rabbi Nissan Beck, representative of Kollel Vohlin (Chassidim) · Rabbi Ze’ev HaKohen of Pinsk, representative of Kollel Vohlin (Chassidim) · Rabbi Mordechai Aharon Liberson of Tzfas, representative of Kollel Vohlin (Chassidim) · Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Slonim of Chevron (signed twice), representative of Kollel Chabad · Rabbi Avraham Mana”s (signed twice), representative of Kollel Chabad · Rabbi Shneur Zalman Pondaminski of Chevron (signed twice), representative of Kollel Chabad · Rabbi Avraham … · Rabbi Mordechai Bahara”sh – leading figure among the Chassidim in Teveria · Rabbi Menachem Mendel ben Rabbi Mordechai – leader of the Chassidim in Teveria · Rabbi Ephraim Yehoshua HaKohen – representative of Kollel Chabad · Rabbi Shmuel Heller – Av Beis Din Tzfas · Rabbi Avraham Yosef HaLevi – leader of the Chassidim in Teveria · Rabbi Mordechai Segal · Rabbi Avraham of Pliskov – a leader of the Chassidim in Teveria · Rabbi Mordechai Bahara”sh · Rabbi Chaim Dovid Eliya · Rabbi Tzvi Yechiel ben Yeshaya – head of Kollel Vohlin in Teveria Jerusalem, Shevat-Adar 1868. Size: Large leaf: 23.4 x 36.3 cm. Condition: Small paper tears at the margins, stains. Otherwise, in good condition. Rabbi Shmuel Heller, Av Beis Din of Tzfas (circa 1803–1884) In his youth, he visited the Chozeh of Lublin several times, and the Chozeh even put tefillin on him and blessed him. He journeyed with his father to Tzfas and, over the years, became the main leader of the Jewish community in Tzfas, under whose authority all matters were settled. Rabbi Avraham Eisenstein (1800–1886) Among the elder Dayanim in Yerushalayim, he served as Dayan in the Beis Din of Rabbi Yisrael of Shklov in Tzfas, and later as Dayan in the Beis Din of the Imrei Binah in Yerushalayim. His son is the prominent activist Rabbi Eliyahu Mordechai Eisenstein. Rabbi Yaakov Yehuda Levy (1813–1889) Dayan and Av Beis Din in the Beis Din of the Imrei Binah; brother to Rabbi Nachum of Shadik and Rabbi Asher Lemel Levy.