Bidspirit auction | Pinnacle of Lomdus! Sefer Imrei

Pinnacle of Lomdus! Sefer Imrei Moshe - Exceedingly Rare First Edition, Warsaw 1921. With Author's Handwritten Dedication - Rare find! First edition of Sefer Imrei Moshe, the classic Sefer recognized in the Yeshiva world as one of the premier works of Lomdus. Authored by R. Moshe Sokolovsky, the Rosh Yeshiva of 'Toras Chesed' in Brisk, which was run under the auspices of the Brisker Rav. A dedication copy, with the author's handwritten inscription.  This first edition is extremely scarce, likely due to the fact that not many copies were printed to begin with. As the author relates on the title page, the printing took place during the post-war years of WWI, so only a small portion of his Chidushim were brought to print, and he did not write an introduction.  Unfortunately, several years later he suffered a stroke while giving a Shiur - which he ultimately died from, and did not merit publishing the remainder of his Chidushim.  Quite famously, it is known that after the Holocaust there was not a single copy of this work to be found throughout Eretz Yisroel. It was believed that all copies were lost, however they managed to find a surviving copy, in the possession of R. Yaakov Yisroel Kanievsky - The Steipler Gaon. He related that as a young Maggid Shiur in Novardok, he had heard that this Sefer came out, but he could not afford the price. He decided to write to the author and ask if he would be willing to send him a copy at no cost. The Imrei Moshe agreed, and that's how the Sefer came into his possession.  As such, it was the Steipler Gaon's own copy that was used to reprint this work after the Holocaust. The Steipler would often relate this story with great emotion, and would comment on the power of kindness. Because the author was kind to him and sent him a copy free of charge, he merited that his work would not become lost forever, as it was from this very copy that the Sefer was reprinted - and in turn the later editions that followed.  The Imrei Moshe, who sadly did not leave any children, merited raising a generation of world-class Talmidim, such as R. Moshe Soloveitchik and R. Aharon Leib Shteinman who were his disciples. He died in 1931, due to complications from a stroke which he suffered from during a Shiur. In excellent, like-new condition. Bound in original binding. Paper is browned and slightly brittle, typical of imprints from this era.  Complete copy. 31cm.