Accounting document from the Baja community of Hungary, written and signed by the town rabbi, Rabbi Meir Eisenstat – Mahara”m A”Sh. 1812.
Specifications: [1] leaf paper, 19×21 cm. Written and signed on one side by Rabbi Meir A”Sh.
Content: The document presents the financial accounts of the community managers including Rabbi Mordechai Shtern, and concludes with signatures of the rabbis and community leaders. The first signatory is Rabbi Meir A”Sh. There are other accounts on the reverse side of the leaf, in a different script.
Rabbi Meir Eisenstat, known as Mahara”m A”Sh, after the name of his book (1780-1854), was one of the first disciples of the Chatam Sofer in his yeshiva in Mattersdorf and then in Pressburg, and considered one of his greatest disciples. He was rabbi of Baja, Balassagyarmat and Ungvar, where he established a yeshiva in which hundreds of students learned, including prominent Hungarian rabbis. After the passing of his rabbi, Rabbi Moshe Sofer (the “Chatam Sofer”), he began issuing responsa to hundreds of petitioners, and was from then on considered the most prominent leader and adjudicator of Hungarian Orthodox Jewry. Rabbi Avraham Shmuel Binyamin Sofer, author of Ktav Sofer , son of the Chatam Sofer, wrote in his eulogy: “The gaon, Mahara”m, ztz”l, was the greatest of Father’s disciples, light of the diaspora, the most select of his select students in Torah, righteousness and character.
Condition: Very fine.
Letter in the handwriting of Rabbi Yissachar Dov Ber Simandel – Lemden, rabbi of Miklash.
Specifications: [1] paper leaf. 22×17 cm. 23 lines in his handwriting and with his signature “Ber Miklash.”
Rabbi Yissachar Dov Ber Simandel – Lemden was born in 1794 in Miklash to his father Rabbi Sinai Simandel, who was Av Beit Din of Miklash. He was one of the early disciples of the Chatam Sofer, mentioned in several responsa the Chatam Sofer wrote. He was a dayan in Miklash beginning in 1828 and was rabbi of the city from 1833, passed away in 1862. Wrote the book Minchat Ani [Vienna, 1857] and Sheyar Minchah [Vienna, 1862]. For information about him see: HaChatam Sofer V’Talmidav , pages 291-293, where this also a photocopy of the letter before us.
Condition: Fine. Slight tears with no lack. Creases and a few stains. Remnants of a wax seal.
Large, unique leaf from a Shabbat HaGadol sermon, Parshat Haazinu [1814], written by Rabbi Moshe Sofer, the “Chatam Sofer.” Printed in Derashot Chatam Sofer , volume two, Nissan-Tishrei – for Pesach 1831, first page on p. 203 and second page on p. 544-273( רעג) .
Specifications: [2] pages, paper. 41×25.5 cm. About 89 lines in his hand, all clear and legible.
Unique Features: The sermon primarily discusses the meaning of the verses in Psalms, ‘זמרו לד’ חסידיו’ [Sing to Hash-m, His devout ones] ‘ואני אמרתי בשלוי בל אמוט לעולם’ [I had said in my serenity, “I will never falter”] etc., explaining the battles of the Israelites when they left Egypt and at the splitting of the sea. This is a Shabbat HaGadol sermon, as noted at its head.
In addition, at the bottom of the second page, there is a start of another Passover sermon. This one explains the concept of bikurim and לא תבשל גדי [Do not cook a (goat-) kid] . He compares this to one who asked the king’s guard to supervise his actions so that he doesn’t stray from the king’s will. The Sefer HaDrashot notes that there is a handwritten comment, however that comment does not appear on this manuscript.
The Chatam Sofer was unique in that he recorded entire topics in an organized fashion. His progeny and disciples preserved his manuscripts as a segulah for fear of G-d and Divine salvation. Therefore, the manuscript is very valuable, despite the fact that its content has been printed.
Background: The Chatam Sofer wrote his sermons and halachic responsa in an organized manner. In one of his famous letters, he notes that “I write down with ink all that Hash-m has blessed me with, in both halachah and aggadah, and it is available for anyone who wants to come and copy it, as was the way of our predecessors prior to the printing press.”
Condition: Fine-very fine condition. Minimal stains and erased ink.
