Sha'alu Shlom Yerushalayim - A Description of the Life of the Old Yishuv of Jerusalem, by Rabbi Moshe Nechemya ...

Sha'alu Shlom Yerushalayim - A Description of the Life of the Old Yishuv of Jerusalem, by Rabbi Moshe Nechemya Kahanov, the First Head of Yeshiva in Jerusalem - Odessa, 1867 - First, Extremely Rare Edition
An important, fascinating book by Rabbi Moshe Nechemya Kahanov, the head of the "Etz Chaim" Yeshiva in Jerusalem, which describes in detail and with precision the life of the Old Yishuv of Jerusalem and its Torah and charity institutions. Rabbi Kahanov wrote the composition while on a ship sailing from the Land of Israel to Odessa, to where he was headed to raise funds for the institutions of the Old Yishuv, which were in a grave financial situation. T
Before us is the first, rare edition! It is most likely that only a few copies of this edition were printed and most of them were lost (the other editions of the book were published in Jerusalem). This edition has never been seen in auctions!
In 1867, when Rabbi Kahanov travelled abroad to raise funds for saving the "Etz Chaim" Yeshiva, he saw fit to write the composition, which might assist him in his fundraising.
Another cause he had for writing the book was to encourage the immigration to the Land of Israel, which might also contribute to improving the financial situation of the Yishuv.
The book is in the form of questions and answers regarding "the state of the Holy City and our brothers who live there…". A full, accurate description of life in Jerusalem. There is also a comprehensive description of its holy places and its educational and public institutions. The author describes in detail the construction of the Churva of Rabbi Yehuda HaChassid (the "Churva" Synagogue) and the great impression it leaves on its comers.
At the time, the book was considered the official, comprehensive and most important composition about the life of the Jewish Yishuv of Jerusalem and received much praise from Jews all around the world, which was most useful for the Yishuv.
There were three editions of the book within ten years (which was unprecedented regarding the early Jerusalem publications!): 1867 (Odessa), 1868 and 1878 (Jerusalem). The three editions did not mention the name of its author. On the title page of the 1878 edition it was printed: "all these were written down by a great, well-known rabbi, a reliable person, one of the most important people of Jerusalem, while he was on a ship travelling abroad (in the month of Iyar 1867) - from everything he had known, seen and examined, honest and reliable words, he has published them for the lovers of Zion who yearn to hear about Jerusalem". In that same edition, the author's name was hinted at the end of the book by its initials.
Rabbi Moshe Nechemya Kahanov (Kahanyu) (1817-1887) one of the greatest rabbis of Lithuania and Jerusalem. After his marriage, he travelled to Vilnius, there he stayed for four years, studying Torah and the doctrine of Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin, who died approximately ten years before Rabbi Kahanov's arrival in Vilnius.
Despite his young age, he was chosen as the rabbi of Chaslewicz, which was well-known for its rabbis and Talmidei Chachamim.
At the end of 1864, he immigrated to the Land of Israel and lived in Jerusalem. He was appointed head of the "Etz Chaim" Yeshiva and Talmud Torah. Thus, he became the first Ashkenazi head of yeshiva in Jerusalem.
He headed the Yeshiva for 25 years until his death. Hundreds of the most prominent rabbis of Jerusalem were his disciples. During his time, the Yeshiva started to prosper. In the composition before us, the author describes in detail the Yeshiva's activity. As head of the yeshiva, he not only gave lessons to his students but also educated them for love of the Torah and the Holy Land and for morality and integrity.
He served as Rosh Av Beit Din of the Beit Din of Rabbi Shmuel Salant. Authored eleven books, most of them halachic ones.
Rabbi Kahanov was involved in many public matters. In 1870, he founded the first charity in Jerusalem, "Sha'arei Chessed". He always succeeded in getting what he wanted from Sir Moses Montefiore, with which he had a close relationship. He encouraged the establishment of the agricultural settlements. He published articles in the "Judah and Jerusalem" newspaper about the need for founding a company that will supply water to Jerusalem, for founding a Hebrew bank, paper industries and more in order to provide work for the residents of Jerusalem and develop its economics.
Rabbi Kahanov took part in building the neighborhoods outside the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem. He built himself a house in the Nachalat Shiva neighborhood. However, since he worked in the Old City and in his old age found it difficult to walk to the distant neighborhood, he rented the house, leaving himself a single room which he used during the summer.
He was adorned with Tefillin all day long at the Beit Midrash and yeshiva and spoke only Hebrew.
He asked not to write any praise on his gravestone only: "was a slave of Adat Yeshurun and taught at the yeshivas of Piotrowicz, Chaslewicz and here in the Holy City".
For material on the importance of the book before us and its author, see the introduction of the 1978 edition of the book.
The copy before us includes 30 pp, without "Seder Korban Pesach", which is mentioned by the title page of the book. It is most likely that some of the copies were thus printed.
Bound with:
Kuntras Mei Menuchot - Hilchot Shabbat, by Rabbi Moshe Nechemya Kahanov. Jerusalem, 1866. Avraham Rothenberg Printing Press. S. Ha'Levi 125. On the title page: an illustration of the tomb of the prophet Zecharya.
The book contains the laws of cooking and warming food of Sabbath as well as additional laws of Sabbath and Yom Tov. Most of the composition was published in the book "Netivot Ha'Shalom" by the author; several additions, however, were added here as well as the "Palgei Mayim" booklet - "the laws of those sailing on ships … and rafts on Sabbath".
17 cm.
Condition: Good. New binding.
Extremely Rare!