Sefer Et Sofer Part I – Ma’archot Toraniyot Mefulpalot by Rabbi Eliezer Zussman Sofer of Paks, among Hungary’s leading rabbis. Paks, 1888. First edition.
The mighty gaon Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Ehrenreich’s signature appears on the title page, a beautiful calligraphic signature: ” LaHashem HaAretz U’Meloah , HaK’ Shlomo Zalman Ehrenreich.” Several lengthy handwritten notes appear along the leaves of the sefer , at least some of which were written by the gaon of Shamloy.
Alongside the gaon of Shamloy’s signature is a signed owner’s inscription by his son, the gaon Rabbi Chaim: “This sacred sefer belongs to my father, the av beit din, HaK’ Chaim Ehrenreich. Next to these two signatures is another signature, likely demonstrating the continuation of the chain, which opens ” HaK’ Avraham Eliezer Leibo[…]” This may be the signature of his grandson, the avreich Rabbi Avraham Eliezer Leibowitz, may his blood be avenged. The back flyleaf bears another lengthy inscription: “This pleasant sefer belongs to my father, the gaon and tzaddik, rabbi of the entire Diaspora, glory of the generation, extremely sharp, in depth and breadth, son of the sacred, Shlomo Zalman Ehrenreich shlit”a …”
Beautiful lengthy dedication from Rabbi Yitzchak Tzvi Friedman of Siksa to the author of Lechem Shlomo on the leaf following the title page. He writes that he is giving the sefer to Rabbi Shlomo Zalman in honor of his taking the rabbinate of Tshebe: “With Hashem’s help, on the day of the appointment as ra’ava”d … the rabbi, the great light, the sharp and expert … scion of the sacred, great-grandson and grandson of the lofty gaon and tzaddik Rabbi Avraham Leib, ztz”l … and the consent of the entire community. They accepted this upon themselves and placed the crown of the rabbinate on the head of Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Ehrenreich. I hereby give [you] an eternal memento of this occasion, my sefer , Et Sofer , as a gift for [your] trip to [your] position in Tshebe – I pray that [you] serve long in this position, and that I be glorified through [you] as well. HaK’ Yitzchak Tzvi Friedman, Siksa, Friday, VaYera 1893.”
Aside from its sacred value as a sefer by “The leading responder of his generation, ” the author of Lechem Shlomo of Shamloy studied it for many years and wrote his notes on the sheets of this sefer . Its historic-rabbinic value is also great, and the dedication enfolds a distressing story within.
The ‘Lechem Shlomo’ was accepted as av beit din of Tchebe in the fall of 1793, but opponents to his appointment quickly arose against this G-dly person. They appealed to the Va’ad HaKehillot HaOrthodoxi , requesting cancellation of his appointment on the grounds that the selection process was flawed, and another rabbi was selected. Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Glick of Toltashva entered the thick of things as an agreed-upon arbitrator between the parties, and he ruled in favor of the Lechem Shlomo. It was only in Kislev 1793 that the Lechem Shlomo arrived in Tshebe as the agreed-upon rabbi of the city. In this light it is possible to understand the unusual wording of the dedication, and in particular the sentence “With the consent of the entire community … They accepted upon themselves and placed the crown of the rabbinate on the head of Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Ehrenreich, ” which is intended to strengthen the Lechem Shlomo against his opponents.
Refer to the Hebrew catalog text for a brief biography of the sacred gaon Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Ehrenreich .
[1], VI pp, 102, [1] leaf (the final leaf is almost completely lacking). 25.5 cm.
Overall moderate condition. Almost all of the leaves in the sefer are in fine condition. Tears and adhesions in the margins of several leaves, with blemishes and lacks in some (and in a small number, in the handwritten glosses). Tears in the margins of the title page. Old binding, detached.