Auction 21
Lot 219:
Shot and chiddushim by Rabbi Haim Auerbach. Monash printing. Three different stamps of ownership of Rabbi Shmuel Salant, and signature in abbreviated form handwritten by him. Rabbi Shmuel Salant (1816-1909) served as the Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem for almost 70 years. He was a renowned Talmudist and Torah scholar.Shmuel was born in Białystok. At an early age his lungs became damaged, and he was advised to seek a warm climate. This induced him in 1840 to go with his wife and son Binyomin Beinish to Jerusalem In 1871, Salant succeeded Rabbi Meir Auerbach as chief rabbi of the Ashkenazim. Rabbis Salant and Auerbach highly supported that the Balady citron cultivated in the Arab village of Umm el-Fahm, was the most kosher to be used as etrog in the four species during the festival of Sukkot.Salant was regarded as a distinguished Talmudist and an excellent and learned leader. Many of the halachic (legal) positions are known through the prodigious writing of his student and grandson by marriage, Rabbi Yechiel Michel Tucazinsky. Salant was also known for his moderation and tolerance of all classes of Jews. As Ashkenazic chief rabbi, he was on friendly terms with his Sephardic counterpart, Chief Rabbi Yaakov Shaul Elyashar, and they generally acted in harmony concerning the welfare matters of the community.Salant was instrumental in the establishment of the Etz Chaim Yeshiva in Jerusalem. He also helped found Bikur Cholim Hospital and encouraged people to move into new neighborhoods outside the Old City walls. During his tenure as chief rabbi, the Jewish population of Jerusalem grew from 5,000 to 30,000.In 1888, Salant’s eyesight began to fail, and a few years later he became blind. In 1900, however, Salant requested an assistant. Rabbi Eliyahu David Rabinowitz-Teomim, known as the Aderet, a renowned rabbi and author, had just arrived in Israel from Russia. He was immediately selected for the position. However, Rabinowitz-Teomim predeceased Salant in 1905.Salant died on Monday, 16 August 1909 (29 Av 5669), and was buried on the Mount of Olives. Rabbi Tucazinsky writes that though funerals in Jerusalem are generally performed within the same day or night as the passing, Salant’s was an exception. He died at night and the funeral was not held until daybreak because the Rabbis were concerned that the massive attendance to a nighttime funeral procession would lead to injuries or worse. | Moth marks, partially disconnected binding. Stains. Stamps. [2], 171, 14 [23] pages. 38cm. generally good condition.
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