Sefer Ohel Yaakov, first section (Bereishit)—Drushim on the Torah and Midrashim of Chazal, by Rabbi Yaakov Krantz, a disciple of HaGra who was known as the Maggid of Dubna –
First edition, Josefow, 1830. Stefansky Yessod 492. Approbations by the Geonim Rabbi Yaakov of Lisa and Rabbi Shlomo Zalman of Posna-Warsaw.
The Maggid of Dubna was known as one of the greatest maggids of his generation and since, and it is said that the Vilna Gaon would ask to hear his drashot and parables. He became famous during his lifetime throughout the Jewish world, to the point that some maggids would impersonate him and give drash in his name. One time he visited a synagogue in some city in which he listened to a drash given by someone claiming to be him.
Bluish greenish paper. Ancient binding, leather spine. Moth damage to some leaves. Stains. Fair-good overall condition.
On the title page, a dedication handwritten by the Gaon Rabbi Yosef Zundel of Salant "
למדרש מנחם ציון" – that is how Rabbi Zundel called the Churvat Rabbi Yehuda HeChassid synagogue. On leaves 40 and 58, additional dedications using the letter that paginates the page. In addition, several stamps of the Churva Synagogue inside the book.
Rabbi Zundel of Salant (1786-1865), the founder of the mussar movement and the teacher of Rabbi Yisrael Salanter. The dayan of the Ashkenazi community in Jerusalem. He studied in the renowned Volozhin yeshiva under Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin. After his rabbi’s death he moved to Pozna to study from Rabbi Akiva Eiger, in order to learn his unique approach to learning and his method.
He was also extremely knowledgeable in the field of engineering and in math. He also spoke many languages and was fluent in general and Jewish history. He took an interest in grammar and tradition, devised various rules of grammar that comply with the Vilna Gaon’s rules of grammar. Rabbi Zundel greatly admired this subject because he saw it to require precise understanding of the material studied. In all of the books of the Churva of Rabbi Yehuda HeChassid, the place he prayed, he used to write “למדרש מנחם ציון”, as can be seen in this copy.
