HaGra Glosses to the Talmud and other important Judaica
by Kedem Public Auction House Ltd
Platinum House 25 lots with images
July 3, 2012
Live AuctionHechal Shlomo Building
58 King George Street
Jerusalem, 91076 Israel
Phone: +972-77-5140223
Fax: +972-77-5140167
Email: kedem.ltd@gmail.com
Viewing Notes1st & 2nd July 12 noon to 8pm.
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Lot 1: Embroidered Tablecloth for Pesach and the Holidays - Germany, 1778-1779
Description: Embroidered tablecloth for Pesach and the holidays. Germany, 1778-1779.A large tablecloth with embroidered decorations portraying biblical scenes, symbols and customs related to the Shalosh Regalim (the three pilgrimages) and Rosh HaShanah, chapters of Pirkei Avot and prayers. The tablecloth is an example of the custom of German Jewry to use elaborate fabrics for special ceremonies celebrated during the Jewish Year. This is a rare tablecloth in respect to its size, condition and the abundance of decorations. For additional information, see Prof. Shalom Sabar's essay. 162X137 cm, in a 3.5 cm wide frame. Fair condition. Dark stains and tears. Damages to the embroidery.
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Lot 2: Decorated Brass Plaques - Middle East
Description: Six decorated brass plaques, meant for hanging on walls. Middle East [Syria?], early 20th century.Large and solid plaques of hammered and engraved brass, placed on wooden backs, which were used for decoration as wall hangings. The six plaques are decorated with floral and vegetal motifs, Hebrew texts (citations from the Book of Exodus and Psalms) and various impressive decorations, as follows:1-2. A pair of plaques with vegetal, floral and palm tree decorations. On one plaque appears the text, "The Righteous will flourish like a palm tree" and the emblems of the tribes of Reuven, Shimon, Levy, Yehudah, Zevulun, and Issachar. The second plaque carries the text, "Will grow like the cedar in Lebanon" and the emblems of the tribes of Dan, Gad, Asher, Naftali, Yossef, and Binyamin. 72.5X44 cm. each.3-4. A pair of plaques with floral and vegetal decorations, one with the text, "I shall carry you on the wings" with the image of an eagle facing left; and on the other, "of eagles and shall lead you to me" with the image of an eagle facing right. 37.5X44 cm each.5. Plaque with floral and vegetal decorations. An image of a large Menorah supported by two lions appears in the center, and above the text, "You are the source of life and in your light we shall see light." 72.4X44 cm.6. Plaque with floral and vegetal decorations. The image of a large crown appears on the upper section, and in the center is an image of the Torah in a mantle, decorated with pomegranates and the Ten Commandments. 72.5X44 cm.The upper borders of some of the plaques carry engraved instructions for hanging, in Arabic, such as "right down," "left down" and the letters A and B. On the reverse of the two smaller plaques are four screws for hanging; these screws are missing from the four large plaques and part of the wooden backs are damaged. Generally in good condition, with some bowing and damage.
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Lot 3: Kiseh Eliyahu HaNavi - Orthodox Congregation of Békéscsaba, Hungary - Inscription From 1910
Description: Kiseh Eliyahu HaNavi [The Chair of Elijah the Prophet]. Békéscsaba, Hungary, early 20th century. Upholstered wooden chair with fabric upholstery. On its back, a stylish wooden plaque decorated with gilded borders and two metal ornaments bearing the caption, "Kiseh Eliyahu HaNavi in commemoration of the religious congregation of Békéscsaba, donated by Menachem Karaleck and his wife Mrs. Mascha, 1910." The arms and side panels of the chair are upholstered in red velvet, and the seat and backrest are upholstered in dark red fabric. (The upholstery of the arms and side panels is original; the backrest and seat have been re-upholstered.) The chair stands on four tall (original) wooden legs. The chair is particularly wide and seats two. Unlike many communities in which the custom was to designate one chair for the "Sandak" and a separate chair for Eliyahu HaNavi, this chair is wide, in accordance with the custom of the Safed congregation and other congregations, where the Sandak sits to the left of Eliyahu HaNavi on the same chair (in accordance with the Halachic ruling that a disciple is prohibited from sitting to the right of his rabbi).The Jewish congregation of Békéscsaba dates back to the late 18th or early 19th century (the oldest tombstone in the local Jewish cemetery is dated 1810). In 1825, five Jews are known to have resided the city. In the 1840s, upon the revocation of the ban of movement of Jews, the city's Jewish population began to grow and by 1851 the number of Jews amounted to 110. The Békéscsaba congregation served as a communal center for all the Jews of the Békés District. Following the rift the occurred in the Hungarian congregations in 1869, the Békéscsaba congregation defined itself as Orthodox; however, in 1872 it became a "Status Quo" congregation. This change was not to the liking of the Orthodox Jews, who in response established a separate congregation, known as "Shomrei HaDat," in 1883. The first synagogue in Békéscsaba was built in 1850 and in 1894, the Orthodox-Hassidic community founded a separate synagogue of their own - and it is from this later synagogue that this Chair of Eliyahu HaNavi originated.Height: 122 cm. Width: 110 cm. Depth: 61 cm. In generally good condition. Some of the paint and writing has faded and been damaged over the years.
