Bidspirit auction | Rare and Historic: Joint Kol

Rare and Historic: Joint Kol Koreh by Gedolei Hador of Lithuania and the Rashab of Lubavitch – Regulations to Strengthen Shechitah * A large printed paper containing regulations enacted to strengthen the standing of community shochtim and to oppose those who performed shechitah without the consent of the city’s rav. In former times, the fees collected for shechitah were designated for the city’s rav, the local shochet, or even the community itself, and these funds were an important source of support for the kehillah. Understandably, a shochet operating without authorization, who effectively “exempted” the animal owner from paying the required fee to the official community shochet, undermined the financial basis of the kehillah. Since such shochtim were often forced to perform shechitah secretly, they occasionally even permitted treifos and caused others to partake of forbidden food. At the opening of the proclamation, the rabbanim praise Klal Yisrael, including even those distant from observance, for being careful to purchase only kosher meat despite its higher cost. The proclamation bears the signatures of twenty Gedolei Hador, all rabbanim of cities and prominent poskim. Among them are: Rabbi Chaim Soloveitchik of Brisk; Rabbi Sholom Dovber Schneersohn; Rabbi Chaim Ozer Grodzinski of Vilna; The Aruch Shulchan of Novardok; Rabbi Mordechai of Slonim (the miracle-worker from Ushmina); Rabbi Rafael Shapiro of Volozhin; and many others. The influence of these regulations can be seen from the fact that they were reprinted several times in the newspapers of the period, including Modia (1911, 1913) and Das Vort (1926, 1931). The regulations were established in the month of Cheshvan 1907, and the present proclamation was likely printed at that very time. At the foot of the proclamation appear the printer’s details in Latin letters: The Widow and Brothers Romm of Vilna. Vilna, 1907? Size: A large paper, approx. 41.5 x 55 cm. Condition: Good-moderate overall condition, with small tears to the margins and fold marks.