Auction 1 - Rare Hebrew Books, Manuscripts & Rabbinic Letters
Lot 7:
Description
Harbin, China, [early 20th century].
This rare manuscript provides an intimate, material glimpse into the liturgical life of the Jewish community of Harbin, which stood as the largest and most prominent Jewish center in China. Established in the late 19th century by families fleeing Tsarist pogroms, revolutions, and systemic persecution in Russia and Eastern Europe, the community peaked at roughly 25,000 members. Harbin developed a remarkably vibrant Jewish civil society, boasting Hebrew newspapers, Talmud Torah schools, and highly regarded academies for art and music.
This notebook contains the lyrics and melodies for the Sabbath prayers, including the “Kabbalat Shabbat”, “Shacharit” and “Mussaf” prayers. For each segment of each prayer, the title of the musical piece is noted in Hebrew. The text of the prayers is transliterated throughout in the latin alphabet beneath the musical scores. Inked stamp of “Administration of the Main Synagogue Harbin” in Hebrew and Russian on pastedown and first page of music.
The Main Synagogue, founded in 1907, served as the spiritual anchor of this population. The use of Russian and Hebrew on the official administrative stamps, paired with Latin-transliterated Hebrew lyrics, directly reflects the complex cultural synthesis of Russian-born cantors adapting to life in Northeast China. Following decades of instability—including the Japanese occupation, Soviet invasion, and the rise of Communist China—the community rapidly dwindled through forced evictions and emigration, completely vanishing by the early 1960s. This notebook survives as a rare artifact from a vanished hub of the Far East Diaspora
Overall in very good condition. Scattered staining consistent with age and active synagogue use. Minor worming present, primarily restricted to the blank outer margins of the leaves, not affecting the legibility of the musical notation or text. Bound in its original utilitarian binding, showing expected surface wear.
Provenance: Kedem auction 94, part 2, lot 162
The Melikian Collection
Opening price: $2,800
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