Title

Description

This ledger bears the personal Hebrew stamp of Rabbi Ya’akov Maze [1859-1924] who was a rabbi, publicist, and Zionist leader. He was the crown rabbi of Moscow from 1893 until his death. He may have obtained this pinkas (ledger) while studying at the gymnasium in Kerch in the 1870s. [Image 3]

The colorful title page was sketched by the artist and scribe Shlomoh, son of Meir. The year 5610 (1810) is indicated by the numerical value of the Hebrew letters at the bottom of the page bearing a character resembling a “v” over them. Most of those Hebrew letters comprise the verse, “He [G‑d] has concealed death forever” (Isaiah 25:8). [Image 13]

The ledger contains a lengthy introduction and two statutes. There are no further entries or signatures, and the remainder of the ledger is blank. Apparently, it was never used. [Images 14-19]

Part of the introduction consists of a discourse by Rabbi Yisrael Yekutiel, son of Avrohom, the darshan (preacher) of Torvits [possibly referring to Torhovytsya, 48°39' N 30°47' E]. It includes a quotation by the famous Ḥasidic Rebbe, Rabbi Menaḥem Naḥum Twersky [1730-1787] of Tshernobl. [Images 17 – 19]

A product of a cooperative agreement between the Russian National Library and Touro University’s Project Zikaron in 2019. This pinkas is part of the Günzburg Manuscript Collection at the Russian National Library in Moscow. This overview was prepared by Rabbi Yitzchok Stroh of Brooklyn, New York, in 2020.

Category

Year of Publication/Creation

1850

Language(s)

Hebrew

Geographic Places

• Kerch, Crimea (read online)