Two large pages [approximately 600 words!] handwritten by Rabbi Moshe Sofer, author of Chatam Sofer – novellae on Tractate Gittin.
The novellae before us deal with a topic in gittin known as ‘יאוש קונה’ and they were printed in
Chiddushei HeChatam Sofer al HaShas in their place (Gittin 55a, beginning with “והנה”). The leaf before us is numbered 2 – it is known that the Chatam Sofer would write his novellae on each topic separately, in an orderly manner. The title “בעזה”י, יאוש קונה” (also in his hand) appears at the top of the page, and the leaf beings with the words “סמכו חז”ל לתקן.”
We will indicate an additional important and interesting point. The novellae that appear before us in the Chatam Sofer’s hand were printed as they appear here in the early editions of Chiddushei HeChatam Sofer . However, in recent years, a new “revised” edition of Chatam Sofer has been released (Werner edition, 2008). This edition, as it were, has “corrected” mistakes that occurred in earlier editions. Yet, close examination of this manuscript reveals that the “mistakes” are actually precisely the text as written by the Chatam Sofer in his own hand. For example, in the manuscript before us, (page 1, line 16) the words “תקנת הגזלנים” appear, and this is what appears in the early print, but the new edition “emends” it, and instead of writing “תקנת הגזלנים” it substitutes “תקנת השבים” because the editors reasoned that this was an error of earlier printers, yet in fact, in this manuscript before us, revealed here for the first time, we see that it is actually this (first) expression that is used by the Chatam Sofer. We counted approximately seven or eight changes in just these two leaves, usually minor differences that do not change the content of the novellae, yet they are still a distortion of the Chatam Sofer’s words. This leaves us no choice but to cite the Chatam Sofer’s ruling: “The new is prohibited by the Torah” [“חדש אסור מן התורה”] …
Another discovery revealed here is that an entire line from the Chatam Sofer’s manuscript was completely omitted in the printed editions! In the manuscript (p. 2, lines 1 and 2), the words “היינו היכי שהגזלן רוצה ליתן לו דמי עצים” appear – yet these words do not appear in the early edition nor in the new edition!
There is a famous segulah of viewing the Chatam Sofer’s script. The introduction to the Chatam Sofer’s sermons indicates the importance of viewing the Chatam Sofer’s handwriting the name of the Mahara”m Bennett: “And (the Mahara”m Bennett) responded to them … I gaze at the writing (of the Chatam Sofer) as this is a segulah for fear of Heaven.” Rabbi Yoelish of Satmar also said to his Chassidim that it is accepted that reading the Chatam Sofer’s script is a segulah for fear of Heaven. It is also known regarding the Chatam Sofer’s son, the gaon Rabbi Shimon Sofer, Av Beit Din of Krakow, that when he had to appear before government authorities regarding fateful issues for the Jewish people, he would take his father’s writings from his pocket and look into them. In light of this, the Chatam Sofer’s descendants as well as leaders of the Jewish people sought to possess manuscripts of the Chatam Sofer’s as a segulah for fear of Heaven, protection from all damage, and good luck.
With affection for the sanctified, as we find ourselves at the threshold of the high holidays – the days of repentance and judgement, we will point out that in this manuscript before us, in the hand of the Chatam Sofer, who was known to have supernatural powers, these segulah words of repentance and atonement appear: “לעשות תשובה” “, לשוב בתשובה” “, דליהוי ליה כפרה.”
[2] pp, 23×19 cm. Ink on high-quality paper, Approximately 600 words in the Chatam Sofer’s hand.Very fine condition. Minimal aging stains. Signed confirmation by handwriting expert Rabbi Yitzchak Yeshayah Weiss, rabbi and Av Beit Din of Neve Achiezer, Bnei Brak.
