Auction 90 Judaica - Books, Manuscripts, Letters, Ceremonial Art
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Sifra DeTzniuta, with the commentary of the Gaon of Vilna. Vilna and Horodna: Menachem Mann son of Baruch and Simcha Simmel son of Menachem Nachum, [1820]. First edition of the commentary of the Gaon of Vilna on Sifra DeTzniuta.
This book is one of the fundamental books for studying and understanding the approach of the Gaon of Vilna to Kabbalah.
The work was brought to print by R. Yaakov Moshe of Slonim, grandson and disciple of the Gaon of Vilna (son of R. Avraham son of the Gaon of Vilna).
Lengthy foreword by R. Chaim of Volozhin at the beginning of the book – the last foreword written by R. Chaim to one of the books of the Gaon of Vilna (he passed away a year after this book was published, in 1821).
[6], 59, [3] leaves. 20.5 cm. Good condition. Stains. Minor wear. Small tears, including tear slightly affecting text on one leaf (without loss), and minor marginal open tear to another leaf, not affecting text. Stamps. New binding.
Vinograd, Thesaurus of the Books of the Vilna Gaon, no. 696.
Sifra DeTzniuta with the Commentary of the Gaon of Vilna – The Segulah Qualities of the First Edition
The following stories are told about the holiness and segulah of this edition:
R. Shemaryahu Greineman told the following story in the name of the Chazon Ish – A dybbuk was once brought before one of the tzaddikim of the previous generation, in the presence of all the townspeople. The tzaddik declared: "Let me show you a wondrous thing!". He presented the dybbuk with two copies of a book (Sifra DeTzniuta or Sefer Yetzirah), one printed in the previous generation and the second printed in his times. The books were both wrapped in paper, and thus outwardly undistinguishable. The dybbuk took one book and embraced it lovingly; however, he recoiled from the other book saying that he is unable to touch it. The tzaddik explained the reason for this: the impure dybbuk was unable to touch the book published in the previous generation since it was printed by G-d-fearing Jews, unlike the second book, which was printed in a printing press which employed Jews who were lured by the Enlightenment Movement (Maaseh Ish, V, p. 122, in the name of R. Shemaryahu Greineman who heard the story from the Chazon Ish).
A similar story was told by R. Shmuel David HaKohen Munk (rabbi of the Orthodox community in Haifa), in the name of a Sephardic Jerusalem kabbalist – A person with a dybbuk was brought before the kabbalist, who placed the second edition of the Vilna Gaon's commentary on Sifra DeTzniuta on the man to no avail. He then used the first edition and the man was cured (Zechor LeDavid, II, p. 159). R. Munk also quotes R. Eliezer Gordon of Telz, who reported that when a volume of the first edition was placed in the hands of a dybbuk, he shook and screamed in terror: "The Vilner! The Vilner!", but did not show the same agitation upon similar exposure to a second edition (ibid).
PLEASE NOTE: Item description was shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.
Published based on the original manuscript of the Gaon of Vilna. A commentary by the editor R. Shmuel, rabbi of Luknik (Luokė), was printed alongside the work of the Gaon of Vilna.
Foreword by R. Yaakov Moshe of Slonim, descendant of the Gaon of Vilna, relating to the correct way of viewing secular sciences.
Lengthy handwritten glosses (mostly trimmed), with calculations related to the topic of the book.
[7], 31 leaves. 21.5 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains. Minor open tears to final leaves, affecting text. Minor worming, affecting text. New binding.
Vinograd, Thesaurus of the Books of the Vilna Gaon, no. 862.
PLEASE NOTE: Item description was shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.
Approbation by the Gaon of Vilna on the verso of the title page. This is one of the only two approbations ever given by the Gaon of Vilna.
In his approbation, the Gaon of Vilna blesses the author: "May he succeed in publishing it, with G-d's will, to revive many people and grant them the merit of seeing the pleasantness of G-d…".
[2], 117 leaves. 20 cm. Fair condition. Stains, including dampstains. Tears, including large open tears to title page and other leaves, with damage to title page border and significant damage to text, mostly repaired with paper (with photocopy replacements). Minor worming. New leather binding.
Vinograd, Thesaurus of the Books of the Vilna Gaon, no. 990.
PLEASE NOTE: Item description was shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.
Six (consecutive) autograph leaves by the author, R. Menachem Mendel of Shklow from his work on Mishnat Chassidim by R. Immanuel Chai Ricchi, on the principles of Kabbalah. This work was published in the book Kitvei R. Menachem Mendel, Jerusalem 2001, Vol. I, based on the manuscript of which these leaves are a part (the contents of these leaves can be found on pp. 189-204).
