מכילתא, כתב עת לתורה ולחכמה, ר‘ עדיאל ברויאר, יעקב ישראל סטל ומשה דוד צ‘צ‘יק (עורכים), גליון ב, כסלו תשפ“א, 323 עמודים
Volume two of the new Journal Mekhilta just came out. Similar to the first issue it has an all-star lineup of writers on great topics.
Copies of this volume are available for purchase through me (while the limited edition lasts) and will help support the efforts of the Seforim Blog. Contact me at Eliezerbrodt@gmail.com
For sample pages contact me at the above email.
Copies of the first issue are still available.
Here is the Table of contents of the new volume.
Is there a rotten apple in the Tu-BeShevat Fruit Basket?
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Is there a rotten apple in the Tu-BeShevat Fruit Basket?
By Dan Rabinowitz and Eliezer Brodt
[This post is heavily updated from an earlier Seforim Blog post – here]
Some claim that the origins of the custom to celebrate Tu-beShevat as a holiday that includes eating fruits and other rituals, is Sabbatean. In the main, this assertion is based upon identifying the work Hemdat Yamim as the source for Tu-beShevat as a holiday and eating fruit and other rituals. Thus, an article in Ha’aretz trumpets, “The New Year for the Trees, Isn’t it for Sabbatai Zvi.” And the National Library of Israel’s blog includes a post “The Holiday of Tu-beShevat is an Auspicious Time to Pray for the Only (?!) Jewish False Messiah.” They even include this photoshopped image.
However, a closer look at the history reveals, that although some of the customs on Tu-beShevat can be traced to Hemdat Yamim the actual celebration dates much earlier. Contrary to the popular song, Tu-beShevat hegihu hag ha-ilannot, the 15th of Shevat was not a “chag” of the trees. Instead, the earliest discussions regarding Tu-beShevat do not mention any holiday associated with the day. The first Mishna in Rosh Hashana, identifies the 15th of Shevat as the new year for trees. This designation merely defines how to calculate annualized tithes and is otherwise silent as to the significance of the date. One can’t tithe fruits from one year using a different year’s fruits. Thus the 15th of Shevat is the cut-off point. [For other contemporaneous examples see Safrai, Mishnat Erets Yisrael, Mesekhet Rosh HaShana (Jerusalem: Mehlelet Lifshitz, 2011), 305-06]. It was not until R. Gershom’s time that there were any of the traditional holiday markers, but only that fasting is prohibited.
The first mention of the custom to eat fruit and other holiday rituals appears in 16th century Machzor, published between 1548 and 1550.
That Machzor follows the Ashkenazi rite and includes a discussion of customs according to that rite and the commentary of R. Benyamin ha-Levi Ashkenazi, Ma’aglei Tzedek. He was the rabbi of the Ashkenazi community in Saloniki (of contemporary interest is that he records the death of four of his sons during a plague). This source, however, was not well-known, and, historically, a different, later, source is identified. For example, Avraham Ya’ari in his otherwise comprehensive article claims that R. Issachar ibn Susan (c. 1510-1580) is the first mention. Susan, in his Ibur Shanim, published in 1578, provides that “the Ashkenazim have the custom [on Tu-beShevat] to eat many fruits in honor of the day,” confirming the custom recorded in the Machzor. 1578 was the first authorized printing of R. Susan’s work but not the first time this custom is associated with him. In 1564, Shlomo Rie published Susan’s Tikkun Yissachar. (Ibur Shanim 48b and Tikkun Yissachar 62a). Susan, in Ibur Shanim, accuses Rie of publishing an unauthorized edition, one that contains errors and unacknowledged additions by Rie. Ibur Shanim includes a corrected and otherwise only slightly modified version of Tikkun Yissachar. [See Susan’s introduction; see also Yaakov Shmuel Spiegal, Amudim be-Tolodot Sefer ha-Ivri: Hadar Mechaber (Jerusalem, 2018), 321-22.]
Mention of this custom also appeared in a Judeo-German Minhagim book first published in 1590. “The custom is to eat many fruits as it is the New Year of the trees.”
Venice, 1593 edition
In the community of Worms, there was a rather interesting variation of the custom. As R. Jousep Schammes (1604-1678) in his custom-book states:
On Purim and the 15 of Av and Shevat these were vacation days for the Rabbis, . . . [on the 15th of Shevat] one says tehina even during the morning prayer. It is a vacation day for the students and the teachers, especially the younger students, it is a day of feasting and joy for or the teachers and their students. The custom is for the teachers to distribute whiskey to the students and make merry with them.” Minhagei [de-Kehilah Kedosha] Vermisai le-Rebi Joszpa Shamesh (Jerusalem: Machon Yerushalim, 1988), 249-50, no. 211.
The first mention of Tu-beShevat in a Sefardic source appears in R. Hayyim Benveniste’s (1603-1673) Kenneset ha-Gedolah, first published in Livorno in 1658, where he quotes Susan from the Tikkun Yissachar. Although Benveniste would later be associated with the Sabbatian movement, his inclusion of this custom in 1658, long pre-dates the movement. Benveniste’s source does not include a seder, nor does it testify to any adoption amongst Sefardim.
