Title

Description

The ledger is not in chronological order. The first two pages of the transcription include a paragraph in Polish signed in March of 1761, followed by the names of those who signed the ledger in 5531 (1770-71). [Images 1-2]

A copy of a letter sent to the society by the famous Ḥasidic Rebbe, Rabbi Levi-Yitshak (1740-1809) of Berdichev, dated 5550 (1790), with instructions on how to consecrate a cemetery. (This is printed in Naḥalat Tsvi, issue 8, and in Imre Pinḥas ha-ḥadash). The letter was copied into the ledger by the Ḥasidic Rebbe, Rabbi Binyamin-Zev-Volf of Balta (died 1822), who was one of the leading disciples of the Ḥasidic Rebbe, Rabbi Pinḥas Shapiro of Korets (1726-1791). [Image 3]

The statutes of the society are recorded in 22 paragraphs which are arranged acrostically according to the Hebrew alphabet. [Images 9-13]

These statues are transcribed a second time with each statute recorded on its own individual page [Images 33-77]. On the final page of the second transcription [Image 77] appears the following note: “By the order of the holy Rebbe of Shpikov, the holy society shall make sure… that if, G‑d forbid, someone passes away his bed should be arranged with his head towards the west and his feet towards the east.” The Rebbe of Shpikov may refer to either Rabbi Menaḥem Naḥum Tversky (died 1887) son of Rabbi Yitsḥak Tversky of Skver or his son Rabbi Mordekhai Tversky (1862-1914). The latter’s signature appears at the end of the ledger [Image 122].

The statutes are followed by the following notice: All of the above statutes were approved by all the members of the society in conjunction with the famed praiseworthy Gaon of the town of Skala (now Skala-Podilska), evidently referring to Rabbi Shlomoh Drimmer (ca. 1800-1872). [Image 78]. Apparently, the Rabbi of Skala affixed his signature to the original ledger; see the transcriber’s physical description [Image 126].

A large portion of the ledger records the admission of members into the society and the conditions of their admissions. Young children as young as eight days old were admitted into the society. Many entries record the results of elections, and the appointment of gabaim, trustees, and bookkeepers. [Images 15-31,80-82,85-98]

An interesting example of an admission entry: Morenu Efraim son of Reb David Yishpa was accepted into the society … and when, G‑d willing, he will be freed from military conscription he will be obligated to contribute 25 rubles … (1886). [Image 28]

A legend of the seating arrangements of the members of the society in the synagogue dated 5537 (1776-77). [Images 79,82]

The society obligated itself to give six gildn to the magid of the community ha-Ḥasid, Morenu Yudl-Leyb beginning on the 8th of Iyar in 5557 (1797). The magid’s son Shmaya was accepted into the society. [Image 83]

“In 5629, G‑d aroused the heart of the well-known magnate, Morenu Zev-Volf son of Morenu Tsvi-Hersch ha-Kohen, to build a house for G-d. That is the new kloyz [i.e., small study hall] opposite the bet midrash [i.e., study hall] … He donated generously… to build a most magnificent structure… He devised a method to purchase books for the kloyz… And he fulfilled the desire of the learned youth by having them accepted into the society, and they shall donate books in lieu of an entrance fee…” [Image 84]

“Mr.… acted reprehensibly. Without the consent of the trustees, he had his wife buried in a respectable plot… in Tamuz of 5552 (1792).” [Image 99]

The earliest entry is dated Pesaḥ 5504 (March 1744). [Image 100]

The following is an entry from the year 1775: We the members of the Holy Society agreed… due to an incident which occurred with the society of tailors who spoke in a manner which cannot even be recorded… that the society of tailors shall not join us on Simḥat Torah as had been the custom for the past many years. [Image 116]

The burials of several individuals who were not natives of the community. One individual was from Berdichev, another from Hungary, and others from additional places. [Images 104-105]

An interesting entry regarding a five-and-a-half-year-old girl, the granddaughter of the magid and of the shoḥet of Bershed, testifies that she is a virtuous child who is the child of virtuous and righteous individuals. [Image 119]

Rabbi Mordekhai Tversky (1862-1914), the Ḥasidic Rebbe of Shpikov, was in Ladizhin in the summer of 1893 and reviewed the ledger of the society. He decided to join the society as one of its members. [Image 122]

The transcriber provides a physical description of the pinkas. [Image 126]

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. In the 1890s, Baron David Günzburg of St. Petersburg, Russia hired Avraham Sharfshteyn to arrange for the original pinkas and others like it to be transcribed for his private library. This overview was prepared by Rabbi Yitzchok Stroh of Brooklyn, New York, in 2021.

Category

Year of Publication/Creation

1744-1893

Geographic Places

• Ladyzhyn (Ladyzhin, Ladizhin), Ukraine (read online)