R. Menachem Mendel of Shklow (d. 1827), prominent kabbalist, close disciple of the Gaon of Vilna in the final two years of the latter's life. He led the first group of the disciples of the Gaon of Vilna in their immigration to Eretz Israel, and founded the Perushim community in Jerusalem.
[6] leaves (12 autograph pages). Approx. 30 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains, including large, dark dampstains. Ink faded in several places. Marginal tears and wear.
PLEASE NOTE: Item description was shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.
An appeal letter given to the emissary R. Tzvi Hirsh son of R. Yehuda, with a blank space for the emissary to fill in the name of the donor.
Signed by R. Chaim Kohen (previously rabbi in Pinsk, served as rabbi in Safed until his passing in 1831); R. Yisrael of Shklow (disciple of the Gaon of Vilna); R. Natan Neta son of R. Mendel (leader of the first group of disciples of the Gaon of Vilna who immigrated to Eretz Israel in 1809; d. 1846); R. Natan Neta son of R. Saadia (attendant of the Gaon of Vilna; d. 1849); R. Aryeh Leib son of R. Yosef Leon (head of the Ashkenazi Yishuv in Safed); R. Aryeh son of R. Yerachmiel Markus of Keidan (trustee of Kollel Perushim in Jerusalem and founder of the Hurva synagogue); R. Shlomo Zalman son of R. Ze'ev Wolf HaKohen (emissary for Eretz Israel; d. 1847 in Calcutta).
[1] leaf. 24.5 cm. Good condition. Stains. Marginal worming, not affecting text.
PLEASE NOTE: Item description was shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.
Varies slightly from printed version.
Inscription in a different hand on the final page.
Or Yakar is a very comprehensive commentary on the Zohar, which R. Moshe Cordovero composed over many years. The work remained in manuscript form for many generations, and was only recently published.
[15] leaves. 18.5 cm. Good condition. Stains, including dampstains. Closed tears and minor open tears to margins, not affecting text, repaired in part with paper. New leather binding.
This manuscript was once part of MS London Beth Din 119 (pp. 167a-181b), an anthology of kabbalistic works from the teachings of the Arizal, sold at Christie's, New York, June 1999.
PLEASE NOTE: Item description was shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.
Marked "copy" at the top of the leaf. The Chatam Sofer responds to a question which R. David Deutsch wrote to him in the name of R. Zalman Emmerich, on a contradiction between topics in tractates Shevuot and Menachot. The responsum was published in Responsa Chatam Sofer, Orach Chaim section 174, yet with the omission of 3 lines from the text of the question, which were included in the present copy.
The recipient of the letter, R. David Deutsch (1757-1831), author of Ohel David and rabbi of Nowe Miasto. A prominent Torah scholar in his times. Disciple of the Noda BiYehuda. He exchanged halachic correspondence with the Chatam Sofer, with whom he entertained close ties.
[1] double leaf (3 written pages). 23 cm. Good condition. Stains and creases.
PLEASE NOTE: Item description was shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.
Novellae on Talmudic topics in tractates Beitzah, Ketubot, Yevamot, Chullin and more, written during the author's years of study in his hometown Ir Chadash, and later in Pressburg, during the final years of the Chatam Sofer's lifetime, and at the beginning of the Ktav Sofer's tenure.
The volume comprises two parts in different handwriting, both by the same writer (a table of contents for both parts appears at the beginning of the volume, with consecutive foliation throughout). The part bound second was written earlier, with an inscription on its first page (p. 65a): "This is my notebook, Yehuda Segal…". The author was presumably R. Yehuda Segal (d. 1876) of Ir Chadash (Nové Mesto), disciple of the Chatam Sofer and of the Ktav Sofer. He later served as dayan in his hometown.
Most of the novellae are the writer's original thoughts, from his time in the Pressburg yeshiva and from earlier periods, though he occasionally quotes teachings from his teachers, including novellae from the Chatam Sofer. These novellae were printed with textual variations in the books of the Chatam Sofer.
The second part was composed in his youth, in Ir Chadash, while the first part was written later, when he was studying in Pressburg. The novellae are dated 1839-1843, most date after the passing of the Chatam Sofer. One later addition dated 1874.
He also quotes novellae from other Torah scholars such as R. Elazar Strasser Rabbi of Ir Chadash (1790?-1849), disciple of the Shemen Roke'ach; R. Meir Sobotischt (d. 1838), a Torah scholar in Ir Chadash and later rabbi of Schächtitz; and R. Shlomo Zalman Bonyhad (d. 1858), disciple of the Maharam Ash Rabbi of Ungvar.
