Winner's Auctions No. 111
Important Historic Documents, Haskalah, Einstein, Seforim, Manuscripts and Letters from Rabbis and Rebbes
- (-) Remove Compositions, Manuscripts and Glosses from Ashkenazic Rabbinical Leaders filter Compositions, Manuscripts and Glosses from Ashkenazic Rabbinical Leaders
- (-) Remove Compositions, Manuscripts and Glosses from Ashkenazic Rabbinical Leaders filter Compositions, Manuscripts and Glosses from Ashkenazic Rabbinical Leaders
Small Torah scroll on parchment. Special scroll preserving ancient and rare traditions, written in Ashkenaz in the 17th century. Two sheets were completed in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Parchment width 12.5 cm. Column height 10.2 cm. 55 sheets in varying widths, 23.10 m total length. 32 lines per page. Pleasant Ashkenazic script. Wooden Torah handles.
The scroll before us contains very early and rare traditions. Aside from Shirat HaYam and Haazinu which were written in poetic form, tile and brick, there are other portions written in poetic form: The verses of the Children of Israel's journeys in the desert, written tile-on-tile and brick-on-brick. A similar sample is found in a French-Ashkenazic Torah scroll from the late 12th century (material attached) and since then, this tradition is unknown!
For example, there are verses which repeat in the making of the menorah: 'וכפתר תחת שני הקנים ממנה' which are written in poetic form, and the form of the writing of the verses with Yaakov's blessings to his sons is arranged in a special manner. Additionally, there are other verses with repeated words written in poetic form, such as the portion discussing forbidden relationships in Vayikra, and the verses of curses in Devarim.
In the scroll, there are verses with unusual letters - letters which are looped and bent, an ancient tradition discussed, inter alia, by the Ramba"m, but not preserved in our days.
As such, the upside-down נ' in the 'ויהי בנסוע הארון' portion are written in a unique manner. This form is brought by the Maharsha"l who saw a precise Torah scroll written by Rabbi Todros HaZaken of Shapira. There were those who thought that it was an error, but this scroll, also written in Ashkenaz, it is also written in this fashion.
The letter-points [תגים] written on the letters שעטנ"ז ג"ץ were written in a special way, and there are verses where the letter-points are decorated with three decorations, like a bouquet.
A detailed opinion by Rabbi Shlomo Zucker, expert on Hebrew manuscripts, titled: 'Torah Scroll Written with a Special Structure, Preserving Ancient and Rare Traditions,' is included. A lengthy opinion, it concludes with the line, 'In summary, I have not seen another scroll with such a great concentration of remnants of rare traditions.'
Overall fine condition. In a number of places, there are repairs to the parchment and letters and connections of loose sheets. Very minimal ink smudges and faded ink.
Lot 176
Shulchan Aruch with Handwritten Glosses in Rabbi Natan Adler of Frankfurt's Holy Handwriting
Shulchan Aruch Choshen Mishpat with the Meirat Einayim [סמ"ע] commentary by Rabbi Yehoshua Yosha Wolk [Falk] Katz. Berlin, 1717. Approximately 50 handwritten glosses in Rabbi Natan Adler of Frankfurt's holy handwriting.
There are approximately 50 glosses and comments in Rabbi Natan Adler of Frankfurt's holy handwriting. The glosses are indicated with three dots in a triangle, as was his way. Most of the glosses are corrections, however there are some which are short scholarly notations. For example, in section 17, he writes on the SM"A's words: "This must be examined according to the words of the Magen in Orech Chaim," and indeed some later authorities dealt with this matter.
The flyleaf contains the inscription "Mr. Natan Adler" in a foreign language.
The well-known gaon and kabbalist Rabbi Natan Adler was born in Frankfurt in 1742. He was renowned from childhood as tremendously diligent and a wunderkind. As engraved on his tombstone, he did not waste any time from the age of nine. His disciple, the Chatam Sofer, wrote of him that from the earliest age, he did not even look through a window, and beginning when he was nine years old, he did not walk in the streets. When the Chid"a visited Frankfurt on his first mission, he was shown the wonder-child, and the Chid"a was very impressed and praised him extensively. Rabbi Natan was the disciple of the author of Pnei Yehoshua, of Rabbi David Teveli Schiff, and he studied kabbalah under Rabbi Abish of Frankfurt. He was the Chatam Sofer's primary rabbi, who dubbed him "HaChassid She'B'Kehunah" and "My primary rabbi, the famous gaon and chassid, the great eagle," "My teacher the gaon, the chassid," and such, and he praised him extensively, even saying that the paths of the firmament were clearer to him than to the ministering angels. The Chatam Sofer quotes him extensively in his works, and every time he mentions him, he praises him very much. Rabbi Natan Adler passed away in 1800, and the Chatam Sofer found out about his passing following a dream he dreamed, and afterwards, when he eulogized him he prostrated himself by the holy ark with his hands and feet outstretched.
