Signatures of the Holy Gaon Rabbi Shmuel Heller Rabbi of Tzfat- Shut Mayim Rabim with the rare approbations page. ...

Signatures of the Holy Gaon Rabbi Shmuel Heller Rabbi of Tzfat- Shut Mayim Rabim with the rare approbations page. First edition Amsterdam 1737.

Sefer Mayim Rabim, 4 sections, volume containing all of the author’s Shut on the four sections of the Shulchan Aruch. By Refael Mildola, rabbi of the city of Bayonne, France and the surrounding area, printed in the author’s lifetime

With the leaves in Portuguese.

 

Many signatures on title page & throughout of the famous Holy Gaon Rabbi Shmuel Heller Rabbi of Tzfat.

A Torah genius, Rabbi Shmuel Heller born in 1803, was raised in the home of the Chozeh of Lublin, and following his counsel ascended to Eretz Israel.in 1817 He served as Dayan & later Rabbi of Safed for 60 years from 1841 onwards and was one of the greatest Chassidic leaders in the Land of Israel.

He wielded great influence in setting the public agenda. His rulings and actions reveal a clear trend that placed at its center the Land of Israel and the ancient traditions that represented for him a coveted, pre-exile world. He craved what was perceived as authentic to the Land of Israel and strove to connect with local traditions (See Otzar HaRabanim 19134).

He passed away in Safed on the 22nd of Tevet, 1884. He authored: Taharat HaKodesh, Derech Nesher, Kavod Melachim, Divrei Mishpat, Shivrei Luchot, and others.

Rabbi Raphael Meldola (1685-1748) served as rabbi in Pisa, Bayonne and St. Espirit, before returning to his hometown of Livorno in his old age.

Published by  Rabbi David Mildola, the author’s son, printed by Rabbi Yosef Dayan during the author’s lifetime. [The simanim 34-38 in Orech Chayim, halachot of Eruvin, were printed beforehand in a special pamphlet called “Parshat HaIbur”, Amsterdam 1734. The simanim there discuss the “single city which is entirely goyim” (Bayonne), and how to carry there on Shabbos]. 

Many approbations (in Section 1): Joint approbation from Amsterdam rabbis Rabbi David Yisrael Attias and Rabbi Yitzhak Chaim N’ Dana di Brito; Rabbi Eliezer (Rokeach) of Krakow, Rabbi Moshe bar Eliezer (Rokeach) of Amsterdam, and more. Rabbis of Livorno: Rabbi Eliezer HaKohen, Rabbi Yosef Attias, Rabbi Gavriel dil Rio, Rabbi David bar Avraham Mildola and Rabbi Malachi bar Yaakov HaKohen, Rabbi Yehezkel bar Avraham Katznelfeugen (Av Beit Din). All these are dated to 1737.

In addition there is an interesting approbation from representatives from Tzfat: Rabbi Chaim Yaakov (bar Yaakov David) and Rabbi Meir di Segura. From Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan 1738, after the year of printing. These approbations were given after the book began printing and the author added them to the copies which remained in his possession—this approbation page is not found in all copies.

Leaf 42a of Section 2 has an illustration demonstrating the halachot of sewing yeriyot of klaf for a Sefer Torah.

Overall in Good condition, worming mostly to margins, light stains, taping to last page, later binding.