Bidspirit auction | Hatzaah al Odot HaGet –

Hatzaah al Odot HaGet – Venice, 1566 – Copy of Rabbi Akiva Eger - Hatzaah al Odot HaGet, regarding the Tamari-Venturozzo divorce affair and the controversy surrounding it, with letters exchanged between the rabbis, and rulings. Venice: [Giorgio di Cavalli, 1566]. Copy of R. Akiva Eger. Ownership inscription (slightly deleted) on verso of the title page, handwritten by his son: ”Belongs to… the outstanding Torah scholar R. Akiva Eger of Eisenstadt, presently rabbi and dean in Märkisch Friedland [--], his son… Avraham”. Printed during the course of the Tamari-Venturozzo polemic (see below). The present book was published by the Tamari family and the rabbis of Venice who supported them. The book opens with a narrative of the affair from their point of view. This is followed by letters and rulings issued by rabbis in favor of the Tamari family, in which they express their opposition to R. Moshe Provençal and his party. The present book was published in several stages, as described by Y. Yudlov (Bibliographical Notes on the Tamari-Venturozzo Affair, Alei Sefer, II, 1976, pp. 105-114): The first chapter (leaves 1-4) was published first, under the title She'elah al Odot HaGet. Leaves 1-4 were later reprinted with additional chapters – leaves 5-41, under the title Hatzaah al Odot HaGet (in some cases, the new leaves were added to existing copies of She'elah al Odot HaGet). 41-leaf copies can be found in Jerusalem and in the Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana. In the third stage, an addition to the work was printed – leaves 42-77 (at this time leaves 39-41 were reprinted, with certain changes). Most of the known copies comprise 77 leaves. The present copy ends with leaf 77, however an error occurred during the printing of leaves 39-40: pages 39a and 40b were printed on the same leaf, while pages 39b and 40a were omitted. R. Akiva (Güns) Eger (1761-1837), a leading Torah scholar in his times, was born in Eisenstadt to R. Moshe Güns and Gittel – daughter of the first R. Akiva Eger (rabbi of Pressburg, author of Mishnat D'Rabbi Akiva). Before he reached the age of 13, he began studying in the Breslau yeshiva under the tutelage of his uncle and teacher R. Binyamin Wolf Eger and at the age of fifteen, he was already delivering Torah lectures. After getting married in 1778, he moved to Lissa (Leszno) to the home of his father-in-law R. Itzek Margolies. In spite of his young age, he was regarded as one of the leading scholars of the city, which was the hub of Torah study at that time. In 1792, he was appointed rabbi of Märkisch Friedland (Mirosławiec) and established a yeshiva there. In 1815, he began serving as rabbi of Posen (Poznań), a position he held over 20 years, until his passing in 1837. In Posen as well, he founded a yeshiva and taught many disciples. He was a holy person with Divine Inspiration, though supremely humble and gracious, he knew how to insist upon the honor due to the Torah and the rabbinate. He issued numerous regulations and established many public institutions. He replied to the thousands of questions addressed to him from around the world and recorded many novellae. His descendants were also leading Torah scholars: R. Shlomo Eger (1786-1852), one of Warsaw's most influential Jews and his father's successor in the Posen rabbinate, author of Gilyon Maharsha and other books; R. Avraham Eger of Rawicz who edited his father's writings (with his own additions signed ”A.A.B.H.H.”, acronym of the Hebrew ”Amar Avraham ben HaRav HaMechaber” [Avraham, son of the author says]); his renowned son-in-law R. Moshe Sofer, the Chatam Sofer, who after the death of his first wife, married the daughter of R. Akiva Eger (Rebbetzin Sorel, who bore him R. Avraham Shmuel Binyamin Wolf – the Ketav Sofer, and R. Shimon Sofer – rabbi of Kraków). R. Akiva Eger devoted his entire life to Torah study and was known for his amazing proficiency and profound definitions which became basic tenets of Torah learning until our times. His books and novellae are key Torah texts for yeshiva students and poskim alike. R. Elazar Menachem Shach, author of Avi Ezri, writes in his approbation to the book Pote'ach She'arim – Teachings of R. Akiva Eger (Jerusalem, 1985) ”For us, R. Akiva Eger, his opinions and reasoning are as conclusive as one of the Rishonim…”. His works include: Responsa of R. Akiva Eger, published by his sons in his lifetime, under his instruction. After his passing, his sons continued publishing his novellae in Drush VeChiddush, and additional volumes of his responsa series. Other responsa and novellae are being published until this day based on manuscripts (the books Kushiot Atzumot, Ketav VeChotam, Michtavei R. Akiva Eger and others). His various books were reprinted in many editions, including some annotated and expanded editions, which were enriched with related selections of his Torah teachings appearing in other places. The glosses of R.