Rabbi Natan Adler did not write his Torah novellae, saying that all Torah thoughts that were permitted to write were due to 'עת לעשות לה'' - the needs of the time, lest they be forgotten. However, he never forgot anything he ever learned. He marked the sheets of the books he learned with dots.
[2] 4-320: 18 leaves, lacking two leaves in the introduction. 32 cm. Blue paper. Fine condition. Minimal worming holes and reinforcements in the last pages. Few loose leaves. Old, worn semi-leather binding.
Solitary leaves (the first on parchment) with excerpts from Rash"i's commentary on the Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Chulin leaves 68-89, 75, 78-79. With text variations from the written version and ancient manuscripts. Italy, 14-15th century.
[1] leaf, ink on parchment. [8] leaves, ink on paper. 19x12 cm. Ashkenazic script.
It seems that these compilations were comprised of an exterior sheet and a middle sheet, and the external parchment sheets wrapped the paper leaves between them. This technique was not customarily used in Ashkenaz, but was characteristic of Italy and other areas. It therefore seems that these leaves, written in an Ashkenazic script, are from Italy.
Moderate condition. Aging stains. The leaves were restored following wear, primarily in the margins of the leaves, with blemish to text.
Rabbi Yedidyah Tiah Weil, Av Beit Din of Karlsruhe, briefly describes the life of his father, Rabbi Netanel.
Seventh generation from Rabbi Yaakov Wiel, of the last generation of the Early Authorities of Ashkenaz: "He was nine years old and already knew Shir HaShirim by heart when his mother took him [from Furth] to Prague. He studied in Rabbi Avraham [Brody]'s yeshivah there for 18 years. When the gaon saw his success, he matched him with his niece.' Even after his marriage, he did not leave his rabbi's study hall. 'After his rabbi's passing, my father resided in Prague and taught thousands of disciples, with much success disseminating Torah to Jews.'
A wonderful discovery is his dedication to kabbalah: 'He studied kabbalah with the holy Rabbi Moshe Chassid, more than 100 pages of the Ar"i's writings, and he would act as if he knew nothing of kabbalah.' Before he wrote a Torah scroll per kabbalah for himself, "he carefully weighed and investigated the halachahs of Torah scrolls - for more than three years ..." He then goes on to describe in detail his methods of teaching Torah to his disciples and sons.
The writer - Rabbi Yedidyah (1722-1806) inherited his father's rabbinic chair, and was a rabbinic leader in his own generation. Some of his compositions which had remained in manuscript have recently been published: a huge composition of responsa, and a composition on Torah, Talmud and Shulchan Aruch, a collection of his sermons, and more.
[1] leaf. Ink on paper. Written on both sides. Fine condition. Slight tear in the corner without lack to text. Fold marks.
Torah Novellae on the topic d'trei vatrei v'hamitasef, never published.
Rabbi Mordechai Winkler, 1845-1932 was rabbi and rosh yeshivah in Mád, Hungary. He studied at the Pressburg yeshivah and was ordained by Rabbi Avraham Shmuel Binyamin Sofer, author of Ktav Sofer. Author of the Levushei Mordechai responsa. One of the greatest authors of responsa in his generation, and Torah disseminator to thousands. The yeshivah he established in Mád in 1901 produced many Torah scholars and rabbis. His first father-in-law was Rabbi Yosef Tzvi Dushinsky, one of the leaders of the Edah Chareidit in Jerusalem.
[6] pages, 24x20 cm, ink on paper, Ashkenazic script.
Very fine condition. Straight lines, some tiny stains.
Rabbi Yitzchak Schwadron wrote glosses in the margins of these volumes, apparently a basis for his great work. Some of these glosses were inserted word-for-word in his printed work. Includes a number of glosses on the Rif. Signatures and stamps of Rabbi Yitzchak HaKohen Schwadron and the signatures of his son, Rabbi Shlomo Mordechai Schwadron, the Jerusalem Maggid.
