Auction 44 - Judaica: Books, Manuscripts, Rabbinical Letters
Leaves Remnants of Tur Orach Chaim, Soncino 1490 - Ancient Glosses in Ashkenazi Handwriting - Glosses by Rabbi Avraham ben Rabbi Avigdor Av Beit Din Prague
Opening: $1,000
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Remnants of printed leaves removed from the binding Genizah, fragments of Arba'a Turim, Orach Chaim [Soncino 1490. Shlomo Soncino printing press]. Glossses in ancient Ashkenazi handwriting from the printing period [early 16th century].
While examining the glosses (see attached article) – it became clear to us, that presented are glosses of the Mahar"a of Prague – Rabbi Avraham ben Rabbi Avigdor Av Beit Din Prague, the glosses were printed in 16th century in a Prague edition and in an Augsburg edition. In the handwritten glosses that appear here, there are glosses found in both prints or in one of them. Also, there are handwritten glosses not found in any of the prints. It is possible that those glosses are an autograph of the author himself, a foremost sage of Prague in the early 16th century.
The Gaon Rabbi Avraham ben Rabbi Avigdor Av Beit Din Prague (d. Tishrei 1542), an outstanding Torah scholar in his time. Rabbi Mordechai Yaffe author of the "Levush" whose father was his merited disciple writes about his father: "and it is known to me that Mahara"r Avraham of Prague – the greatest of his generation and author of HaTur glosses – was his merited rabbi, and conducted himself all of his life in what he got from him".
In 1534 he corrected with the famous public figure Rabbi Jesselman of Rosheim, 23 regulations for management of congregations in Bohemia. In the book "Tzemach David" he writes about him: "A great man, exceptional Torah scholar, who composed a commentary on Rashi and exceptional glosses on Tur Orach Chaim. He taught many disciples, and was proficient in all of the seven wisdoms, and was head of Yeshiva and rabbi in Prague”.
His glosses on the Tur were printed in a shortened edition, in Augsburg (1540). In the same year, a more complete edition was printed in Prague, an edition which includes his short glosses and the commentaries. These glosses were mentioned by the Poskim: Haram”a, HaLevush and those who succeeded them. As said, presented here is a manuscript with significant changes that do not appear in the glosses of these two editions.
8 leaf fragments. Fair-poor condition, tears and spotting.
While examining the glosses (see attached article) – it became clear to us, that presented are glosses of the Mahar"a of Prague – Rabbi Avraham ben Rabbi Avigdor Av Beit Din Prague, the glosses were printed in 16th century in a Prague edition and in an Augsburg edition. In the handwritten glosses that appear here, there are glosses found in both prints or in one of them. Also, there are handwritten glosses not found in any of the prints. It is possible that those glosses are an autograph of the author himself, a foremost sage of Prague in the early 16th century.
The Gaon Rabbi Avraham ben Rabbi Avigdor Av Beit Din Prague (d. Tishrei 1542), an outstanding Torah scholar in his time. Rabbi Mordechai Yaffe author of the "Levush" whose father was his merited disciple writes about his father: "and it is known to me that Mahara"r Avraham of Prague – the greatest of his generation and author of HaTur glosses – was his merited rabbi, and conducted himself all of his life in what he got from him".
In 1534 he corrected with the famous public figure Rabbi Jesselman of Rosheim, 23 regulations for management of congregations in Bohemia. In the book "Tzemach David" he writes about him: "A great man, exceptional Torah scholar, who composed a commentary on Rashi and exceptional glosses on Tur Orach Chaim. He taught many disciples, and was proficient in all of the seven wisdoms, and was head of Yeshiva and rabbi in Prague”.
His glosses on the Tur were printed in a shortened edition, in Augsburg (1540). In the same year, a more complete edition was printed in Prague, an edition which includes his short glosses and the commentaries. These glosses were mentioned by the Poskim: Haram”a, HaLevush and those who succeeded them. As said, presented here is a manuscript with significant changes that do not appear in the glosses of these two editions.
8 leaf fragments. Fair-poor condition, tears and spotting.
Handwritten Glosses
Handwritten Glosses