Notebook of handwritten Torah novellae by Rabbi Michael Tzvi Hertzfeld, disciple of the wonder-worker, the gaon Rabbi Shmuel Rosenberg, rabbi of Unsdorf. Copy of an important letter that may be publicized here for the first time.
According to the dates that appear on some of the sermons, this compilation was written from 1912-1918.
At the beginning of the manuscript, there is a copy of a letter written by the gaon Rabbi Tzvi of Unsdorf to a disciple in the Land of Israel, titled: ‘Letter of greetings sent by our master and teacher, the gaon and tzaddik, shlit”a.’ In this letter, he guides his disciple in his study methodology, ‘Breadth of knowledge is the main principle, so one must study much gemara and Tosafot, to understand a matter in its entirety without in-depth deliberations [בלי פלפולים] … yet do not completely leave in-depth study with Later Authorities and in-depth deliberations … set daily hours for the study of Ohr Chaim with Be’er Heitev. If this is unsatisfactory, study Magen Avraham with Machatzit HaShekel to understand it very well, but precede it by studying Tur and Beit Yosef. But the most important thing is to distance oneself from unseemly character traits.
Later in the compilation, there are elucidations to several Talmudic aggadot and novellae on Tractate Avot and on the Torah.
The gaon Rabbi Shmuel Rosenberg [1842-1919] was one of the great teachers of Torah in Hungary. He served as rabbi of Unsdorf for 35 years and his senior yeshivah produced thousands of students, community rabbis, rashei yeshivahs and rabbinic instructors all across Hungary. He was known as a wonder-worker (refer to Toldot Shmuel , the article on Divine inspiration). Over his lifetime, he taught hundreds of students in the yeshivah he founded in his city. It developed and grew into one of the largest yeshivahs in Europe. In Toldot Anshei Shem (Part I, p. 125), he wrote about him: “He wrote many Torah novellae in all fields. They were printed posthumously in Be’er Shmuel – the halachahs of mikvehs and some halachic novellae. Many wonderful novellae from this gaon and tzaddik have remained in manuscript.”
Rabbi Michael Tzvi Hertzfeld was a son of the gaon Rabbi Moshe Hertzfeld, a disciple of the Chatam Sofer and the Ktav Sofer. He was a son-in-law of Rabbi Meir Blau of Szerdahely. He served as a rabbi in Pressburg and then as rabbi of Szerdahely. His sons were Rabbi Michael Tzvi of Jerusalem, Rabbi Yitzchak of Szerdahely – who was killed in the Holocaust, and Rabbi Shlomo of Waitzen. ( HeChatam Sofer V’Talmidav p. 349.)
25 pages, [6] blank pages. 18×24 cm. The disciple’s signature appears at the beginning of the manuscript. Comments and glosses are added to the notebook in a different script.
Fine condition. Dampstains. Detached binding.