Rabbi Yitzchak Schwardron was born in 1856 to Rabbi Shalom Mordechai Schwadron, the Maharsham of Berzan. He was an affluent businessman and served as rabbi of Hatzimersh, without pay. In 1896, he was robbed and in 1898 he was widowed and left with 9 children. He immigrated to Eretz Yisrael in 1903 and settled in Jerusalem where he served on the Badatz HaChassidim. He passed away in 1920.
In 1910, he started to publish his giant work on the Tosefta. It included two sections: Minchat Yitzchak and Shirei Minchah. Before his death, he printed the work on Seder Zeraim and Tractate Shabbat. His son Rabbi Shalom Mordechai Schwadron published his works on Moed, Nashim and Nezikin years later from his father's manuscripts. However, the works on Kadshim and Teharot were never printed, because Rabbi Yitzchak passed away in middle of Seder Kadshim. Here are his glosses on these sedarim [volume 5].
New bindings. Aging stains. Minimal reinforcements and loose leaves. Fine condition.
Work by Rabbi Aryeh Leibush son of Yechiel Michel Bernstein of Lemberg regarding the Mesorah, 1780-1853. This work has never been published.
Refer to Hebrew catalog description for more information regarding Rabbi Aryeh Leib Bernstein's genealogy.
This is a large manuscript written by Rabbi Aryeh Leibush with a list of the Mesorah Gedolah and Ketanah throughout the Pentateuch. The Mesorah is comments on the text of the Chumash. The Mesorah Ketanah notes on certain words how many times they appear with their full or deficient spellings, in the Tanach/ Chumash / or this particular book of the Tanach. The Mesorah Gedolah details when this word appears. For example, on the Hebrew word Jerusalem, the Mesorah Ketanah notes that it appears there times with its full spelling and the Mesorah Gedolah lists the places where it is spelled in this manner.
33 leaves. Ink on paper. Crowded text on both sides of the leaf, about 60 lines on a page. 23x38 cm. The author's manuscript is clean, clear and astonishingly organized, according to the chapters of the books.
Fine-very fine condition. Minimal tears and stains. The text is complete and clear. Cardboard binding.
Thick volume containing Torah novellae on Talmudic tractates written by a Torah scholar of great stature. He mentions the Early and Later Authorities concerning various issues. Ashkenaz, early 19th century.
The first page contains indices organized by the names of the topics and relevant tractates, mentioning among others, Tractates Pesachim, Zevachim, Yevamot, Beitzah, and Chullin.
524 pages. Ink on paper. 18x24 cm. Cursive Ashkenazi script. The vast majority of the text is legible.
Fine condition. A few leaves are partly detached. Aging stains. Original worn cardboard binding.
![Pri Shmuel by Rabbi Shmuel Shmelke. Autograph. [1868]. Never Printed](https://winners-files.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/111yoav-public/183.png)
Pri Shmuel in the hand of Rabbi Shmuel Shmelke son of Dov Weintraub of Jozefow. 1868, autograph. Never printed.
Deep and expansive commentary on the Tur and Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim through siman 48. Titles follow the simanim in the Shulchan Aruch. The work begins with a poem with an acrostic of the author’s name, followed by a lengthy introduction in which the author notes that he wrote the work in 1868 in Jozefow.
Rabbi Shmuel Shmelke moved to Jerusalem at the end of his life and was one of its noted sages. He authored a number of works including Bikurei Shmuel on Proverbs, Jerusalem, 1882; Invei Shmuel on Tractate Avot, Jerusalem, 1883; Milchemet Shmuel Neged Dat HaNotzrim was published in 1900 posthumously. [He signed all his works with the initials בהר”ד. The National Library and the Bibliography of the Hebrew Book list his father’s name as David. However, in this work, he signs his full name - with his father’s name as Dov.] His Pri Shmuel commentary on the Torah was lost.
About 250 pages. Ink on paper. 20×15 cm. Small Ashkenazi hand, crowded and clear. Marginal erasures and additions
Very fine condition. New, half-leather binding.
Novellae on all the tractates of the Talmud including Mishnayot Seder Zeraim, Taharot, and Kodshim. Novellae on Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim and Yoreh Deah and a few novellae on the Rambam by Rabbi Moshe HaLevi Lowinger, Av Beit Din of Micheldorf and Weintzen. To the best of our knowledge, this has never been published.
