(R. YISRAEL OF RIZHIN and R. ABRAHAM JOSHUA HESCHEL OF APT)

(CHASSIDISM).

Lissa, (etc.)

1825-6

PIDYAN SHAVU'IM. SHELUCHO D’RACHAMONA. Hebrew Manuscript on paper, written on behalf of Yitzchak Aryeh Horowitz in order to enable him to raise funds to redeem his father. Contains 14 signatures of Rabbis and Dayanim in Lissa, Constantinople, Adrianople and elsewhere. Includes the signatures (in all probability, secretarial) of the Chassidic Rabbis, R. Yisrael of Rizhin and R. Abraham Joshua Heschel of Apt

A fire engulfed the Christian quarter of the city of Lissa (Prussia) in 1825, and 25 of the more prominent Jewish citizens of the town were imprisoned by the civil authorities on charges of arson. As a result, the Jewish community sent forth emissaries throughout Europe to raise the necessary ransom-money. The bearer of the present testimonial-document was R. Yitzchak Aryeh Horowitz , whose father, Isaiah (named after his great-grandfather the author of Shnei Luchoth Ha-Brith -the Shalo"h Hakodosh) was one of those imprisoned. This unusual document is plausibly, of exceptionally important Chassidic historical value. It seemingly carries the signatures of both the Apter Rav, R. Abraham Joshua Heschel (1755 - 1825) and the Rizhiner, R. Yisrael Friedman (1797 - 1851). Both Chassidic Rabbis were among the most influential of their generation. The appearance of the two signatures together on one document would be considered extraordinary. Upon considerable analysis, it would appear the two signatures are most likely not autograph signatures and in fact seem to be in the same hand. Nevertheless, this manuscript was previously offered for sale at Sotheby’s New York (Fine Judaica), June 3rd 1982, Lot 50, and catalogued therein as containing the original autograph signatures of the two great Chassidic Rabbis