Large leaf from the ledger of halachic responsa of Rabbi Akiva Eiger ztz”l, with his signature (apparently written by his son and successor, Rabbi Shlomo Eiger, Av Beit Din of Posen).
Specifications: [1] leaf. 22×37 cm. Light green paper. Text on both sides.
Background: Rabbi Akiva Eiger gave detailed instructions regarding the editing and printing of his responsa, including details regarding initial honorifics, corrections and deletions.
Unique features: The responses on this leaf have corrections to the honorifics of the addressee, per Rav Eiger’s instructions to delete them etc. Signed at the end of the response: עקיבא in a square script. This seems to be the writing and signature of Rabbi Akiva Eiger that he used to note his approval to printing the responsa. He wrote in print letters so that they should be printed in print letters. (Refer to printed material with similar signatures.)
Content: There are three sections on this leaf. Two responses were printed in Shu”t Rabbi Akiva , first edition, sections 14-15, and the last section with novellae on Tracate Eiruvin was printed in Drush V’Chiddush .
The responses were sent to Rabbi Yisrael Lipshitz, author of Tiferet Yisrael on the Mishnayot. In the first response, Rabbi Eiger strongly opposes the Tiferet Yisrael’s instruction to make an “eiruvei chatzeirot” without bread. The Tiferet Yisrael included a rebuttal in the introduction to Tracate Eiruvin.
Everything written above was seen and confirmed by Rabbi Shmuel Einstein ztz”l, author of Kitav V’Chotem and more, an expert on the manuscripts of Rabbi Akiva Eiger.
Condition: Fine.
Letter from Rabbi Shlomo Eiger sent to Rabbi Eliyahu Guttmacher of Greiditz. Posen. [1842].
Specifications: [1] leaf, 21×17 cm. In his handwriting and with his signature in Hebrew and a foreign language.
Unique features: The letter was sent to Rabbi Eliyahu Greiditz, the famed “Tzaddik of Greiditz,” a prominent disciple of Rabbi Akiva Eiger.
Background: Rabbi Shlomo Eiger was born in 1785. His father was Rabbi Akiva Eiger. He lived in Warsaw, but due to the November Uprising of 1831, he became impoverished. He therefore accepted a position as rabbi of Kalish, and from 1840 he succeeded his father as rabbi of Posen. He passed away in 1852. Most sets of the Talmud includes his “Gilyon Mahars”a,” and some of his halachic responses were printed. His son Rabbi Yehuda Leib was a disciple of the Admor of Kotzk, and then the first Admor of Lublin.
Condition: Fine. Fold marks, professionally reinforced. Stains. Light tear blemishing the signature. Traces of a red wax seal.
The first section of a Shabbat Shuva sermon, Parshat Haazinu [1813], in the handwriting of Rabbi Moshe Sofer, the “Chatam Sofer.” Printed in Chiddushei Chatam Sofer on Tractate Kiddushin, leaf 73a.
Specifications: [6] pages. 23×19 cm. About 180 lines in his handwriting, all clear and legible.
Unique features: Handwritten by the Chatam Sofer. The sermon primarily discusses uncertainties in Kiddushin and related subjects in “Asara Yuchsin,” and branches out to “everything that relates to ‘sfeika d’oraysa’ [Biblical uncertainties],” as he noted at the beginning. There are also a number of comments that the Chatam Sofer wrote in the margins; additions of sources and some corrections. The original and corrections provide a window into the Chatam Sofer’s manner of writing and studying this sugya.
Background: The Chatam Sofer wrote his lectures, novellae and halachic responses in an organized fashion. In one of his noted letters, he remarks: “I write with ink everything that Hashem granted me, both in halacha and aggada, and I leave them available for everyone who wants to copy can come and copy, and that is what those before me did before the press.” The Chatam Sofer was unique in the novellae he wrote, as he wrote the novellae on complete sugyot in an organized manner. His descendants and disciples had a strong love for his Torah thoughts, so preserved his many writings as a segula for fear of Heaven and Divine salvation.
Condition: Fine-very fine. Minimal stains and small holes from the acidity of the ink. Elegant leather binding.
Complete letter written by the Kitav Sofer, from first days of his leadership. Pressburg [1841].
Specifications: [1] doubled leaf, 19×25 cm. About 18 wide lines, all in his handwriting and with his signature. In addition, his name appears on the wax seal.
Content: Important letter from Rabbi Avraham Binyomin Shmuel Sofer sent to Rabbi Zvi Hersh Lehren regarding funds donated to people in Eretz Yisrael, from the beginning of his involvement in communal affairs.
