Auction 96 Early Printed Books, Chassidut and Kabbalah, Books Printed in Jerusalem, Letters and Manuscripts

Lot 115

Shem MiShmuel – Lviv, 1902 – Copy from the Home of Rabbi Yeshayah of Kerestir

Opening: $1,000
Sold for: $8,750
Including buyer's premium

Shem MiShmuel, novellae on the Torah by R. Shmuel Soller, head of the Lviv Beit Din. Lviv: Ch. Rohatyn, 1902. Published by R. Yehoshua Tzvi Wolf, editor of Machazikei HaDat.


Important ownership: copy from the home of the Tzaddik R. Yeshayale of Kerestir, with signatures of his son and son-in-law. On the title page, ownership inscription signed "Yisrael Avraham Alter Landau son of R. Sh[alom] L[andau]" [son-in-law of R. Yeshayah of Kerestir], and on front endpapers – ownership inscriptions and signatures of "Avraham Steiner" [son of R. Yeshayah of Kerestir]. On the back endpaper, ownership inscription (with errors, perhaps written by a child), "This book belongs to the famous, holy Tzaddik R. Yeshayah". Signatures and additional inscriptions (in purple ink) of "Shlomo Zalman Klein" – who received the book as a gift from the abovementioned R. Yisrael Avraham Alter Landau.


R. Yeshayah (Yeshayale) Steiner of Kerestir (1852-1925), disciple and successor of Rebbe Tzvi Hirsh of Liska (Olaszliszka), author of Ach Pri Tevuah. Known as a wonderworker, numerous Jews (and even non-Jews) flocked to his court in Kerestir (Bodrogkeresztúr) to seek his advice and amulets. R. Yeshayah was revered by the leading rebbes of his day and performed innumerable charitable deeds.
His only son, Rebbe Avraham Steiner of Kerestir (1883-1927), appointed by his father to serve as rebbe during the latter's lifetime, a position he held for less than two years until his passing.

R. Yisrael Avraham Alter Landau, youngest son-in-law of R. Yeshayah of Kerestir (1886-1942), Rabbi of Edelény for some twenty years, where he established an important yeshiva which produced hundreds of immense Torah scholars and rabbis who remained in correspondence with their teacher.


[1], 116 leaves. 22 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains, wear and slight tears. Original binding, worn and torn.

Books Owned by Important Rebbes – Signatures and Ownership Inscriptions, Stamps and Glosses
Books Owned by Important Rebbes – Signatures and Ownership Inscriptions, Stamps and Glosses