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Lot 4: Persian "Mizrach" Carpet with Illustrations of the Holy Places - After Shaul Hornstein of Vienna, early 20th century
Description: "Mizrach" carpet made by Eliyahu Haim Levy. Kashan, (Persia), (early 20th century).A "Mizrach" carpet designed after a "Mizrach" by Rabbi Shaul Ben Pinchas Hornstein (the latter a lithograph in color published in Vienna in 1888 by Em. Joachim). Rabbi Shaul Hornstein was the author of "Givat Shaul" (Vienna 1883), a book about the geography and history of Eretz Israel settlements and holy sites from biblical days to modern times.On the lower part of the carpet appears the inscription, "I researched and examined... here in Vienna, I... Shaul Hornstein... Creation of Eliyahu Haim Levy". This text merges the text of the Hornstein "Mizrach" from 1889 and the signature of the carpet artisan, who copied the Hornstein version word by word. The weaver also copied the inscription on the upper part of the Hornstein "Mizrach" marking the tally of years since the construction of the Temple and its destruction (equaling 1889).The carpet, woven in vivid colors, includes graphic descriptions of sites, graves and towns in Eretz Israel. At the top we see the Tomb of the kings of the Kingdom of David and the Tomb of Rabbi Meir Ba'al HaNess; In the center, a large image of the Western Wall and Jerusalem, below which appear sites on the Mediterranean seashore ("Yam HaGadol"): "Zo Ir HaKodesh Yaffo," (the Tomb of) "Elisha the Prophet (on) Mount Carmel," "Ir HaKodesh Haifa" and "Zo Ir HaKodesh Zidon." Along the right margins appear images of the Tomb of Yossef HaTzadik, the Cave of the Machpelah, Rachel's Tomb, the Tomb of Shamai HaZaken and the tombs of the Rambam and HaShla; on the left we see the Tomb of "Rabbi Yohanan (HaSandlar), the Tomb of Hoshe'a the Prophet, the Tomb of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochay, the Tomb of the Prophet Samuel and the site of the Tiberias Hot Springs.The carpet is not mentioned in "Jewish Carpets - A History and Guide" by Anton Felton (England: Antique Collectors' Club, 1977).92.5X116 cm. Good condition. Non-original fringes. Minor damage at center, minor damages and tears at borders.
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Lot 5: Portraits of "HaNoda BeYehuda" Rabbi Yehezkel Landau and his Son Rabbi Shmuel Landau - Prague, mid 19th century
Description: 1. Portrait of Rabbi Yehezkel Landau. Etching by M. Klauber. Prague, [ca. 1840]. The caption below the portrait reads, "Ezechiel Landau, Oberrabbiner bey der Israelitengemeinde in Prag - ... for forty years he led the Jewish congregation as a shepherd...." About 36X30 cm, framed to a size of 64.5X54.5 cm. Not examined out of the frame. Good condition. Some creases and stains. Minor tears at the borders, restored. Literature: Rubens, Alfred. A Jewish Iconography. London: The Jewish Museum, 1954. No. 2103.2. Portrait of Rabbi Shmuel Landau. Lithographic print by M. Schmelkes. Prague, [mid 19th century].The caption below the portrait reads, "Rabbi Samuel Landau, Erster Oberjurist und Religions Vorsteher zu Prag - the Gaon Rabbi Shmuel Segal Landau, known for his responsa and glosses in the Noda BeYehuda book...". About 39X29 cm, framed to a size of 64.5X54.5 cm. Not examined out of the frame. Fair-good condition. Tears and damages to right side, restored. Stains.The Gaon Rabbi Yehezkel HaLevy (Segal) Landau (1713-1793), Prague's famous rabbi, was an influential authority in Halacha and a leading rabbinical figure. He was the author of the Responsa book "Noda BeYehuda," "Sefer Tziyun LeNefesh Chaya" and others. His son, the Gaon Rabbi Shmuel Landau (1740-1831), succeeded his father as rabbi of Prague, and was known as one of the leading religious figures of his generation. His Responsa and homiletics were printed in his father's books and in his own book "Shivat Zion."
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