130 273 KANIEVSKY, YA’AKOV YISROEL. (The Steipler Gaon). Kehiloth Ya’akov [novellae to Tractate on Bechoroth. THE AUTHOR’S DRAFT COPY, WITH HIS AUTOGRAPH - OFTEN LENGTHY - MARGINAL NOTES AND CORRECTIONS. ff. 44 (printed on one side of leaf only). Later boards. Folio. Bnei Brak, 1976. $4000-6000 ❧ Ya’akov Yisrael Kanievsky (1899-1985), was known as the “Steipler Gaon” after his hometown of Hornosteipel in the Ukraine. He briefly served as Rosh Yeshivah of the Novardok Yeshivah before he settled in Bnei Brak where he devoted himself entirely to an uninterrupted life of study. Renowned both for his Talmudic genius, as witnessed in the many volumes of Kehilath Ya’akov on the Talmud, and his piety, many sought out his blessings. He yielded enormous influence within the Torah world and yet held no official office. Certain paragraphs here are entirely crossed out, with revised text provided in the margin. These important notes display the Steipler’s thought process and his constant striving for clarity in his Torah learning. 274 KOOK, TZVI YEHUDAH. (Rosh Yeshiva Merkaz Harav, 1891-1982). Autograph Letter Signed, written in poetic Hebrew to the administration of the Va’ad HaYeshivoth, on personal letterhead. Expresses his joy upon the establishment of a “Beth Havra’ah” (rest house) for Yeshiva students and sending prolific blessings for this holy undertaking in support of those devoted to Torah study in the Holy City. One page. Jerusalem, 6th Elul, 1956. $300-500 275 LEFKOWITZ, MICHEL YEHUDAH. (Rosh Yeshiva Ponovezh Letze’irim, author of Minchath Yehudah, 1913-2011). Autograph Letter Signed, in Hebrew, written in pencil to R. Elyah Dov Klor. Expresses exaltation that his correspondent is learning in Yeshivath Kamenitz “under the shadow of our great teacher R. Baruch Ber Leibowitz whose Torah creates a new light for the world. You should feel great joy in that you receive the flowing abundance of his Torah… I hope that we will continue our correspondence along with our old / new friendship of so many years.” * PLUS: Copy of letter (in pen) to Ezra Barzel with scholarly notes pertaining to Masechta Chulin. Two pages. N.p, n.d. $600-900 ❧ A glowing description of R. Baruch-Ber Leibowitz and his Kamenetz Yeshiva. 276 LEVIN, ARYEH. (The Tzadik of Jerusalem, 1885-1969). Collection of interesting Autograph manuscripts, drafts of letters and notes on various topics, all in Hebrew. ff. 16. Various sizes, various condition, mostly ink, one partially in pencil, one on letterhead partially in square letters in his characteristic beautiful hand. (Jerusalem), n.d. $1200-1800 ❧ Contains notes and commentaries pertaining to repentance and the month of Elul, Chanukah, Passover, Jerusalem and the Kotel Ma’aravi, ethical instructions and poetic sayings, also some halachic matter citing R. Itzel of Ponivezh. Family matters include a four page draft to his son bemoaning the loss of his mother. Especially moving are several notes, written in a beautiful poetic Hebrew, written during the shelling of Jerusalem by the Arabs in 1948. “We are sitting in the cellar [in the home] of our grandmother Leah. Three families…the fear is great…each day worse than the previous. Our boys who are defending their homeland are oppressed for wanting to live. Synagogues and Torah Scrolls are desecrated by the enemy. The screams of the murdered and slaughtered should shake the foundations of the world… Let us pray the shelling should cease.” Lot 273 Lot 275 Lot 276