I finally read both Oleshkevitch papers — she filled some gaps in my understanding and opened up some new ones.
• she states that no manuscripts are found in the Red Army museum — only the “archive” is there. come to think of it, a few years ago people did tell me that only some “archive” was there, but since I never heard of it, I had no idea what they were talking about and decided that those Tzemach Tzedek manuscripts that other people claimed were discovered in the Red Army museum, were part of this "archive" (and if there were not, where DID the folks in NY get their photocopies from?).
• she does somewhat answer my question about the absence of a catalog of the library sent to the Moscow storage — at least there is a claim is that there was a catalog.
• she explains quite plausibly why the very-very rare Shklov siddur was placed into that storage (this had always puzzled me) — it did not have the kedusha of having been owned by one of the Rebbes (this is not a totally satisfying answer, to be sure, as this siddur is not simply a valuable imprint, but, I believe, the ONLY extant copy, and even the author of Shaar Hakolel working on his Torah Ohr siddur bemoaned the fact that he could not get to see it).
• now, if the manuscripts were all left in that later nationalized Moscow storage and became part of the disputed “Schnnerson Collection”, how did any manuscripts make their way to NY?
• there were very few books that were taken to Rostov and later Leningrad and those, with additional purchase of the Viner collection went to Riga, then to Otwotsk (with more books purchased during the pre-war period), to only then be abandoned in Poland in 1939. The FR took a small suitcase with manuscripts on his person on his way out of Warsaw — what did the NY library consist of until 1978? THIS REMAINS THE BIGGEST GAPING HOLE IN MY UNDERSTANDING OF THIS SAGA.
• as an aside to the last point, she says that what was brought out of Poland in 1978 was also an "archive", but we do know for a fact that is contained also some manuscripts of maamorim, including by the Tzemach Tzedek. perhaps “archive” in this case doesn’t mean purely a collection of documents?
an additional thought on the Moscow storage saga — it seems that there was a very high level of trust placed by the Rebbe Rashab upon the owners of that outfit, only that can ultimately explain his deposit of some really important items there.
I had an argument about this one with Katya. I said that if they left the library in any other place besides Moscow and Leningrad, it would probably survive intact. She said they didn't know, etc. They did not know a lot of things...
Although it takes me time and much effort to write these posts, I am just an amateur with limited knowledge. But I resent lies. Forget my rants. Read Katya's papers.
I finally read both Oleshkevitch papers — she filled some gaps in my understanding and opened up some new ones.
• she states that no manuscripts are found in the Red Army museum — only the “archive” is there. come to think of it, a few years ago people did tell me that only some “archive” was there, but since I never heard of it, I had no idea what they were talking about and decided that those Tzemach Tzedek manuscripts that other people claimed were discovered in the Red Army museum, were part of this "archive" (and if there were not, where DID the folks in NY get their photocopies from?).
• she does somewhat answer my question about the absence of a catalog of the library sent to the Moscow storage — at least there is a claim is that there was a catalog.
• she explains quite plausibly why the very-very rare Shklov siddur was placed into that storage (this had always puzzled me) — it did not have the kedusha of having been owned by one of the Rebbes (this is not a totally satisfying answer, to be sure, as this siddur is not simply a valuable imprint, but, I believe, the ONLY extant copy, and even the author of Shaar Hakolel working on his Torah Ohr siddur bemoaned the fact that he could not get to see it).
• now, if the manuscripts were all left in that later nationalized Moscow storage and became part of the disputed “Schnnerson Collection”, how did any manuscripts make their way to NY?
• there were very few books that were taken to Rostov and later Leningrad and those, with additional purchase of the Viner collection went to Riga, then to Otwotsk (with more books purchased during the pre-war period), to only then be abandoned in Poland in 1939. The FR took a small suitcase with manuscripts on his person on his way out of Warsaw — what did the NY library consist of until 1978? THIS REMAINS THE BIGGEST GAPING HOLE IN MY UNDERSTANDING OF THIS SAGA.
• as an aside to the last point, she says that what was brought out of Poland in 1978 was also an "archive", but we do know for a fact that is contained also some manuscripts of maamorim, including by the Tzemach Tzedek. perhaps “archive” in this case doesn’t mean purely a collection of documents?
Katya thinks they did not get everything in Warsaw. But since there is no any inventory, difficult to tell. That's the way I understand it.
please clarify, who didn't get everything in Warsaw? how did ANYTHING of any serious quantity made its way to NY?
The implication, they didn't get all the books in 1978. I don't know this part of the story. I'll clarify.
an additional thought on the Moscow storage saga — it seems that there was a very high level of trust placed by the Rebbe Rashab upon the owners of that outfit, only that can ultimately explain his deposit of some really important items there.
I had an argument about this one with Katya. I said that if they left the library in any other place besides Moscow and Leningrad, it would probably survive intact. She said they didn't know, etc. They did not know a lot of things...
I usually do many edits after the post is published.
Although it takes me time and much effort to write these posts, I am just an amateur with limited knowledge. But I resent lies. Forget my rants. Read Katya's papers.
The was some technical problem with the download of the paper in Russian. Fixed now.