Ancient amulet on vellum for safeguarding the home from thieves and evil spirits, of the type of amulets given by Rebbe Yeshaya Steiner of Kerestir (Bodrogkeresztúr, Hungary – "R. Yeshaya’le Kerestirer") & and the Yismach Moshe of Újhely (Sátoraljaújhely, Hungary) and other Rebbes.
Scribal writing ("STaM") on a piece of parchment, placed in an original tin frame, with a loop for hanging over the doorway and a glass window (broken).
Amulets of this type are known as "Kerestirer amulets" – since most of the amulets given by R. Yeshaya’le of Kerestir were in this format, written specifically upon his order by several scribes in Kerestir. The Sefer "Mofet HaDor" (a biography of R. Yeshaya’le of Kerestir) recounts that a store protected by such amulets, sent by R. Yeshaya’le, was miraculously protected from arson (see there two photographs of such amulets).
The Sefer "Elef Ktav" (by R. Yitzchak Weiss of Vrbové, section 515), interprets the text of the amulet as the acronym of three protective verses. The first line contains the alternating acronyms of two verses from Psalms, and the second line contains the acronym of a verse from Genesis.
The text of the amulet originates with Rebbe Moshe Teitelbaum, author of "Yismach Moshe", who gave this amulet for the safeguarding of the home. The "Nachalat Zvi" anthology (XVI, pp. 126-127) contains a picture of a similar amulet written by R. Moshe Teitelbaum, which was given by his grandson, the Yitav Lev, to his assistant, R. Meir Schwartz. The anthology also relates that when Rebbe Yoel of Satmar visited Eretz Israel, he went specifically to see this amulet. Similar amulets were also given by the rebbes of Sanz, Belz, Ruzhyn, Sighet and Liska. R. Hillel of Kolomyia, in his Sefer Teshuvot Beit Hillel HaChadash (section 32), recommends writing this amulet and placing it for a while on all the doorways of a new home, thereby preventing harm to all its residents.
The second half of the amulet is known as a Segulah when one faces a harsh trial.
See also lot 208.
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Lot #205