Two geonim of the generation!
Nefesh Chayah , renowned responsa sefer by the gaon Rabbi Chaim Elazar Wachs – one of the rabbinic leaders of the generation (and one of those who gave an approbation to the first edition of Mishnah Berurah ). Three parts bound together with three separate title pages. Pietrkov, 1876-1877. Personal copy that belonged to the renowned gaon Rabbi Meir Auerbach, av beit din of Kalish, author of Imrei Binah .
Due to the prominent status of the book’s recipient, the author of Imrei Binah , considered in his generation to be one of its major rabbinic leaders, the author, unusually, bound a special leaf at the beginning of this copy, upon which the author printed a beautiful dedication to the author of Imrei Binah : “A gift from me, the author, to my honorable in-law (” mechutan “), the rabbi and gaon, expert, tzaddik, glory of the Jewish people … Rabbi Meir Auerbach, in the holy city of Jerusalem …” In Part III of the book (page 48a), there is an exceptionally lengthy scholarly gloss, with over 50 handwritten lines, “I resolved this in many ways, and then found a comment on it in a sefer , I don’t recall which …”
Aside from the family connection between the two rabbinic leaders of the generation (as can be seen in the dedication, in which the author of Nefesh Chayah calls the author of Imrei Binah “my mechutan “), the two gedolim maintained a strong Torah connection, and when the author of Imrei Binah left the rabbinate of Kalish, Poland, in 1859 to ascend to the Land of Israel, the author of Nefesh Chayah took his place in the Kalish rabbinate. It is interesting to note that these two rabbinic leaders of the generation, whose influence went far beyond the borders of their countries and their generation – both served in succession in the small town of Kalish. This is a rare remnant that attests to the warm and continuous relationship that existed between the two rabbis – both leading rabbinic instructors of their generation.
Handwritten notation on the title page with a signature and stamp from the prominent grandson of the Imrei Binah , the gaon Rabbi Menachem Nathan Auerbach, attesting that the book came into his possession from the estate of his grandfather, the author of Imrei Binah . (Another example of the strong connection between the two leaders is that when this prominent grandson of the Imrei Binah , the gaon Rabbi Menachem Nathan Auerbach, was requested to serve in a rabbinic capacity, it was the Nefesh Chayah who granted him ordination.)
A known controversy in which both these rabbis were involved was that of etrogim, and the preference for those from the Land of Israel over those from Corfu. In this book, there are three whole simanim dealing with this controversy, including a letter from the Imrei Binah.
As befits a sefer that is designated to become the personal copy of one of the rabbinic leaders of the generation, the book is specially printed on thick, high-quality paper, which was something that simply did not happen at the Pietrkov press. Wide, beautiful margins. Incidentally, we will point out that this book was one of the first books printed in Pietrkov (the first or the second!).
Refer to the Hebrew catalog text for brief biographies of the author, the gaon Rabbi Chaim Elazar Wachs , the book’s owner, the gaon Rabbi Meir Auerbach , and his grandson who signed on the confirmation, the gaon Rabbi Menachem Nathan Auerbach .
Orach Chaim: [4], 106 p.
Even HaEzer: [2], 84 leaf.
Novellae: [1], 67 leaf. 34 cm.
Very fine condition. Minimal aging stains. Beautiful, elegant edition. Well-preserved binding.