'Shpitz' Kippah that Belonged to the Admo"r of Husiatyn, the Leading Admo"r of Ruzhin

'Shpitz' Kippah that Belonged to the Admo"r of Husiatyn, the Leading Admo"r of Ruzhin

"When an object that was owned by a sacred person is held by someone who is ill, the chitzoni force flees from him, and the patient recovers as a result." (The Rebbe R' Moshe of Kossov, author of Lekket Ani)

Kippah lining used by the leading Admo"r of Ruzhin in his generation, the Admo"r, 'Ba'al Ruach HaKodesh, ' Rabbi Yisrael of Husiatyn, paternal grandson of Rabbi Yisrael of Ruzhin. In the dynasty of the royal House of Ruzhin, they would (from inception to this day) keep sacred items from the leaders of the dynasty in special safe rooms, especially the "royal crown" - the Ruzhiner shtreimel - which has never been put up for auction. Presented here is an important ritual item, most regal and significant, offered for the first time at public auction.

As is known, Admo"rs of the House of Ruzhin traditionally wear tall Ruzhiner shtreimels. Following in the dynasty's regal style, established by Rabbi Yisrael of Ruzhin, who was nicknamed 'king of the Jewish people, ' his descendants continue his resplendent conduct by building magnificent homes and synagogues. The garb worn by Admo"rim of Ruzhin also differs from the other Admo"rim of their time, and they wore a unique shtreimel, with a pointed kippah that rises above the fur; a kind of royal crown.

This 'shpitz' kippah is not only the Rebbe's kippah. As part of the Chassidic shtreimel, it symbolizes the sefirah "Keter" - the highest and most sacred sefirah. The Admo"r Rabbi Naftali of Ropshitz interpreted the letters of the word Shabbat as an abbreviation for  "shtreimel in the place of tefillin"[ שבת: 'ש'טריימל ב'מקום ת'פילין']. It is also said in the name of Rabbi Moshe of Ropschitz that a shtreimel is a G-dly contract [שטריימל הוא 'שטר מאלקים']. All the more so, the Ruzhiner shpitz symbolizes the royal crown itself.

In addition, this kippah also regularly adorned the Rebbe's head on Shabbat and festivals, with nothing intervening. Under it, the Rebbe served his Creator with awesome sanctity and purity, his prayers notable for only the movement of his lips without the sound of his voice. At his tisches, divine inspiration would famously emanate from his throat.

This kippah-lining was received from the estate of the renowned Chassid Pinchas Blank, close associate of the Admo"r of Husiatyn and Rabbi Shlomke of Zvhil. (Parenthetically, we will add that Rabbi Pinchas himself was also a lofty individual; it was based on his dream that the Monday-Thursday-Monday segulah at the Admo"r Rabbi Gedaliah Moshe of Zvhil's grave began; refer to this link Kuntress Ma'ayanot Chaim, page 12.)

Refer to the Hebrew catalog text for a brief biography of Rabbi Yisrael of Husiatyn.

In various Jewish communities around the world, as an auspicious omen, celebrants at significant life-cycle events (ritual circumcision, redemption of the firstborn and weddings) would wear a kippah that was previously used by rabbinic leaders. These kippahs were generally the property of descendants of the tzaddikim or of wealthy individuals who paid a fortune for them, and they would graciously lend them to people hosting family celebrations (until various unscrupulous individuals came along coveting these items for themselves, at which point this lending stopped). The owners of the kippahs would wear them as a segulah on the high holidays - on Rosh HaShanah and on Yom Kippur, or when they were ill.

Pointed kippah made of high-quality especially thick blue fabric. The height of the shpitz is about 14 cm, and its diameter is also approximately 14 cm.

Very fine condition.

* Original letter included from the rosh yeshivah of the Tshebin yeshivah, the gaon Rabbi Baruch Shimon Schneerson, to the seller, Rabbi Yitzchak Blank, in which he refers to him as "The learned avreich, wondrous and expert in Torah and fear of Heaven."