Hillel Vitkind collection of documents relating to the 20th century Novardok Musar movement, between 1915?-1955.
מסמכים של הלל וויטקינד, ושל תנועת המוסר של נובהרדוק.

Format:

Book

Manuscript

Author/Creator:

Vitkind, Hillel, author, compiler, scribe.

Kotler, Aaron, 1892-1962, author.

Bryansḳer, Shimʻon, author.

Language:

Hebrew

Yiddish

Subjects (All):

Musar movement--20th century--Administration.

Musar movement.

Jewish religious education--Belarus--20th century.

Jewish religious education.

Jewish religious education--Ukraine--20th century.

Jewish religious education--Poland--20th century.

Manuscripts, Hebrew--Poland--Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski--20th century--Specimens.

Manuscripts, Hebrew.

Manuscripts, Yiddish--Poland--Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski--20th century--Specimens.

Manuscripts, Yiddish.

Reference sources.

Genre:

Manuscripts.

Religious poetry.

Penn Provenance:

Sold by Winner's Auction House (Jerusalem), Auction 146 lot 161.

Physical Description:

1 collection (16 parts) : paper.

Arrangement:

Organized by distinct component, in 16 parts.

Place of Publication:

between 1915?-1955.

Language Note:

In Yiddish, with some portions in Hebrew.

Biography/History:

Hillel Vitkind (1899-1974) was born in Indura, Belarus (known in Yiddish as Amdur, near Grodno) and was brought to the Musar Movement in the ʻAnaf Keneset Yiśraʼel yeshiva in Shchuchyn, Belarus, under Yehudah Leyb Ḥasman and Alter Shmuelevitz (who was the son-in-law of the Alter of Novardok, Yosef Yoizel Horowitz); he joined the Novardok Yeshiva during their exile in Gomel, Belarus, during World War I, and studied with the Alter of Novardok until the Russian Revolution of 1917, when he oversaw branches of the Novardok Yeshiva in Mogilev, (Ukraine) Zhitomyr, Korostyshiv, and Korosten'; and oversaw the Polish branches of the Novardok Yeshiva after 1921 (Warsaw, Mława, Włocławek, Płock, Pułtusk, Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, Włodawa, and Kielce). He emigrated to Mandate Palestine during the 1930s, where he founded Yeshivat Bet Yosef Navardok in Tel-Aviv until 1974; his son-in-law, Mordekhai Leyb Man (1916-1997) moved the Yeshiva to Bene Beraq and renamed in Yeshivat Bet Hilel in his name.

Summary:

Archive of writings associated with the growth of the Novardok Musar movement and Hillel Vitkind's study, writing, and educational work, first in Belarus, Ukraine, Poland, and Israel; portions of the manuscripts were prepared for publication (in the two volume Ḥaye ha-Musar: Maʼamarim u-pitgamim me-rabotenu hakhme ha-musar (Ḥever Talmide Yeshivat "Bet-Yosef" be-Osṭrovitseh: Bene Berak, 1964).

Contents:

1. [Jotting notes of relevant verses and lines in the Bible to Musar ideals, with fines of students overseen noted briefly; 30 leaves. Circa 1915]

2. [Yiddish poetry on Musarite themes, with other popular songs; Mi-ḳolot; Ben ḥokhmah; Di Torah; Nefesh ha-ḥotaʼat mah te-hi ʻalaṿ; Bedideś; Havdalah; Azoy iz der dor; Di shevuʻeh; Lebediḳ Yeḳel; traditional Hebrew poetry: Yedidi roʻeh me-ḳimi by Israel Najara; Tsamʼah nafshi le-Elohim by Abraham ibn Ezra]; 18 leaves. Circa 1915-1920]

3. [Musar dissertations and notes, much on self-improvement from sins and vice: titles include: ʻAzivat ha-ḥeṭ; Ha-yagon; Ha-daʼagah; Ha-bushah; Ha-hakhnaʻah ṿeha-shiflut; Shevirat ha-taʼavah ha-gashmiyut; Ḥiḳur ha-ʻoneshim; Tiḳun hame-ʻavet; speeches (named authors Shimʻon Bryansḳer, and Aharon Ḳoṭler of Klyetsk (Aaron Kotler, 1892-1962; later founder of Beth Midrash Govoha, Lakewood, N.J.), names and resolutions (ḳabalot); Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, between 1925? and 1929]

4. Heʻarot be-ʻinyane ha-Musar [manuscript work on Novhardok Musar practices, organized under headings and numbered until 201]; Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski?, between 1925-1929]

5. [Work on Yiddish Musar poetry, including titles: Shomer Yiśraʼel; Oykh Hefḳeruś; Bi-tsʼet Yiśraʼel mi-Mitsrayim; and on the Ten Sefirot, and Biblical and Midrashic themes; circa 1920]

6. Le-siyoma de-Shas, Ostroṿitse 1933 [Siyum sermon, on occasion of completion of the Talmud, written in a different hand; Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, 5 March 1933]

7. Hemshekh [Continuation of Musar speeches and verses]

8. [Work of Musar poetry in the hand of a student; including: Shir shel yom ha-mitah; Hishtapkhut ha-nefesh leha-bore; Di grenits; Li-khevot Ḥag ha-Sukot; between 1932-1933]

9. [Student notebook, on printed notebook of N. Burstyn, Ożarów [Mazowiecki]; Warsaw?, circa 1925]

10. [Student notebook, caption "Tokhaḥah", signed by Nisan Tselniḳer of Babruysk; circa 1930]

11. [Notebook of curriculum for Talmud study, student assignments, building expenses, and expenses of students of Yehudah Leyb Ḥasman; Tel Aviv? Jerusalem?, before 1936]

12. [Notebook of Musar notes, written in a different hand, dated 1929; Warsaw?]

13. [Page of notes, written in a different hand, on Kavvanot and prayer instructions; Belarus? circa 1910-1920]

14. [Notes written for the composition of the book Ḥaye ha-Musar; Tel-Aviv?, 1964?]

15. [Miscellanea; Yiddish poems and verses for Purim, Shavuot [including a poem called "Der Yud" and "Der Shevueh"], and Der Idele; Belarus? circa 1915]

16. Hadran [Siyum speech for Tractate Rosh ha-Shanah, dated Yitro 5716, or February 1956].

Notes:

Title devised by cataloger.

Cited as:

Hillel Vitkind Collection of Documents (Ms. Coll. 1693). Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts, University of Pennsylvania.

OCLC:

1531978842