Lot 399
Teshuvot Rabbi Akiva Eiger – Handwritten Glosses by the Author’s Disciple – Unknown Response by Rabbi Akiva Eiger
Teshuvot Rabbi Akiva Eiger, book of Halachic rulings [responses to Halachic questions] and the first volume of the Sefer Ha-Ketavim [responses to clarification requests on Sugyot]. Warsaw, 1834.
First edition printed during the author’s lifetime, who had requested from his sons to print it “on beautiful paper, with black ink and fine letters, because, in my opinion, the soul marvels, the wisdom and the intention awaken when one learns in a fine, luxurious book” (from the introduction). This book was indeed printed on thick, high quality paper, which had been manufactured especially for this book print (the watermarks of the paper bear the name of the manufacturer and the name of the person who ordered the print: “EIGER”).
Owner’s signature: “Michel Leib Munk son of the deceased Rabbi Katz” and the signature of his son “Ya’akov Mattityahu Munk son of the deceased Rabbi Katz. Scholarly glosses on the book’s sheets, one of which mentions “the Gaon Rabbi Michel Leib, Av Beit Din of Danzig”.
Handwritten remark on Siman Alef: “I wrote to the Gaon Rabbi... and he replied: what my dear son in law has written on my teachings... And here I have seen a question but not its answer”. – Which means that this is a response by the author and an addition on what had been printed with the explanation of his words [an answer which, as far as we know is unknown and has never been printed].
The Gaon Rabbi Michel Leib (Yechiel Aryeh) Ha-Cohen Munk (Otzar Ha-Rabbanim 9205) Av Beit Din of Laslo (Wloclawek) and Danzig, passed away in 1853. His last will was printed as “The 15 Ma’alot Yechiel”. Two of his sons were famous disciples of Rabbi Akiva Eiger: the Gaon Rabbi Ya’akov Mattityahu Munk, Av Beit Din of Kravinka and Figa, (who is signed on this book, and received an answer in the Rabbi Akiva Eiger responsum part 2 Siman 42).
And the Gaon Rabbi Eliyahu Munk who was one of the Rabbinical Judges of Altona and brother in law of Rabbi Azriel Hildesheimer (1818-1899, Otzar Ha-Rabbanim 2152). See enclosed material about them.
[1], 222 leaves. 31.5 cm. thick, high quality paper, good-fair condition, time marks, moth damage on the inner side of the book. The first title page is cut and glued on a different leaf. The glosses are slightly cut (less than a word’s width). Old, spineless binding.
A lithographic picture of Rabbi Akiva Eiger by the artist Hermann Shtruck was found tucked in the book’s leaves.
