Sefer Hamakneh (the second part of Sefer Hafla’ah ). Novellae on Tractate and Hilchot Kiddushin, by Rabbi Pinchas HaLevi Horowitz, rabbi of Frankfurt. Offenbach, 1801. First edition. The flyleaf bears the signature of Rabbi Yonah Tzvi Bernfeld, rabbi of Debrecen. [5], 256 leaves. 30 cm.
Printed and bound with: Machaneh Levi. Novellae on the Talmud by Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Horowitz [son of the author of Sefer Hamakneh and Sefer Hafla’ah ]. Offenbach, 1801. First Edition. The author was rabbi of Frankfurt am Main following his father’s passing. [1] 98 [1]. 30 cm.
Rabbi Yonah Tzvi Bernfeld [1834-1891] was a foremost disciple of the Ktav Sofer. He was engaged to Esther, the Chatam Sofer’s orphaned daughter, but she passed away before their wedding. He was rabbi of Albertirsa beginning in 1854, and rabbi of Debrecen beginning in 1874. He authored Drashot Rabbi Yonah Tzvi , Chiddushei Rabbi Yonah Tzvi and more.
Chassidic tradition relates that the author, Rabbi Pinchas HaLevi Horowitz , together with his brother Rabbi Shmuel Shmelke Horowitz, were among the greatest disciples of the Maggid of Mezritch. And indeed, many of the Maggid’s miraculous stories demonstrate the connection between them, and also their connection to the Maggid who disseminated the Baal Shem Tov’s teachings. Further reference can be found in Rabbi Pinchas’ introduction to his book, Sefer HaHafla’ah , where he tells of his deep ties to his eldest brother, Rabbi Shmuel Shmelke Horowitz of Nikolsberg. This was during the Vilna Gaon’s lifetime, when the “ban” against chassidism was in effect. Nevertheless, the author wrote in exalted terms about his brother for passing down the Maggid of Mezritch’s chassidism to future generations. All of this provides a basis on which chassidic tradition can rely – about the author of Sefer HaHafla’ah and the author of Sefer Hamakneh and on his deep ties with the Maggid of Mezeritch and the chassidic world.
The end of Sefer Hafla’ah contains Torah novellae by the following: 1) Rabbi Avraham Chaim son of Gedaliah of Zlatshov, the author’s son-in-law, one of the greatest disciples of the Maggid of Mezritch, and author of the famous chassidic work Orach L’Chaim – Berdichov, 1817. 2) Rabbi Tzvi Yehoshua Horowitz, son of the Rebbe R’ Shmelke, and the author’s son-in-law. And 3) the author’s son, Rabbi Meir Yaakov HaLevi Horowitz, son-in-law of Rabbi Shaul Amsterdam, the esteemed rabbi of Amsterdam. He passed away in his youth, during his father and father-in-law’s lifetime.
In effect, Sefer Hafla’ah was one of the earliest books in which the Maggid of Mezritch’s disciples’ teachings were printed.
Moderate-fine condition. Detached title page. Several reinforcements on the titles. Worn and detached cover. The book is split.