Auction 61 - Rare and Important Items
Three Manuscript Volumes, Unprinted Work - Kiryat Sefer, Talmudic Novellae by Rabbi Calev Feivel Weisel, Rabbi of Turda
Opening: $5,000
Unsold
Three large manuscript volumes - Sefer Kiryat Sefer, novellae on Talmudic topics and on Tractates Beitza and Chulin, by R. Calev Feivel Weisel, rabbi of Turda. [Turda, 1877].
Complete compositions, prepared for print, in neat handwriting (evidently the handwriting of the author). At the beginning of the novellae on Talmudic topics are a long introduction signed by the author, dated Cheshvan, 1877, and an approbation by Rebbe Menachem Mendel Paneth, rabbi of Dej, also dated Cheshvan, 1877. The author states in his introduction that he intended to name his work "Nachlat Calev", but changed the title after consulting his friend, Rebbe Menachem Mendel of Dej, who wrote to him: "It would be appropriate to call this work 'Kiryat Sefer', for that was the inheritance of Calev as allocated to him by Otniel ben Kenaz". The author therefore writes: "I consented to call my work Kiryat Sefer as suggested by the holy man". The author signed at the end of the introduction: "The small Calev Feivel Weisel, rabbi of Turda and its environs".
To the best of our knowledge, these compositions have never been printed, with the exception of the approbation of Rebbe Menachem Mendel of Dej and parts of the introduction which were printed in the introductions to his work "Kiryat Sefer" on the Torah, published by his children in Dej, 1904. In the introduction to "Kiryat Sefer", his children mention the author's other manuscripts, including this manuscript of Talmudic novellae. This manuscript is also mentioned in the introduction of his grandson, R. Tzvi Yaakov Abraham, to the book "Beit Ulpana - Bracha MiTzion" (Brooklyn, 1953), in which he describes his grandfather, R. Calev Feivel: "the author of Sefer Kiryat Sefer on the Torah (whose other works remain in manuscript form, including compositions of Tractates Beitza and Chulin, with novellae on approximately seventy Talmudic topics)".
R. Calev Feivel Weisel (1834-1898) was born in Stupava, a town near Pressburg (Bratislava). His father, R. Yosef, was a member of the renowned Weisel family of Prague. He studied in the yeshiva of the Ktav Sofer in Pressburg for four years, and then studied with R. Hillel Lichtenstein in Marghita. He ascended to the rabbinate of Turda in 1865, where he was the first rabbi in the city. He served as rabbi until his passing 33 years later. His son, R. Ben Tzion Weisel (1864-1938), was appointed rabbi of Turda after his passing. R. Ben Tzion was renowned as one of the greatest rabbis of his generation and was head of the Orthodox rabbis of Transylvania.
3 volumes: [12], 125, [9] leaves; 132 leaves; 185 leaves. (Over 950 written pages in total). 34 cm. Some leaves are blueish. Good-fair condition. Tears and wear. Paper gluing to repair and fill missing page sections. Original bindings, worn and disintegrating.
Complete compositions, prepared for print, in neat handwriting (evidently the handwriting of the author). At the beginning of the novellae on Talmudic topics are a long introduction signed by the author, dated Cheshvan, 1877, and an approbation by Rebbe Menachem Mendel Paneth, rabbi of Dej, also dated Cheshvan, 1877. The author states in his introduction that he intended to name his work "Nachlat Calev", but changed the title after consulting his friend, Rebbe Menachem Mendel of Dej, who wrote to him: "It would be appropriate to call this work 'Kiryat Sefer', for that was the inheritance of Calev as allocated to him by Otniel ben Kenaz". The author therefore writes: "I consented to call my work Kiryat Sefer as suggested by the holy man". The author signed at the end of the introduction: "The small Calev Feivel Weisel, rabbi of Turda and its environs".
To the best of our knowledge, these compositions have never been printed, with the exception of the approbation of Rebbe Menachem Mendel of Dej and parts of the introduction which were printed in the introductions to his work "Kiryat Sefer" on the Torah, published by his children in Dej, 1904. In the introduction to "Kiryat Sefer", his children mention the author's other manuscripts, including this manuscript of Talmudic novellae. This manuscript is also mentioned in the introduction of his grandson, R. Tzvi Yaakov Abraham, to the book "Beit Ulpana - Bracha MiTzion" (Brooklyn, 1953), in which he describes his grandfather, R. Calev Feivel: "the author of Sefer Kiryat Sefer on the Torah (whose other works remain in manuscript form, including compositions of Tractates Beitza and Chulin, with novellae on approximately seventy Talmudic topics)".
R. Calev Feivel Weisel (1834-1898) was born in Stupava, a town near Pressburg (Bratislava). His father, R. Yosef, was a member of the renowned Weisel family of Prague. He studied in the yeshiva of the Ktav Sofer in Pressburg for four years, and then studied with R. Hillel Lichtenstein in Marghita. He ascended to the rabbinate of Turda in 1865, where he was the first rabbi in the city. He served as rabbi until his passing 33 years later. His son, R. Ben Tzion Weisel (1864-1938), was appointed rabbi of Turda after his passing. R. Ben Tzion was renowned as one of the greatest rabbis of his generation and was head of the Orthodox rabbis of Transylvania.
3 volumes: [12], 125, [9] leaves; 132 leaves; 185 leaves. (Over 950 written pages in total). 34 cm. Some leaves are blueish. Good-fair condition. Tears and wear. Paper gluing to repair and fill missing page sections. Original bindings, worn and disintegrating.