Auction 40 - Books, Manuscripts, Rabbinical Letters
Five Books of the Torah – Sulzbach, 1802 – Copy for Jewish Witnesses Taking an Oath in the Christian Court of Law – With a Handwritten Authorization by Rabbi Eliezer Flekeles Ra'avad of Prague and the Censor Karl Fischer
Opening: $1,000
Sold for: $3,250
Including buyer's premium
Five Books of the Torah, with Haftarot and the five Megillot and a short commentary [in Yiddish]. Sulzbach, 1802.
A special copy, designated for Jews taking an oath in the Christian court of law. Pasted before the title page is a handwritten document in German signed by Rabbi Elazar Flekeles Ra'avad of Prague with his official signature, which authorizes that this book is fitting to be used by Jews taking an oath in the court. On the leaf of the inner binding is another handwritten authorization signed by Karl Fischer, the royal censor, editor and translator into Hebrew. Handwritten marks on the index pages 105-106 to indicate the place upon which the hand should rest at the time the oath is taken (on the curses in Parshat Bechukotai). The leaves were numbered until these pages. In Karl Fischer's authorization, another location is marked for placing one's hand – Leaf 170 with the curses in Parshat Ki Tavo.
Rabbi Elazar Flekeles (1754-1826), the leading disciple of the Nodah B'Yehuda and Ra'avad of Prague, served as Av Beit Din of Gutein from 1779-1783. In 1783, he was appointed Dayan and Ra'avad in Prague and his fame spread beyond the city's limits as one of the top Torah scholars of his times. He wrote Teshuva M'Ahava responsa [three parts] and other books.
Rabbi Elazar Flekeles and Karl Fischer maintained an interesting friendship and they even corresponded in Hebrew. Printed in his book, Teshuva M'Ahava Part 1, Siman 26 is a responsum which Rabbi Elazar Flekeles wrote to Mr. Fischer on the subject of Jews' oaths to non-Jews. Among other matters, he discusses the significance of a person placing his hand upon a Chumash, tefillin and the book of the Zohar while taking an oath. See attached material.
196; 32 leaves. 21 cm. Good condition, spotting and wear. Contemporary binding, wear and minor damages.
A special copy, designated for Jews taking an oath in the Christian court of law. Pasted before the title page is a handwritten document in German signed by Rabbi Elazar Flekeles Ra'avad of Prague with his official signature, which authorizes that this book is fitting to be used by Jews taking an oath in the court. On the leaf of the inner binding is another handwritten authorization signed by Karl Fischer, the royal censor, editor and translator into Hebrew. Handwritten marks on the index pages 105-106 to indicate the place upon which the hand should rest at the time the oath is taken (on the curses in Parshat Bechukotai). The leaves were numbered until these pages. In Karl Fischer's authorization, another location is marked for placing one's hand – Leaf 170 with the curses in Parshat Ki Tavo.
Rabbi Elazar Flekeles (1754-1826), the leading disciple of the Nodah B'Yehuda and Ra'avad of Prague, served as Av Beit Din of Gutein from 1779-1783. In 1783, he was appointed Dayan and Ra'avad in Prague and his fame spread beyond the city's limits as one of the top Torah scholars of his times. He wrote Teshuva M'Ahava responsa [three parts] and other books.
Rabbi Elazar Flekeles and Karl Fischer maintained an interesting friendship and they even corresponded in Hebrew. Printed in his book, Teshuva M'Ahava Part 1, Siman 26 is a responsum which Rabbi Elazar Flekeles wrote to Mr. Fischer on the subject of Jews' oaths to non-Jews. Among other matters, he discusses the significance of a person placing his hand upon a Chumash, tefillin and the book of the Zohar while taking an oath. See attached material.
196; 32 leaves. 21 cm. Good condition, spotting and wear. Contemporary binding, wear and minor damages.
Signatures and Dedications
Signatures and Dedications