Auction 77
Lot 9:
Sefer Or Yisrael, a basic Kabbalistic book by the Gaon and Mekubal Rabbi Yisroel Yoffe Av Beit Din of Shklow, "commentary on most Mamrei Hazohar… and and an elucidation of the Ari’s writings… two sections: Section I.. a Kabbalistic commentary on strange Aggadot and most of the Pslams… Section II on Sulchan Aruch Orach Chaim from Siman 1 to the end of Siman 697…".
First edition, the Press of Michael Guttshalk, Frankfurt an der Oder – 1702. [1], 7, 187 leaves. Stefansky, Sifrei Yesod 366. Moth perforations and damage. Restoration to title page. Fair overall condition. Contemporary parchment binding, varied blemishes, restorations and a new flyleaf.
Unique and rare!
This copy includes leaf 7 (after the author’s introduction) which was omitted from most copies. Printed on this leaf is an approbation by Rabbi Naftali Katz (author of the Semichat Chachamim). At the end of the approbation the author notes that since the Gaon Rabbi Naftali’s approbation was received after the book was printed, a special leaf was added to the book for it. The leaf also contains a "פירוש פסוק על פי נגלה" by the author and at the end of the leaf, the date: Tishrei 27, 1703 and some corrections of printing errors.
It is interesting to note that the author was accused that some of what he wrote in his could be considered Sabbatean. To refute these rumors, the author wrote an apology explaining what he wrote. All this was written many years later in the book Tiferet Yisrael (Frankfurt an der Oder, 1774) by his grandson, Rabbi Yisrael Yoffe.
On the title page, a signature: "חנני ה’ בזה הק’ יוחנן הירש בהרב מהר"מ שלאנק" – the handwritten signature of the Chatam Sofer’s disciple, the Gaon Rabbi Yochanan Zvi Shlank (1815-1884) was the son of Rabbi Mordechai, Av Beit Din of Shlanka, in western Prussia. He was son-in-law of Rabbi David Tevli Berlin of London. Before immigraying to Jerusalem in 1818, he served as Rav in Pressburg and was one of the Chatam Sofer’s disciples and of his son, the Ktav Sofer, after him.
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