By COLlive reporter
Rabbi Yehuda Krinsky, secretary of Agudas Chassidei Chabad International, the umbrella organization of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, issued a public warning against the sale of Chabad’s historic books and manuscripts.
In a letter dated Monday, 16 Kislev 5778, Rabbi Krinsky wrote that it is a “most severe prohibition to trade, sell or buy” items from the stolen Schneerson Archive.
Manuscripts of the Tzemach Tzedek, the third Chabad Rebbe, are scheduled to be sold at the Moreshet Auction House in Israel this week. Chabad claims that these manuscripts are part of the Schneerson Archive looted by the Nazis and held illegally by Russia.
Senior U.S. Federal Judge Royce Lamberth ordered an international investigation which will involve U.S. and Israeli authorities to uncover the origins of these manuscripts.
Attorney Shmuel Grossman said in response that the Moreshet auction house is claiming that the manuscripts were the private property of Rabbi Yissachar Ber Horowitz, a rabbi in the town of Lubavitch.
But Rabbi Krinsky states that the “books and manuscripts that are in the hands of merchants or private people or auction houses are stolen and robbed in many different ways from the Schneerson Collection.”
He said it was forbidden for anyone to purchase them and that all should be done to return them to their “rightful place – the Agudas Chassidei Chabad Library here in Brooklyn, New York.”
As reported, over a month ago, Judge Lamberth ordered a similar investigation into the Kedem Auction House in Israel and resulted in the return of the Talmud Yevamot belonging of the Rebbe Maharash to the hands of Chabad.
“Sadly, additional texts from the Schneerson Collection, including several volumes of the Rebbe Maharash’s Talmud, have recently vanished from Moscow. We call upon anyone with knowledge or information about any person or entity who has other items from the Schneerson Collection that were illegally held by Russia, to contact Chabad or our lawyers immediately. Your anonymity will be preserved upon request,” he said.
As per the website for Morshet auction house the bidding started at 18K and it sold for 25K?
How was the sale allowed to go through?
Need better Lawyers?
ESN
Even a beis din would say Aguch has to pay for it, because halocho also has תקנת השוק. But Israeli law doesn’t have follow Choshen Mishpot, and it gives more importance to ensuring that good-faith buyers have security of title. Aguch’s only recourse is to find the original thief and sue them.
to #4 you dont play with the Rebbe you follow the Rebbes directives even today
The current seller bought these allegedly stolen goods in good faith last year, at a public auction to which the alleged victim made no objection. Therefore under Israel’s version of תקנת השוק the goods now belong to the good-faith purchaser. The time for Aguch to object was last year, but they didn’t hear about it and missed their chance.
(Halacha’s version preserves the original owner’s right to the goods, but requires him to compensate the good-faith purchaser.)
Thats life.
Go for it Rabbi Krinsky. It’s so nice to see how your total and complete devotion for the Rebbes inyanim both on a personal and general level is still burning with passion!!!
Chazak Chazak V’nischazeik!!
מה שהעורך דין אומר במספר 6 7 שהאמת אינו נוגע לחוק ישראלי אתמה מאד למה צריך בית משפט ועורך דין
I feel bad for this guy, the Rebbe said that whom ever takes these stolen kisvei yad, is taking a bomb in to his hands.
So first of all it’s a chutzpah, second it’s scary