Birkat Yaakov. “Pleasant magnificent elucidation” on the Shulchan Aruch Choshen Mishpat and Nosei Keilav by Rabbi Baruch son of Yaakov, Av Beit Din Tuchin.
Specifications: [4], 111 leaves. 32 cm. First edition.
Unique features: The title page bears the signature of the Imrei Emet, Rabbi Avraham Mordechai Alter of Gur, the third Admor of the Gur dynasty, son of the Sefat Emet.
Background: Rabbi Avraham Mordechai Alter of Gur was a prominent Admor in his time and a leader of Chareidi Jewry. He was a genius in Torah, and had a great love for Torah works. He was extremely well-versed in Torah literature and invested much effort in acquiring such works to the point that his personal library was one of the largest and rarest in the Jewish world, but it was almost completely lost during the Holocaust, and only solitary works survived. Refer to Rosh Gulat Ariel, section 1, chapter 13, regarding his library, love of books and bibliographic knowledge.
Bound with Arba Shitot of the Maharish, by Rabbi Yehoshua Shapiro Av Beit Din of Schwerin. Frankfurt on the Oder, 1771.
Condition: Moderate-fine. Usage marks, primarily in the margins of the first leaves. Aging stains. Light blemishes to the last leaf.
Ir Giborim authored by Rabbi Shlomo Efraim Luntschitz, the Kli Yakar, Zolkiew edition [1798]. With signature of Rabbi Yehoshua Heschel Teomim Frenkel of Komarno on the title page.
Specifications: [2], 26, 21, [1] 21, 20, 20. 22 cm. Two title pages.
Background: Rabbi Yehoshua Heschel Teomim Frenkel was the son of Rabbi Baruch Frenkel Teomim. He was a prominent disciple of the Chozeh of Lublin, and was both erudite in Torah and affluent. He refused to enter the rabbinate and succeeded in business. In his old age, he agreed to enter the rabbinate so there would not be an interruption in rabbinical dynasty of the Frenkel-Teomim family. He was an advocate for chassidiut amongst the mitnagdim, and arranged the shidduch between his sister and Rabbi Chaim of Sanz (as noted by the Rabbi of Plonsk in his letter featured in Ohel Baruch). His teacher, the Chozeh of Lublin, greatly admired him and stood up for him. He was also honored by Rabbi Shalom of Belz. He passed away in 1843 and his epitaph includes great praises. (Ohel Baruch, p. 35; Encyclopedia L’Chassidut, volume 2, p. 76-77).
Condition: Fine. Blemish to the title page. The leaf before the second title page is cropped. Worn, loose binding.
Pnei Yehoshua on Tractate Berachot and Seder Moed by Rabbi Yaakov Yehoshua Av Beit Din Frankfurt am Main, with the Baruch Ta’am comments by Rabbi Baruch Frenkel Teomim, Av Beit Din Leipnik.
Specifications: [3], 22, 33, 52, [1], 25, 14, 34 leaves. 41 cm. First edition.
Unique features: The title page bears the signature of Rabbi Moshe Dovid Teitelbaum, Av Beit Din Lapush, son of Rabbi Yisrael Yaakov Yukel Teitelbaum, son of Eliezer Nissan, son of the “Yismach Moshe.” His father was the son-in-law of his uncle, the “Yitav Lev”, and Rabbi Moshe Dovid was raised by his grandfather who had a special love for him and gave him the manuscripts of the Yismach Moshe so that he could arrange and publish them. He published many of them (Refer to Reshima B’Chachmei Transylvania, p. 117).After his marriage to the daughter of Rabbi Aryeh Leib of Dukla, son of Dovid of Chrzanow [Kushnev], son of the Divrei Chaim of Sanz, he stayed by the Divrei Chaim in Sanz for a year and learned much Torah and chassidut from him. In 1885, he was chosen Rabbi of Lapush and he served there as rabbi and Rosh Yeshiva for about fifty years. He died at the age of 80, on the 21st of Adar, 1935. (Chachmei Transylvania, and Rabbeinu HaKadosh Mi’Sanz, section two, p. 238).
Condition: fine. The title page is detached, with a tear without loss. Aging stains.
Shayarei Knesset HaGedola, Orach Chaim, by Rabbi Chaim Benveneste, Av Beit Din of Izmir, with stamps of the descendants of the “Baruch Taam.”
Specifications: [2], 143, 7 leaves. Second edition.
Content: Work with prominent owner stamps. The last leaves feature novellae and a response by Rabbi Dovid Oppenheim, along with a response by his brother-in-law, the author of the Shevut Yaakov.
Unique features: The top of the title page bears the stamp of Rabbi Pinchas Frenkel Teomim, son of Rabbi Dovberish Frenkel Teomim Av Beit Din of Cieszanów, son of Rabbi Yehoshua Heschel Frenkel Teomim, son of Rabbi Baruch Frenkel Teomim, the “Baruch Taam.” In addition to the stamp of his son, Rabbi Yehoshua Heschel.
Background: Rabbi Pinchas Frenkel Teomim married Rebbetzin Dreizel the daughter of Rabbi Yechezkel of Shinova, author of Divrei Yechezkel. His grandfather, the Divrei Chaim, had a special affection for him, corresponded with him, and praised him for his assistance in editing the Ateret Chachamim of his grandfather, the Baruch Ta’am (refer to his approbation to the work). He first served as Rabbi of Bukowsko and the Divrei Chaim visited him in the town. In 1868, he succeeded his father in Cieszanów until his death in 1884.
