Auction 50
Lot 100:
Chiddushei Torah on Shulchan Aruch Yoreh De’ah, handwritten by the Admor Rabbi Yisrael Hager of Vizhnitz, the Ahavas Yisrael, written between 1900-1910 (approx.). Very lamdani content, with hasagot on the Minchat Patim, Rabbi Meir Arik, and a long pilpul on the Chazi Laitztropi.”
The greatness of the rabbi and his attempts to hide that are told in this story: “once the [Admor Ahavas Yisrael] sat with his father-in-law, the Imrei Noam of Dzikov, during the latter’s pilpul on a difficult sugiya with his sons. At the end of the discussion, the Imrei Noam turned to his son-in-law, who sat silently. He asked why he didn’t express his opinion on the matter. He noted according to the Saba Kadisha that according to the Ran in a certain place all building was hidden. He noted that his words caused a little weakness in the thinking of his brothers-in-law, so he decided from them on to refrain from pilpul in divrei torah with other rabbis…only with his brother the Gahak of Antanya would he do so” (Chemdat Yisrael, p. 86).
The leaf before us was never published and is among the geniza of Rabbi Yehoshua Mendel Arenberg, who received them from his brother-in-law Rabbi Menachem Hager, head of the Vizhnitz yeshiva, who inherited from the Admor Rabbi Eliezer Hager, the Damesek Eliezer of Vizhnitz. Additional pages from this collection of writings appeared more than 20 years ago and are today held by one of the great naggids of the Vizhnitz chassidus. Chiddushei Torah handwritten by the Admor Ahavas Yisrael are rare and only a few are known in the world. 21 lines. 22x14cm. Stians, creases, small holes, slight tear on the fold.
The Admor Rabbi Yisrael Hager of Vizhnitz (1860-1936) was the 3rd Admor of Vizhnitz, son of the Admor Rabbi Baruch Hager the Imrei Baruch. He was known for his great love of Israel, which, like the name of his books, is called (Love of Israel), and he gave his all to pass that characteristic to his flock. There are a number of amazing stories passed down demonstrating this. He served first in the rabbinate of the city of Bidovla, and he worked hard to hide his gadlus. Upon his father’s death in 1893 he rose to serve as leader of the Vizhnitz community. Under his leadership it grew and became the largest in Hungary/Romania. Many came from across the region to him. He died in 1936 and after the Shoah (in 1950) his body was moved to Israel, where he was reburied in the Vizhnitz cemetery in Bnei Brak accompanied by thousands including his sons the Imrei Chaim and the Mekor Baruch.
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