“New” R. Reuven Margoliyot Book

Mossad HaRav Kook has published Peninem u-Margoliyot which is a collection of articles by R. Reuven Margoliyot. These articles originally appeared in the journal Sinai and are now republished in a single volume. It seems that the impetus to collect and publish these was not so that people could have access to them (although perhaps this played a small role). Instead, Mossad HaRav Kook was forced, as it was, to publish these.

In the last few years, in honor of someone’s child’s wedding, someone published some of R. Margoliyot’s articles and books, including the articles which appeared in Sinai. Now, this seems to have upset Mossad HaRav Kook as they note in the introduction where they explain these articles are not that well known “with the exception of one publisher in America, who stole, without first obtaining permission, and Jews will not have a stumbling block in their homes.” While it may be the case that many are unaware of the journal Sinai or where to find R. Margoliyot’s writings it seems that Mossad HaRav Kook who had these for years, some for 30 years, they would have been content to let them langiush had it not been for this violation of copyright.

In fact, Mossad HaRav Kook has only published those articles which appeared in Sinai, they did not, as the American publisher did, republish other works (long out of copyright) of R. Margoliyot. The American publications include Toledot Ohr Hayyim haKadosh and Toledot Maharsha. The latter was originally published in Lemberg in 1932 it contains a portrait of the Maharsah (R. Shmuel Edels) as well as a discussion by R. Margoliyot of other Rabbis who had their portraits done (the picture of him in the chair is from the 1814 Vienna edition of the Maharsha and the frontal picture is from R. Margulies’s book).

The articles in these books include among others: Ha-Rambam v’HaZohar, Defusi haShulhan Arukh, Defusi haShulahan Ohrah haRishonim, Zionunei HaPesukim b’Talmud u-Midrashim, and Toledot Rebbi Yehuda HaNassi.

I purchased both the American and the Mossad HaRav Kook versions at Beigeleisen Books.