Knesset HaGedolah, Orach Chaim part, selected rulings from Halachic literature, following the order of Shulchan Aruch, by R. Chaim Benveniste. Livorno, 1791. Second edition.
Copy of R. Akiva Eger. On the title page, ownership inscriptions handwritten by one of the sons-in-law of R. Akiva Eger: " Belongs to the prominent Torah scholar, leader of the entire diaspora, holy and pure, pious and very humble, more than any other person, beloved to all… R. Akiva Eger, rabbi and dean in Pozna [Poznań]"; " Belongs to my father-in-law, outstanding and elite Torah scholar… R. Akiva Eger".
The book contains three glosses handwritten by R. Akiva Eger, on pages: 128a, 142a and 156b. The first gloss is in Rashi script (regarding R. Akiva Eger's practice of occasionally writing his glosses in Rashi script, see: MiBet HaGenazim, Brooklyn, 2010, p. 233; Responsa Ginat Vradim HaShalem, Orach Chaim, Jerusalem, 2008, p. 8; Kedem Auction 66, item 108). These glosses were published in Moriah, year 19, issues V-VI (221-222), Kislev 1993, pp. 24-25.
R. Akiva Eger mentions the book Knesset HaGedolah dozens of times in his works (additional glosses he wrote on Knesset HaGedolah, Even HaEzer, were published in Moriah, year 6, issues X-XI [71-72], Sivan 1976, p. 23).
R. Akiva (Güns) Eger (1761-1837), a leading Torah scholar in his times, was born in Eisenstadt to R. Moshe Güns and Gittel – daughter of the first R. Akiva Eger (rabbi of Pressburg, author of Mishnat D'Rabbi Akiva). Before he reached the age of 13, he began studying in the Breslau yeshiva under the tutelage of his uncle and teacher R. Binyamin Wolf Eger and at the age of fifteen, he was already delivering Torah lectures. After getting married in 1778, he moved to Lissa (Leszno) to the home of his father-in-law R. Itzek Margolies. In spite of his young age, he was regarded as one of the leading scholars of the city, which was the hub of Torah study at that time.
In 1792, he was appointed rabbi of Märkisch Friedland (Mirosławiec) and established a yeshiva there. In 1815, he began serving as rabbi of Posen (Poznań), a position he held over 20 years, until his passing in 1837. In Posen as well, he founded a yeshiva and taught many disciples. He was a holy person with Divine Inspiration, though supremely humble and gracious, he knew how to insist upon the honor due to the Torah and the rabbinate. He issued numerous regulations and established many public institutions. He replied to the thousands of questions addressed to him from around the world and recorded many novellae.
His descendants were also leading Torah scholars: R. Shlomo Eger (1786-1852), one of Warsaw's most influential Jews and his father's successor in the Posen rabbinate, author of Gilyon Maharsha and other books; R. Avraham Eger of Rawicz who edited his father's writings (with his own additions signed "A.A.B.H.H.", acronym of the Hebrew "Amar Avraham ben HaRav HaMechaber" [Avraham, son of the author says]); his renowned son-in-law R. Moshe Sofer, the Chatam Sofer, who after the death of his first wife, married the daughter of R. Akiva Eger (Rebbetzin Sorel, who bore him R. Avraham Shmuel Binyamin Wolf – the Ketav Sofer, and R. Shimon Sofer – rabbi of Kraków).
R. Akiva Eger devoted his entire life to Torah study and was known for his amazing proficiency and profound definitions which became basic tenets of Torah learning until our times. His books and novellae are key Torah texts for yeshiva students and poskim alike. R. Elazar Menachem Shach, author of Avi Ezri, writes in his approbation to the book Pote'ach She'arim – Teachings of R. Akiva Eger (Jerusalem, 1985) "For us, R. Akiva Eger, his opinions and reasoning are as conclusive as one of the Rishonim…".
His works include: Responsa of R. Akiva Eger, published by his sons in his lifetime, under his instruction. After his passing, his sons continued publishing his novellae in Drush VeChiddush, and additional volumes of his responsa series. Other responsa and novellae are being published until this day based on manuscripts (the books Kushiot Atzumot, Ketav VeChotam, Michtavei R. Akiva Eger and others). His various books were reprinted in many editions, including some annotated and expanded editions, which were enriched with related selections of his Torah teachings appearing in other places.
The glosses of R. Akiva Eger are valued in the yeshiva world and by Torah scholars for their perspicacity and profundity, and they invest much effort in studying them. He himself considered his glosses a composition worth publishing, as is apparent from his letters to his son R. Avraham Eger, printed at the beginning of Hagahot Rabbenu Akiva Eger, Berlin 1862. Especially renowned are his glosses to the Talmud, named Gilyon HaShas (first printed in his lifetime in the Prague and Vilna editions of the Talmud), his glosses to the Shulchan Aruch, and Tosefot R. Akiva Eger on the Mishnah. Over the years, his glosses to various books were published in later editions of those books and in Torah anthologies. R. Chaim Berlin related regarding his father, the Netziv of Volozhin: " And literally one word of R. Akiva Eger would resolve in his eyes several pages of pilpul in other books" (Meromei Sadeh, I, Jerusalem 1956, foreword).
3; 162 leaves. 29 cm. Good condition. Stains. Minor tears and wear to a few leaves. Stamps. New leather binding.