Responsum, between 1917 and 1923.
תשובה

Format:

Book

Manuscript

Contributor:

Karp, Abraham J., former owner.

Abraham J. and Deborah Karp Collection of Judaica (University of Pennsylvania)

Language:

Hebrew

Yiddish

Subjects (All):

Mikveh.

Jews--Belarus--History--20th century--Sources.

Jews.

Belarus.

History.

Jews--Russia--History--20th century--Sources.

Russia.

Mikveh--Religious aspects.

Purity, Ritual--Judaism.

Purity, Ritual.

Jews--Social life and customs.

Genre:

Sources.

Penn Provenance:

Formerly in the collection of Rabbi Dr. Abraham J. Karp.

Physical Description:

1 item (1 leaf) : paper ; 220 x 310 mm

Place of Publication:

between 1917 and 1923.

בין 1917-1923.

Language Note:

In Hebrew; various words in Yiddish.

Summary:

This is a manuscript of a responsum written during the first Soviet Union Revolution defending the practice of the town's women using the local river as a mikveh as they had in the past; the issue with using this river was that rebels (רעבליעס, likely the Bolshevik Army) often were crossing the river on horseback, creating artificial currents in the river (this poses a general problem of water not running an unaided course in a natural flowing body of water or sitting still in a pool of water; מעיין בזוחלין ומקוה באשבורן, a spring [is preferable] with natural flow, and a pool with still waters (see Rashi to Shabat 65b "Ṿe-savar", Tosafot to Ḥagigah 11a "Bi-me miḳṿeh")). The responsum defends the practice continuing through the disruptions as only possibly a Rabbinic stringency and asserts that even if the army were to completely disrupt the river the immersions would remain valid (verso). Written on a bifolium (now pressed flat) on each side in an eastern European cursive script (partially in pencil); various stains and tears; blind stamp in Russian, lower left corner.

Cited as:

UPenn Karp OS BV.22b.

OCLC:

1295620762