Auction 105 Books | Letters and Manuscripts | Esther Scrolls and Jewish Ceremonial Art
Or LaYesharim / Mishkenot LaAvir Yaakov / Chosen Yeshuot – Books by Rabbi Meshel Gelbstein – Radzyn Techelet Controversy – Jerusalem, 1879-1891
Opening: $300
Sold for: $813
Including buyer's premium
Three books by the kabbalist R. Meshel Gelbstein, printed in Jerusalem, including the polemical work Petil Techelet:
• Chosen Yeshuot, kabbalistic commentary on Bava Kama and Zohar Balak. [Jerusalem, 1879-1889]. The printing of this book was not completed (originally printed serially as gatherings), and concludes in the middle of a sentence.
42 leaves. 20 cm. Dry, brittle paper. Fair-good condition. Stains. Title page detached. Few tears, including marginal open tears to title page, affecting title frame and text on verso. New leather binding.
Sh. Halevy, no. 320.
• Or LaYesharim, novellae on Tractate Pesachim and other Talmudic topics, with Petil Techelet, opposing Rebbe Gershon Chanoch Leiner of Radzyn's identification of techelet. Jerusalem, [ca. 1882-1890].
[14]; 13-28 leaves; 58 leaves; 4 leaves. 19.5 cm. Dry, brittle paper. Fair condition. Stains. Worming, affecting text. Tears, including open tears, affecting text to last leaves, partially repaired with tape. New binding.
Sh. Halevy, no. 690.
• Mishkenot LaAvir Yaakov, Torah novellae and pilpul, with Petil Techelet, on the techelet issue. Jerusalem, [1890-1891]. The different parts of the book were evidently originally printed separately.
[1], 14; 22; 2 leaves. 32.5 cm. Dry, brittle paper. Fair condition. Stains. Tears and open tears, to title page and other leaves, affecting text in several places, partially repaired with paper (to margins of first title page) and tape. New binding.
Sh. Halevy, no. 691.
R. Meshel Gelbstein generally printed his books one gathering at a time, which he sent out as samples before the full printing, leading to many typographical differences between the different copies.
R. Hillel Moshe Meshel Gelbstein (1832-1908), disciple of the Seraph of Kotzk and the Tzemach Tzedek of Lubavitch. In 1868, he immigrated to Jerusalem, where he concentrated on the study of topics related to the Temple, using his books to strengthen the fulfillment of the commandment of guarding the holy site.
Early Hebrew Books Printed in Jerusalem
Early Hebrew Books Printed in Jerusalem