Auction 75
Lot 20:
Sefer Mishkenot HaRo’im, section I Halachic Shut and section II eulogies for Gedolei Yisrael (see below). By the Admor Rabbi Yechiel Michl Hibner, the grandson of Rabbi Meshulam Feivush of Zhabrizh.
First edition and in the author’s lifetime – Lemberg, 1865. Section I: [2], 89 leaves (without leaf 90 which was added later and without the leaf of approbations at the beginning of the book). Section II: 25 [i.e. 23]; 18, 21-27; 21 leaves. Separate title page for each section. Stefansky Chassidut 364. A rare book; a complete copy is hard to find since it was published Kuntres after Kuntres and "had only several hundred copies, which were totally sold out within a few years" (more about the book and its author, see Chachmei Galicia II, 376). Minor stains. Late, stable binding. Taping and some small tears. Some moth damage. Good overall condition.
Eulogies for the Admorim of Stratin and Belz
Section II contains eulogies for Gedolei Yisrael, "with three books" – the first: Et Dodim: eulogy for the three Geonim Rabbi Mordechai Zeev Halevi of Lviv, Rabbi Gershon Ashkenazi Av Beit Din of Kolomyia and Rabbi Yechiel Michl Av Beit Din of Brody. The second: Et Metzo: eulogy for two leading Chassidic rabbis who passed away in the same year: Rabbi Avraham of Stratin and his brother, Rabbi Eliezer of Azipola. The third: Et Shalom: eulogy for Rabbeinu Shalom Roke’ach of Belz.
An interesting introduction by the author explaining his choice of titles for each section of his book: וק’ השלישי קראתי בשם עת שלום על שנתיסד בזמן שהגיע עת רבינו שלום הצדיק מבעלזא זי"ע ויבא שלום וינוח על משכב
Sacred copy from East and West!
On the first title page, a stamp: "הצ’ חיים חזקיאו מדיני המכו’ חח"מ הי"ו" (The young Chaim Chizkiyahu Medini) . In two places, glosses handwritten by him.
On the two title pages. a stamp of the Misgav Ladach Hospital of Jerusalem and a stamp of the library of the Gaon Rabbi Chaim Berlin, the Natziv of Volozhin’s son. Inside the book, several glosses handwritten by Rabbi Chaim Berlin. An additional Yiddish notation (in different script) on verso of the first title page and a signature on the introduction leaf, not studied [see pictures].
It is interesting to note that both a Sephardic sage and a Lithuanian Gaon signed a Chassidic book and added their glosses on it, indicating they both studied it.
The Gaon Chacham Chaim Chizkiyahu Medini (1833-1905) one of the greatest Acharonim, the Rav of Hebron. Authored the famed series of books titled Sdei Chemed, 18 sections, after which he was known.
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