“In my opinion, he does not have to require a different chalitzah;” responsum on matters of chalitzah, handwritten and signed by Rabbi Chaim Tzvi Mannheimer, the Chatam Sofer’s student . Ungvar, c. 1880.
Specifications : [1] page, paper. In his handwriting and with his signature. 23X15 cm.
Rabbi Chaim Tzvi Mannheimer, (1814-1886) Av Beit Din of Ungvar and author of Ein HaBdolach , was one of the Chatam Sofer’s primary disciples, one of the great scholars of his generation, and one of the leaders of Hungarian Jewry. He was born in 1814 and entered the Chatam Sofer’s yeshiva before the age of 13. He was close to his rabbi throughout his life. He served as rabbi in Shuttledorf, and beginning in 1870 as Av Beit Din of Ungvar until his passing in 1886.
Refer to: HaChatam Sofer VeTalmidav , p. 151-155.
Condition: Fine. Fold marks. Stains. Small repaired tear on upper section.
Segment of a handwritten sermon by Rabbi Moshe Shick – Mahara”m Shick.
Specifications: [1] leaf, written on both sides, 16×21 cm. 30 lines on each page.
Unique Features: segment from a sermon given by the Mahara”m Shick. To the best of our knowledge, it has not been printed in the books of the Mahara”m Shick’s sermons.
The Mahara”m Shick [1807-1879] primary disciple of the Chatam Sofer, renowned rabbi of Chust as well as its rosh yeshiva, leading adjudicator in Hungary, leader of faithful Jewry in Hungary. He wrote novellae on Shas, a series of books of responsa, sermons, and more.
Condition: Fine-very fine. Expert’s certificate attached.
Rabbinic ordination from Rabbi Shmuel Rosenberg, rabbi of Unsdorf, to Rabbi Yissachar Shlomo Teichtel. 1902. Unique ordination [?].
Specifications: [1] graph paper. 14×19 cm. All in his hand and with his signature and faded stamp.
In this ordination, he greatly extols the sharp-witted young man. He writes that he no longer gives ordination, however Rabbi Yissachar Teichtel is a disciple he raised from a young age. He also mentions Rabbi Yissachar’s father-in-law, Rabbi Yaakov Yosef Ginaz, rabbi of Hajdúböszörmény.
Rabbi Shmuel Rosenberg was the rabbi of Unsdorf for thirty-five years, and was one of the leading Torah disseminators in Hungary and leader of Ultra-Orthodox Jewry of the time. He was one of the elite disciples of the Ktav Sofer, an amazing genius, and a holy, righteous ascetic. He was born in [1842] and passed away in [1919]. He authored the Beer Shmuel series.
Rabbi Yissachar Shlomo Teichtel [1885-1945] was rabbi and rosh yeshiva of Piestany, near Nitra in western Slovakia. He was noted for his Shu”t Mishneh Sachir . When the Holocaust broke out, he delved into studies related to exile and redemption and the Land of Israel. He had generally followed the opinion of the Admor of Mukacs, author of Minchat Elazar , but as events played out, he started supporting immigration to Palestine. He was killed during the Holocaust. During his lifetime, he succeeded in publishing his Em HaBanim Smechah and two sections of Shu”t Mishneh Sachir . After the Holocaust, another three sections of his Shu”t Mishneh Sachir were printed along with a diary he wrote during the war, Emunah Tzerufa B’Kur HaShoah, and the Mishneh Sachi r on the Torah and on the holidays.
Condition: Moderate-fine. Vestiges of pasting and stains.
Halakhic response sent to Rabbi Yaakov Segal of the Kapish community.
Specifications: [1] postcards, 15×10.5 cm, entirely in his handwriting, with his signature and official stamp.
Rabbi Mordechai Leib Winkler [1845-1932] studied at Yeshivat Pressburg, and was ordained by Rabbi Avraham Shmuel Binyamin Sofer, author of Ktav Sofer . He served as rabbi and rosh yeshiva in the town of Mad, Hungary. He authored a series of responsa, Levushei Mordechai. He was considered among the greatest halakhic authorities of his generation, and disseminated Torah to thousands. The yeshiva he established in 1901 produced many Torah scholars and teachers.
Unique Features: To the best of our knowledge, his responsum has not been printed at all, not even in in the new complete edition of Shu”t.
Condition: Very fine.
