Manuscript, Zera Aharon, responsa work on the laws of terefot, with homilies, handwritten and signed by the author, R. Yeshayah Chananiah HaKohen Katz. [Košice, ca. 1916-1918].
Title page at beginning of manuscript: "Zera Aharon on Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah, from section 29 to 135… And I hope that this book will be of benefit even to the great ones in the land… Yeshayah Chananiah Katz, residing here in Košice". On leaf before title page, his stamp (in Hebrew and Latin characters): "Yeshayah Katz, residing here in Košice – Rabiber Saje Katz D. Z. Kassa".
Another volume of this work was auctioned by Kedem (catalog 51 part 1, Tamuz 2016, lot 238); the author refers to it on p. 19b of the second sequence.
At the beginning of the manuscript is an approbation of R. Eliezer Chaim Deutsch, Rabbi of Bonyhád, dated Elul 1916. In the approbation, he writes that R. Shmuel Engel of Radomyshl also gave an approbation to the book. Under the approbation is a note by R. Eliezer Chaim Deutsch, "regarding his question… on the Gaon of Buchach…".
On p. 54b: "I begin to write the laws of terefot of the lungs, Lag BaOmer, 18th Iyar, 1916". On leaves 148-150, copying of a letter from R. Eliezer Chaim Deutsch, dated 26th Elul 1916 (three days before R. Deutsch's passing).
On leaves 224-226 appears a homily entitled Bigdei Kehunah (on page headers). The last three leaves of the manuscript have a separate pagination, with a lengthy discourse (homily or introduction) also including biographical details about the author: "…He Who has mercy on the creations had mercy on me and extracted me from the world of business, from the chains of occupation, to place the burden of Torah and mitzvot upon my shoulders, to learn, teach, guard, perform and fulfill…" (p. 1b); "Since moreover, I have not yet merited to have live offspring, and our only daughter [Esther] left us in the eighth year of her life on Rosh Chodesh Tamuz 1895" (p. 2a).
On p. 12b, sermon for Pidyon HaBen delivered in Košice, Isru Chag Shavuot 1915. On p. 16a, sermon delivered in Košice, second day of Sukkot, 1915. On p. 21a, sermon delivered on Tuesday, Re'eh, 1914, on the birthday of Emperor Franz Joseph. On p. 24a, sermon delivered in Košice on Shabbat Teshuvah, 1916. On p. 26b, sermon delivered in Košice at Seudah Shelishit, Yitro, 1917. On p. 28a, sermon delivered on Shabbat Teshuvah, 1917. On p. 14a, citation from sermon delivered by R. Shimon Sofer when appointed Rabbi of Cracow.
Towards the end (leaf 29), he begins to recount the death of his daughter Esther, and his reason for authoring the book: "Now dear reader, surely you will aim your speech at me: 'See what this Jew brought… Who are you to nest up high to be an author of books and to admonish us?'… I admit without shame that I am no better than you… and see what happened to me, for my only daughter, the girl Esther – I had one girl, and no son or daughter apart from this girl – and due to my many sins, even this one did not remain for me in this world, but in the eight year of her life she departed from me… And therefore I cry… that I remain with no live offspring… and who will have mercy on my soul after a hundred years?... Therefore I have dared, come what may, and took upon myself to bring merit to the public my entire life… And I named the book Zera Aharon, because I come from the seed of Aaron, both on my father's and my mother's side… And may this book be my consolation so that my name not be lost from the Jewish people, G-d forbid. And if anyone studies this book of mine, even once in a month, may it protect my soul so as not to fall into the pit of destruction… The words of one who sits in the dust at the feet of the righteous and the sages, Yeshayah Chananiah Katz, residing here in Košice".
He later mentions his father Moshe Shimshon Katz and his mother Toivah, a descendant of R. Natan Shapiro, the Megaleh Amukot. He concludes by recounting a story about his ancestor the Megaleh Amukot which he heard from his uncle R. Avraham Shapiro HaKohen of Bardejov.
There are several indications in the manuscript that the author intended to print the book. On p. 222b are two signatures committing to purchase the book after its printing: "Baruch Koppel of Tășnad" and "Yeshayah Halzer of Sălaj".
On endpaper before title page, inscription in Romanian: "This book is a prayer book and shall remain in the possession of R. Katz", signed by the general of Carei, with stamp of the Carei headquarters. This may have been during the Romanian conquest of Carei during World War I, where the author was apparently residing after he left Košice (some of his writings from Carei in 1918-1919 are mentioned in the second part of the work, sold in the abovementioned Kedem auction).
The author,
R. Yeshayah Chananiah Katz of Tarnów (Poland-Galicia) lived for about 20 years in Dukla and already in 1896 corresponded on halachic issues with well-known rabbis. A responsum from 1896 appears in Zichron Tzvi section 9, addressed to "the erudite, exceptional young man… R. Yeshayah Katz… here in Dukla". During World War I, he was appointed Rabbi of Košice and in 1920 moved to Bucharest, where he served as Rabbi of the Orthodox community.
[1], 17-235 leaves; 1-30 leaves. 20 cm. Good condition. Stains. Wear. Detached gatherings. New binding (detached) and slipcase.
