Auction 92 Part 1 Rare and Important Items
Chafetz Chaim, laws of guarding one's speech – "Laws pertaining to the prohibitions of derogatory speech and talebearing, according to the halachah derived from the Talmud and halachic literature". Vilna: Hillel Dvorzetz, 1873. First edition.
This is the first book authored by the Chafetz Chaim, R. Yisrael Meir HaKohen of Radin. In his first books, Chafetz Chaim and Shemirat HaLashon, the Chafetz Chaim, in his humility, concealed the fact that he was the author. His name does not appear on the title pages (apart from a brief mention in the imprint, in Cyrillic characters: И. М. Каганъ – Y. M. Kagan), nor is he mentioned in the approbations or foreword. His son R. Aryeh Leib HaKohen relates in his memoirs that his father initially hid the fact that he authored the book Chafetz Chaim, and while travelling to obtain subscribers and sell the book, he presented himself as the publisher. Over the years, his identity became known and he did not attempt to conceal himself any longer (Michtevei HaRav Chafetz Chaim – His Life, Ways, Reasonings and Lectures, p. 13). R. Aryeh Leib also relates that he once asked his father why his name is not mentioned in his books Chafetz Chaim and Shemirat HaLashon. The Chafetz Chaim replied that they were not published in his merit, rather in the merit of the Jewish people (ibid).
Gloss handwritten by the author, the Chafetz Chaim, on p. 46 – a 4-word correction (this correction was incorporated in the second edition, Vilna 1877, and in later editions).
R. Yisrael Meir HaKohen of Radin (1837-1933), leader of the Jewish people, was widely known by the name of his first book, the Chafetz Chaim. He founded the Radin yeshiva and authored many halachic and ethical works: Mishnah Berurah, Shemirat HaLashon, Ahavat Chessed, and dozens more.
Signature on the title page: "Baruch David [Sofer?]".
[5], [1], 8-81 leaves. First five leaves bound out of sequence. Approx. 21 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains and wear. Several tears. Worming. Original binding, worn and damaged.
Without 4 Prenumeranten leaves added to some copies.
Marcheshet, responsa and novellae by R. Chanoch Henoch Eigis, rabbi of Vilna, Part I, on Orach Chaim and Yoreh De'ah, with sections on the topics of Hazamah (refuting witnesses) and Ye'ush (despair). Bilgoraj: Nata Kronenberg, 1931. First edition.
Copy of the Chazon Ish, with glosses in his handwriting. The book contains nine scholarly glosses, all or some of them handwritten by R. Avraham Yeshayahu Karelitz, the Chazon Ish (some of the glosses may have been written by a member of his household, or written by him while lying in bed or under other circumstances that made writing difficult; in any case, the contents and style of glosses are typical of the Chazon Ish's study method).
R. Avraham Yeshayahu Karelitz (1879-1953), author of the Chazon Ish, a foremost scholar in Halachah and Jewish philosophy in our times. A preeminent Torah scholar and hidden righteous man, his first book Chazon Ish was published in 1911 anonymously. In his great modesty, he would sign his name with his acronym only: Ish. After WWI, during which he fled to Belarus, he returned in 1920 to Lithuania and lived for several years in Vilna. He immigrated to Eretz Israel in 1933, where he became recognized as the leading Torah authority, and stood at the helm of the resurrection of the Torah world in our generation. He authored and published numerous volumes of Chazon Ish, which were written with great toil and in-depth study, covering nearly all Talmudic topics.
During the time the Chazon Ish lived in Vilna, he was closely associated with the rabbis of the city, R. Chaim Ozer Grodzinski and R. Chanoch Eigis author of the Marcheshet, who would discuss Torah with him and held him in high esteem (Pe'er HaDor, biography of the Chazon Ish, [part I, p. 340] describes the departure of the Chazon Ish for Eretz Israel on Motza'ei Shabbat 7th Tammuz 1933 – heading the crowd of well-wishers on the platform of the Vilna train station were R. Chaim Ozer and R. Chanoch Eiges).
[3], 3-124, [1] leaves + [2] leaves – front and back printed wrappers. 34 cm. High-quality paper. Good condition. Stains and wear. Original binding (with new spine), with minor blemishes.
Keri'ei Moed – Tikkunim for the seventh night of Pesach, Shavuot night, Hoshana Raba night and 7th Adar. Livorno: Solomon Belforte and partner, [1864].
Copy of the kabbalist R. Yehuda Fatiyah. His signature appears on the title page (in neat square script: "Yehuda Moshe Yeshua Yechezkel Fatiyah". Marginal glosses in his handwriting (in Tikkun Leil Shavuot), including kabbalistic comments and instructions for the recital of Tikkun Leil Shavuot according to the Arizal, the Shelah, and more.
On the page preceding the title page, note in his handwriting with a tikkun for success in a certain area (the matter in question is unknown).
R. Yehuda Fatiyah (1859-1942), prominent kabbalist in Iraq and Jerusalem. Disciple of the Ben Ish Chai in Baghdad. After immigrating to Jerusalem in 1934, he studied in the yeshiva for kabbalists under HaRav HaSadeh, alongside his colleague R. Yaakov Chaim Sofer, author of Kaf HaChaim. A posek and kabbalist, he delt extensively in kabbalistic tikkunim and amulets, and over the years was involved in exorcising dybbukim and evil spirits, as he relates in his book HaRuchot Mesaprot. During WWII, he composed kabbalistic prayers and tikkunim, and arranged prayer gatherings of prominent kabbalists for the rescue of Eretz Israel Jewry. He authored Beit Lechem Yehuda, Matok LaNefesh and other books.
[1], 2-102; 22; 103-214 leaves. Approx. 18.5 cm. Fair-good condition. Stains and wear. Tears and paper repairs. Open tears to leaves 180 and 214. Leaf 181 bound back to front. Some worming, primarily to binding. Old binding with leather spine.