[116] leaves (misfoliation). 21 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains. Minor tears and wear. Several detached leaves. Old binding, damaged and partially detached.
PLEASE NOTE: Item description was shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.
Eulogy for R. Yisrael Deutsch (1800-1853), Rabbi of Beuthen (Bytom, Poland), son of R. Mordechai Deutsch Rabbi of Zülz. He was staunch opponent of the Reform movement. Exchanged correspondence with the Ktav Sofer.
The present eulogy was composed (and presumably handwritten) by his brother R. David Deutsch (1810-1873), disciple of the Maharam Banet and the Chatam Sofer, rabbi of Myslowitz and Sorau (Żary, Poland), and a fierce opponent of the Reform movement.
After the passing of R. Yisrael Deutsch, his brother R. David published his writings in the book Zera Yisrael (Gleiwitz 1855). The book includes a eulogy for R. Yisrael in German, differing in contents from the present eulogy.
[4] leaves (approx. 6 written pages). 21 cm. Fair-good condition. Stains. Marginal tears, slightly affecting text.
PLEASE NOTE: Item description was shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.
Several booklets, by several writers, bound together. The first leaf, which is dated 13th Adar 1883, is signed by one of the students of R. Menachem Tzvi Basch, who writes that the booklet contains Torah novellae heard from his teacher. The other writers were presumably also disciples of R. Menachem Tzvi Basch, who recorded his teachings or copied his writings. Some of the novellae may have been written by the teacher himself.
Signatures of several disciples in various places in the booklets, dated 1883-1884.
R. Menachem Tzvi Basch, a Hungarian rabbi in the late 19th / early 20th century. Served as rabbi of Apostag (a small village in the Budapest area). Responsa of R. Azriel Hildesheimer and Chiddushei R. Azriel contain several questions sent to R. Azriel by R. Menachem Tzvi, signing as his disciple.
[1; 20; 32; 20; 34; 19] leaves. Approx. 21 cm. Fair condition. Stains and wear. Closed and open tears, affecting text. Second gathering, and one leaf from first gathering, are detached. Without binding.
PLEASE NOTE: Item description was shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.
The letters and novellae were presumably copied by a student in the Galanta yeshiva, from the manuscript of R. Naftali Buxbaum, son of R. Yehoshua. To the best of our knowledge, part of the manuscript remains unpublished.
The manuscript opens with a letter from R. Shmuel Rosenberg to R. Yeshaya Silberstein Rabbi of Waitzen, in which he opposes introducing secular studies in the yeshiva curriculum. This followed by a letter on a similar topic by R. Yehoshua Buxbaum.
The second part of the manuscript comprises 20 pages of novellae and sermons, mostly on the Torah portions. Most of these sermons were published in Or Pnei Yehoshua on the Torah (Jerusalem 1950), though some remain unpublished (see enclosed material).
The manuscript concludes with an enthusiastic letter of recommendation from R. Shmuel Rosenberg of Unsdorf for his disciple R. Yehoshua Buxbaum. To the best of our knowledge, this letter is unpublished.
See Hebrew description for more details about the various letters.
Rabbi Shmuel Rosenberg, author of Be’er Shmuel (1842-1919), foremost Hungarian rabbi and yeshiva dean. A leading disciple of the Ktav Sofer. Rabbi of Tshaba (Hejőcsaba), and later of Unsdorf, where he founded a large yeshiva. He stood at the helm of Orthodox Jewry in its battles against the Reform movement.
His disciple, R. Yehoshua Buxbaum – rabbi of Galanta (1878-1944; perished in the Holocaust). Foremost Hungarian yeshiva dean. Rabbi of Magendorf (Veľký Meder), and later of Galanta. He edified thousands of G-d fearing and erudite disciples, and ignited them with the passion for love of G-d and His worship.
[16] written leaves (+ 21 blank leaves). 20 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains. Worming, slightly affecting text. Tear to final leaf, slightly affecting text. Original binding, damaged and torn.
PLEASE NOTE: Item description was shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.
Heading on first page, stating the topic of the sermon, and its suitability as a groom's sermon. Author's colophon on final page.
The author, R. Shimon Elazar Yudelevich (1888-1965), Jerusalem Torah scholar, Etrog dealer and gabbai in the Zichron Moshe synagogue in Jerusalem.
8 leaves (16 written pages). 23 cm. Good-fair condition. Dark stains. Marginal wear and open tears (not affecting text). New binding.
PLEASE NOTE: Item description was shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.