Auction 61 - Rare and Important Items
Letter Handwritten by Rabbi Akiva Eger - Response to Novellae Written by his Son Rabbi Shlomo Eger
Opening: $15,000
Sold for: $21,250
Including buyer's premium
A leaf handwritten by R. Akiva Eger. Letter of Torah novellae [unsigned], sent to his son R. Shlomo Eiger. [Posen, ca. 1820s].
Halachic responsa on various treatises discussed between the illustrious father and his erudite son. In this manuscript, R. Akiva refers to his son with the acronym of "HaGaon, nero ya'ir". This letter by R. Akiva Eger was found among the writings of his son R. Shlomo Eger and was printed in the book Rabbi Shlomo Eger responsa, Ketavim, section 29 (Jerusalem, 1983, pp. 268-270). See enclosed photocopy (with handwritten references for comparing mistakes made by copiers of that edition).
The renowned Rabbi Akiva Eger (1761-1837) was an eminent Torah scholar in his times, born in Eisenstadt, son of R. Moshe Güns and of the daughter of the first R. Akiva Eger [Rabbi of Pressburg, author of Mishnat D'Rabbi Akiva]. Before he reached bar-mitzvah age, he already studied in the Breslau Yeshiva under the tutelage of his uncle and teacher R. Binyamin Wolf Eger and at fifteen, began delivering Torah discourses. After his marriage in 1778, he moved to Leszno (Lissa) to the home of his father-in-law R. Itzik Margaliot. 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 Mirosławiec (Märkisch Friedland) and established a yeshiva in the city. In 1815, he began his 23-year tenure as Rabbi of Posen until his death in 1837. In Posen as well, he founded a yeshiva and taught many disciples. He cherished teaching his disciples and this pursuit took precedence over writing Torah novellae and responsa to the thousands of queries which reached him daily from all corners of the world. A holy person with ru'ach hakodesh, although supremely humble and gracious, he insisted upon the honor due to the Torah and the rabbinate. He used his authority to lead the communities in the Posen district (Northern Poland and Prussia) and fiercely and successfully fought the Reform movement and those who attempted to tear down the walls of Torah observance. He issued many regulations and established many public institutes. (In the realm of his rabbinical duties, he was accustomed to visiting every ill person who resided in the communities. After his strength waned in his senior years, he appointed special emissaries to visit the ill in his stead and requested to receive their names so he could pray for them).
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. He wrote Gilyon Maharsha and other books; R. Avraham Eger from the city 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 HaMehaber" (Avraham, son of the author said)]; his renowned son-in-law R. Moshe Sofer, author of the Chatam Sofer who after the death of his first wife, wed the daughter of R. Akiva Eger [Rebbetzin Sherel, mother of R. Avraham Shmuel Binyamin Wolf, author of the Ktav Sofer and R. Shimon Sofer, Rabbi of Krakow].
R. Akiva Eger devoted his entire life to Torah study, known for his amazing proficiency and his deep interpretations which became basic tenets of Torah learning until our times. His books and novellae are key Torah texts for yeshiva students and for poskim. R. Elazar Menachem Shach, author of Avi Ezri, writes in his approbation to the book Pote'ach She'arim - Some of the Torah Teachings of R. Akiva Eger (Jerusalem, 1985) "For us, Rabbi Akiva Eger and his opinions and reasoning are as conclusive as one of the Rishonim…".
[1] leaf, 24 cm. Written on both sides, approximately 56 handwritten lines. Fair condition. Wear and tears (with very little damage to text), repairs with transparent (non-acidic) adhesive tape.
Halachic responsa on various treatises discussed between the illustrious father and his erudite son. In this manuscript, R. Akiva refers to his son with the acronym of "HaGaon, nero ya'ir". This letter by R. Akiva Eger was found among the writings of his son R. Shlomo Eger and was printed in the book Rabbi Shlomo Eger responsa, Ketavim, section 29 (Jerusalem, 1983, pp. 268-270). See enclosed photocopy (with handwritten references for comparing mistakes made by copiers of that edition).
The renowned Rabbi Akiva Eger (1761-1837) was an eminent Torah scholar in his times, born in Eisenstadt, son of R. Moshe Güns and of the daughter of the first R. Akiva Eger [Rabbi of Pressburg, author of Mishnat D'Rabbi Akiva]. Before he reached bar-mitzvah age, he already studied in the Breslau Yeshiva under the tutelage of his uncle and teacher R. Binyamin Wolf Eger and at fifteen, began delivering Torah discourses. After his marriage in 1778, he moved to Leszno (Lissa) to the home of his father-in-law R. Itzik Margaliot. 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 Mirosławiec (Märkisch Friedland) and established a yeshiva in the city. In 1815, he began his 23-year tenure as Rabbi of Posen until his death in 1837. In Posen as well, he founded a yeshiva and taught many disciples. He cherished teaching his disciples and this pursuit took precedence over writing Torah novellae and responsa to the thousands of queries which reached him daily from all corners of the world. A holy person with ru'ach hakodesh, although supremely humble and gracious, he insisted upon the honor due to the Torah and the rabbinate. He used his authority to lead the communities in the Posen district (Northern Poland and Prussia) and fiercely and successfully fought the Reform movement and those who attempted to tear down the walls of Torah observance. He issued many regulations and established many public institutes. (In the realm of his rabbinical duties, he was accustomed to visiting every ill person who resided in the communities. After his strength waned in his senior years, he appointed special emissaries to visit the ill in his stead and requested to receive their names so he could pray for them).
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. He wrote Gilyon Maharsha and other books; R. Avraham Eger from the city 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 HaMehaber" (Avraham, son of the author said)]; his renowned son-in-law R. Moshe Sofer, author of the Chatam Sofer who after the death of his first wife, wed the daughter of R. Akiva Eger [Rebbetzin Sherel, mother of R. Avraham Shmuel Binyamin Wolf, author of the Ktav Sofer and R. Shimon Sofer, Rabbi of Krakow].
R. Akiva Eger devoted his entire life to Torah study, known for his amazing proficiency and his deep interpretations which became basic tenets of Torah learning until our times. His books and novellae are key Torah texts for yeshiva students and for poskim. R. Elazar Menachem Shach, author of Avi Ezri, writes in his approbation to the book Pote'ach She'arim - Some of the Torah Teachings of R. Akiva Eger (Jerusalem, 1985) "For us, Rabbi Akiva Eger and his opinions and reasoning are as conclusive as one of the Rishonim…".
[1] leaf, 24 cm. Written on both sides, approximately 56 handwritten lines. Fair condition. Wear and tears (with very little damage to text), repairs with transparent (non-acidic) adhesive tape.