An incredibly holy object: Channukiyah of Rabbi Levi Yitzhak of Berdichev

An incredibly holy object: Channukiyah of Rabbi Levi Yitzhak of Berdichev

A once-in-a-generation type opportunity to possess a holy object, the actual channukiyah used by Rabbi Levi Yitzhak of Berdichev, the author of the Kedushat Levi, who lit it in holiness and full kavana of the mitzvot with love and yirah.

This channukiyah has been passed down in the family of possessors for several generations, coming to us from the descendants of Rabbi Yosef Greenbaum, author of HaKarmel, who testified to his children of the tradition that the menorah was lit originally by Rabbi Levi Yitzhak. As a result of the great distance of time and fear that people would forget this, one of the family members engraved at the bottom: “This pure menorah was used to light by the tzaddik yesod haolam, Rahak Levi Yitzhak son of Sarah Sasa, Av Beit Din of Berdichev, author of the Kedushat Levi in his journeys, z”l.”

Certificates and additional documents will be presented to potential buyers.

Experts who examined this menorah certified that the type of silver and the style match that of Ukraine-Eastern Europe and the second half of the 18th century—during the era of the Kedushat Levi.

The menorah itself: made of silver, standing on four decorated legs. Strong and massive, it opens along a hinge to insert oil, and at the top are 8 holders for inserting wicks, some of which still have floral decorations to frame them. On the side is a welded base for a shamash—it seems to have come apart and partially been lost over the years. On the front is a locking mechanism on an axis. Size: 15.1cm long, 3cm wide (the channukiyah); the base is 6.2cm wide, 5.5cm high. 258g weight.

This item was presented in the “Judaica Jerusalem” auction house more than 35 years ago (catalogue of Nissan 5746—May 1986, Item #245) and was the flagship item of that auction, appearing on the cover of the catalogue. It hadn’t been seen since (see the facsimile of that catalogue).