His son, Rabbi Yehoshua Heschel, whose stamp also appears on this book, was the grandson of the Rabbi of Shinova. He is mentioned in his grandfather’s responsa at the end of the Divrei Yechezkel (1989 edition, siman 36). He was the son-in-law of Rabbi Shmuel of Chęciny. After his death, his widow remarried Rabbi Elimelech of Grodzhisk [Refer to Rabbenu HaKodesh MiShinova, section two, p. 714-715].
Condition: Fine, minimal worming holes.
Responsa on issues of Even HaEzer by Rabbi Yosef Karo, author of the Shulchan Aruch.
Specifications: [1], 66 leaves. 31 cm.
Unique features: Title page bears the signature of Rabbi Amram Greenwald and the stamp of his son, Rabbi Moshe Greenwald, author of the Arugat HaBosem.
Background: Rabbi Amram Greenwald was a prominent disciple of the Ktav Sofer, who esteemed him and chose him as his shamash. In his responsa, the Ktav Sofer refers to him as “Talmidi Ki’vni”. He was known as an exalted holy person. He learned with the Maharam Asch after his engagement. He stayed in Csorna his entire life, as he refused to enter the rabbinate. He passed away on the 28th of Nissan, 1870.His son was one of the leading Torah disseminators in Hungary, Rabbi Moshe Greenwald, the Arugat HaBosem. He was also a leading disciple of the Ktav Sofer. He inherited this book from this father. The top of the title page is adorned with his stamp as Av Beit Din of Chust and the Galilee. Refer to Toldot Arugat HaBosem (Brooklyn, 1979) for a lengthy discussion of himself and his father.
Condition: Moderate-fine. Aging stains. Tear in the bottom blank margin of the title page. Light tear with blemish to text on a few leaves.
Responsa by Rabbi Chaim Yair Bachrach, author of the Chavat Yair responsa. With the signature of the “Chessed L’Avraham” of Radomsk.
Specifications: 83 leaves. 21 cm.
Unique features: Owner signature on title page of the Admor, author of Chessed L’Avraham of Radomsk: לה’ הארץ ומלואה אברהם ישכר הכהן ראבינוויטץ מראדומסק
Background: The Admor of Radomsk was one of the leading chassidic leaders of his time. He was born in 1844, and was raised and educated by his saintly father, Rabbi Shlomo HaKohen of Radomsk, author of Tiferet Shlomo, and studied kabbala with him. He was only 23 years old when his father died, but the chassidim accepted him as Admor. He was renowned for his sharp wit and genius, dedication to the public good, and righteousness. He passed away in 1892. Some of the Torah that he said over to his chassidim was printed in the prominent Chessed L’Avraham works (Piotrkow, 1893-1897).
Condition: Very fine. Not bound. Red edges.
Taharat Yisrael. Laws of Niddah and ritual immersion, two parts. The copy of Rabbi Yaakov Halberstam of Tshakov. With handwritten comments.
Unique Features: An ownership signature of the Rebbe who served as Av Beit Din of Tshakovis in the book. A long halachic comment [apparently] in his handwriting, and an inscription at the end of the book about starting to study from the book. A handwritten index was added.
Background: The Rebbe Rabbi Yaakov of Tshakov, was born in 1902 to his father the Rebbe Rabbi Sinai of Żmigród, a grandson of the ‘Divrei Chaim’ of Sanz. He settled in Tshakov in 1923. In 1935 he immigrated to Israel, and established his study hall in Jerusalem, the first court of one of the Sanzer Rebbes in Israel. He later emigrated to America where he died in 1967. His sons are the Rebbe Rabbi Naftali of Tshakov, the Rebbe Rabbi Meir of Tshakov-Bnei Brak, and Rabbi Moshe Halberstam, a renowned posek and member of the Bedatz in Jerusalem.
Condition: Moderate-fine. Brittle paper. Simple, worn and dismantled binding. Detached leaves.
Sheilot V’Teshuvot Shearit Yosef by Rabbi Yosef Katz of Krakow, brother-in-law of the Rema.
Unique features: Signature of Rabbi Naftali Hirsh son of Yisrael HaKohen of Satanow, Rav in Berditchov during the era of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchov. He corresponded with the the Baal HaTanya regarding a halachic issue.
Backround: Some of the most noted responsa of the Baal HaTanya relate to “Sirchot HaRaya” (siman 12 14), in his responsa printed at the end of the Shulchan Aruch. They begin with an answer to a question posed to him when he was in Berditchov in 1810: “In agreement and following the rabbi..the genius and chassid…Levi Yitzchak ztz”l, Av Beit Din in Berditchov….” While he was still in Berditchov, he received a question from the Rabbi of Brisk, Rabbi Aryeh Leib Katzenelboigen, regarding this decision.It seems that the Baal HaTanya’s response reached Berditchov on its way to Brisk, and the Rav there, R’ Naftali Hirsh HaKohen, wrote a responsa disagreeing with the Baal HaTanya, with the addition of a question on the sugya from Bava Kama. The Baal HaTanya answered the rav’s questions.Rabbi Naftali was not satisifed with the Baal HaTanya’s response and sent him a rebuttal. However, that rebuttal was not printed in the aforementioned work of responsa, but was preserved in Rabbi Naftali’s manuscript Tiferet Yeshara, that includes elucidations on the Torah and responsa. It was printed in two locations, the section regarding “sirchot” was printed in the Ohalei Tam journal (section five) and the section regarding the sugya in Bava Kama was printed in the Migdal David compilation, section five, p. 19. This is also the source of our information.
Condition: Moderate. Light brown stains. Various blemishes to a number of leaves. Minimal worming holes.