Rabbi Moshe HaLevi Lowinger[1810-1887] was a disciple of the Maharam A"Sh, Av Beit Din of Ungvar. In Igrot Sofrim, he is mentioned as one of the students of the Chatam Sofer, who gave him rabbinical ordination. The Maharam Schick wrote in Yorei Deah, siman 256: "When l used to sit with Maran (the Chatam Sofer), ztz"l, the rabbi who is presently the great rabbi, Rabbi Moshe Kameran, the Av Beit Din of Micheldorf, may his light shine, would resolve the question ... and Maran the Chatam Sofer ztz"l, praised him."
He served as the Av Beit Din in Magedorf, Micheldorf and Weintzen until his passing in 1877. Refer to Kinstlicher, Chatam Sofer U'Talmidav, pages 352-353, with a photocopy of his handwriting.
144 large leaves. Some blank pages among them. 32 cm. Dense writing, with titles and corrections. The first page bears the author's signature. Moderate-fine condition. Aging stains. The last pages have a few completions and dampstains. Ink smudges. Bound in a new semi-leather binding.
Ma'aseh Aharon by Rabbi Aharon Trenshin [Stern], rabbi in Neudorf. Never printed. Includes the Chiddushei Piskei Halachot [on Yoreh Deah] that "I compiled from many later authorities, the Sha"ch Yoreh Deah and the Kreiti U'Pleiti and the Pri Megadim ... I copied all this in short, in order to immediately know the halachic decision ... I started writing on Wednesday, the 7th of Kislev 1826 ..." It concludes: "Today I finished ... on Monday, Rosh Chodesh Shevat ... 1927, here in Neudorf ..." The author concludes with the prayer that G-d will help him finish his Divrei Aharon work on the Pentateuch.
Specifications: 92 pages. [1] leaf, paper. 23x18 cm. Ashkenazic hand. Indices at the conclusion.
Halachic decisions on the laws of treifahs, salting, milk and meat, forbidden mixtures, non-Jewish wine and niddah ... the author notes at the beginning of the work that he started writing the compilation on the 7th day of Kislev [1826] and writes at the end that it was finished on Rosh Chodesh Shevat 1827. The signature of his son appears at the end of the work [The small one, Elazar Stern of Neudorf]. Signature on the endpaper from 1829, in Hebrew and another language by Mordechai Stern of Neustettin [מרדכי שטרן מניישאטדטען].
Rabbi Aharon Trenshin [Stern] was an adjudicator in the Neudorf community. He is mentioned in Mekorot L'Korot Yisrael [1934] p. 60.
Condition: Fine condition. Minimal stains. Worn cardboard binding.
Binyamin Zeev. Responsa by Rabbi Binyamin son of Matityah. Venice, Bomberg press. [1538]. First edition. Handwritten glosses by the author.
Incomplete copy, missing the first leaves and last leaf. Includes 17-574 leaves. Includes some of the leaves that are not in most copies because of censorship. Some leaves are double. Bound out of order. With an additional 7 leaves of indices in an antiquated hand.
Handwritten glosses on leaves: 271, 317, 344, 389, 391, 393, 456, 501. They were undoubtedly written in the author's hand.
The author was one of the leading sages of the era between the Early and Later Authorities. He published this work on his own; it was the first book of responsa printed during the author's lifetime. The author wrote that there were many printing errors. There are known copies that the author revised with his own hand, and there are other copies to which the author made additions in his own hand.
Rabbi Binyamin Zeev ben Matityahu, known as Rabbi Binyamin Zeev of Arta [c. 1475-1545] was one of the most prominent halachic adjudicators of his time. He served as rabbi of Arta, Greece. He was known for the halachic polemics in which he was involved. This book was also a point of dispute. Some Torah scholars did not accept his view; Rabbi Yosef Karo does not quote any of his work, and the Maharsha"l even openly opposed him. In contrast, the Rem"a quotes his work extensively.
Meir Benayahu wrote his Mevo L'Sefer Binyamin Zeev about this very book and its author, Jerusalem, 1989. In the book, he also details the comments that the author made in his own hand after it was printed, p. 161-162.
Moderate condition. Worming holes and aging stains. Tears in solitary leaves. Simple binding.