Background: Rabbi Avraham Shmuel Binyamin Sofer, the “Kitav Sofer” (1815-1872) was the eldest son of the Chatam Sofer and his successor in the Pressburg rabbinate, leadership of the yeshiva and leadership of Hungarian Jewry. His father had a special affinity for him, and began introducing him to “hora’ah” – responding to questions of Jewish halacha and thought – from a young age. He showed him questions that he received and instructed him to write his opinion so that they could discuss the Torah ideas. In this manner, the Chatam Sofer taught his son his method of learning. He is known by the name of the series of works that he published, the Kitav Sofer . The Chatam Sofer admired his son and extolled him generously on many occasions. About a year before his death, the Chatam Sofer appointed the Kitav Sofer to succeed him and instructed him to lecture in the yeshiva on Shabbat. In 1838, when the Kitav Sofer was 22-years-old, he authored a large treatise on Tractate Gittin. During the Chatam Sofer’s last days, when he was very ill, the community leaders approached him about appointing his son to succeed him. The Chatam Sofer was very pleased, and thanked Hashem for the kindness. He sent for his son and asked him if he would be happy to take over his position. He did not answer him, just stood and cried, and his father said that he should draw closer so that he could bless him before he died. He blessed him, “Your grandfather Akiva is to your right, your grandfather the Maharshashach is to your left, the angel… is above your head and I will also come after you to fill your words.” The Kitav Sofer related that the Chatam Sofer’s hands, which were on his head at the point, were fiery. When he was 24-years-old, he took over his father’s position in Pressburg and lead the yeshiva. Right from the start, it was clear to all that this son was worthy of his father’s position. During his time, the yeshiva grew and he taught thousands of students, to the extent that most Hungarian rabbis in the generation after his had studied in his beit medrash. His brother, Rabbi Shimon Sofer, Av Beit Din of Krakow and author of Shu”t Michtav Sofer, wrote in his introduction to the Shu”T Kitav Sofer , “He took over our father’s position completely, and he did not move from his style and path. Everyone that knew him, called him “Kalav,” because they said he is “kulo av” – entirely like his father. His brilliance shines on him the whole day, his holy spirit is within him, and G-d’s hand can be seen in all his actions, because Moshe placed his hands upon him, and all of his characteristics are from our father, his Torah, righteousness, humility and his nobility.” He did not benefit only Pressburg Jewry, but that of the whole country. He zealously battled the maskilim who wished to rise up against the Torah of Moshe and he strongly led his community for 33 years, exactly the same amount of time as his father. He passed way on the 19th of Tevet, 1872.
Condition: Very fine. Fold marks.
Letter from Rabbi Simcha Bunim Sofer, Rabbi of Pressburg and author of Shevet Sofer. December 18, 1880.
Specifications: 1 leaf, 34×21 cm. Written in a foreign language. Concludes with his signature and his official stamp as Chief Rabbi of Pressburg.
Background: Rabbi Simcha Bunim Sofer – Schreiber [1843-1906] was the son of Rabbi Avraham Shmuel Binyamin Sofer, the oldest son of the Chatam Sofer. His talents and diligence in Torah were already noted when he was very young. He took over his father’s position as rabbi of Pressburg and rosh yeshiva of the large yeshiva there when he was just 29-years-old. The Torah leaders of the generation extolled his virtues. His father, the “Ktav Sofer,” noted his greatness and said: “I have chosen him from amongst my sons – who are all good and have integrity – to take over my position.” When Rabbi Simcha Bunim was a young man, Admor Chaim Halberstam of Sanz said, “We have no such Torah scholar so young in years amongst us here in Galicia.” The Maharam Shick addressed him with the honorofic “Hadrat Geonuto.” Rabbi Eliezer Zussman Sofer, a prominent disciple of the Chatam Sofer and rabbi of Pacs, was much older than Rabbi Simcha Bunim Sofer, but he bent down to kiss his hand when he met him. He authored the Shevet Sofer series.
Condition: Fine-very fine. Fold marks. Minimal aging stains.
Letter from Rabbi Shimon Sofer of Erloi. Erloi, [1939].
Specifications: [1] postcard. 10×15 cm. In his handwriting and with his signature.
Content: The postcard was sent to Rabbi Meir Chai Uziel for the Yeshiva Shaarei Tzion in Jerusalem, which he headed. Rabbi Shimon Sofer writes about some books that he sent to him; the works of his grandfather the Chatam Sofer, his father the Ktav Sofer, and works that he authored himself.
Unique features: Rare, as his letters are very uncommon. Rabbi Shimon Sofer edited a number of the Chatam Sofer’s works, his father’s works, and authored the Shu”t Hitorerut Teshuva, Musrei HaRambam and more. In his letter, Rabbi Shimon Sofer details the names of the books that he sent: Chatam Sofer, Ktav Sofer, and the Hitorerut Teshuva that he published [he did not write that he was the author, just as he did not explicitly write the name of the author in the book itself] and Musrei HaRambam , again without noting that he was the author, since it was printed anonymously. The note is written in letters similar to Rashi print, apparently because the receiver, Rabbi Meir Uziel, was not used to reading Ashkenazi handwriting.
Background: Rabbi Shimon Sofer was born in Pressburg in 1850. His father was Rabbi Avraham Shmuel Binyamin Sofer, the “Ktav Sofer,” and his grandfather was the “Chatam Sofer.” He lived in Kleinwardein, Uman, Kiev and Pressburg. In 1881, he was appointed rabbi of Erloi and served in that position for over sixty years, until he was murdered at a very old age by the Nazis in 1944. His grandson is present-day Admor Yochanan of Erloi.
Condition: Very fine. Filing holes.