Kabbalah first enters the picture in 1728 with a somewhat obscure source. In 1728, Eliyahu Malhlenov published, Birkat Eliyahu, his commentary on the Talmud. Amongst his papers,, he had a few pages of materials from R. Moshe Hagiz and appended those to Birkat Eliyahu. These materials include responsa and discussions regarding customs. Hagiz records a custom from his grandfather, R. Moshe Galante. R. Galante was also Hagiz’s teacher as his father died when Hagiz was a boy. According to Hagiz, his grandfather had “the custom that on the 15th of Shevat he would eat many fruits that required many blessings and prayed to God that he should decree for us and them a good year. He ate the following 15 fruits, and on each one would recite … a chapter of Mishna…” Hagiz then provides the order to eat the fruits.
Hagiz might technically be the first to describe a specific ceremony associated with eating fruits, but the source that popularized Tu-beShevat amongst Sefardim, and that incorporated a seder is Hemdat Yamim. Hemdat Yamim, first published in 1732 anonymously has the entire seder for Tu-beShevat. This includes passages from the Bible as well as specific foods. This in turn was popularized to a greater degree when it was included in the book Pri Etz Hadar first published in 1753 and republished an additional 29 times by 1959, and now digitized on Sefaria.
The author of Hemdat Yamim concedes that this is not a custom that originated with the Ari or his students. Nonetheless, the author provides his own kabbalistic ideas and wrote his own kabbalistic prayers for the occasion, and a specific order to the ceremony. According to many scholars, Hemdat Yamim is not reflective of the kabbalah of the Ari but that of Sabbatai Tzvi and his disciples. Indeed, Boaz Huss has identified specific prayers in the Hemdat Yamim Tu-beShevat liturgy that allude to Sabbatai Tzvi. Whether or not this assertion is correct, because we can trace this custom, that of eating fruits, to over 100 years prior to the Sabbatian movement as already a pre-existing custom, it is likely unrelated to Sabbatian theology or custom.
Plagiarism
Avraham Ya’ari, the noted bibliographer, wrote a comprehensive article tracing the history of Tu-beShevat. That article appeared in Machanim and is available at Daat. This article, at times entire paragraphs, are reprinted verbatim, without any attribution, in a recent book ostensibly authored by Tuvia Freund, Moadim le-Simchah. Published in six volumes between 1998-2010, this work is replete with such examples of plagiarism. Here, however, Freund did something arguably even more egregious. In the pages of materials he steals, Freund cites Yaari and his article by name. Not for the fact that all the above material comes from there but a small tangential item, the number of times a book was printed. Indeed, Freund is so unwilling to give Yaari any credit in a paragraph lifted word for word from Yaari, the work Hemdet Yamim is discussed. Freund provides in a footnote, “see the long discussion regarding this work in Sefer Talmumot Sefer page 134 and on.” Freund doesn’t reveal the author of Talmumot Sefer, who is none other than Yaari. Freund doubly removed Yaari from the picture.
Magen Avraham
The Magen Avraham cites the Tikkun Yissachar as the earliest source for the custom to eat fruits on the 15th of Shevat. This, despite the fact that he had accessed, and indeed quotes on many occasions, the Machzor with the Maageli Tzedek commentary. See, e.g.,
While he had access to the Machzor, he did not have access to the Tikkun Yissachar. The Magen Avraham quotes the Tikkun Yissachar on a few occasions, but always via a secondary source. See Brodt Halachic Commentaries to the Shulchan Aruch on Orach Chayim from Ashkenaz and Poland in the Seventeenth Century (PHD Bar Ilan 2015), pp. 68-69. The Mekor Chaim in O.C. 686:1 is the first to point to the Machzor for this minhag.
The halachot in the Machzor were collected by Yitzhak Hershkowitz ed., Maglei Tzedek (Jerusalem, 2000), pp. 156-157. Regarding R. Benyamin see Y.S. Emmanuel, Matsavos Saloniki, vol. 1 (Jerusalem, 1973), 36, 68-69; Meir Benayahu, “Rebi Shmuel Yaffa Ashkenazi,” in Tarbiz, 42 (1973), 423-24 and note 37; M.S. Molcho, Matsevot Bet ha-Olamin she Yehudi Saloniki (Tel Aviv, 1975), 59-60; Yitzhak Rivkin, “Dikdukei Soferim,” in Kiryat Sefer 4 (1927), 278 no. 32; Daniel Goldschmidt, Mehkerei Tefillah u-Piyyut, 252-65, Meir Benayahu, Defus ha-Ivri be-Kremonah (Jerusalem, 1971), 141-78. About Knesset Hagedolah and being a Sabbatean see Brodt, Halachic Commentaries to the Shulchan Aruch on Orach Chayim from Ashkenaz and Poland in the Seventeenth Century, pp. 56; Brodt, Yeshurun 35 ( 2016 )p. 775; See also the recent work, R. Shmuel Ashkenazi, Igrot Shmuel (2021)-, 1, pp. 4-5.
R. Shmuel Ashkenazi
As the Seforim Blog just published Iggrot Shmuel from R. Shmuel Ashkenazi (see here and here) we reprint two letters from his collection, one discussing the origins of the holiday of the 15th of Shevat and the other Hemdat Yamim.
Notes:
Additional sources discussing the 15th of Shevat, see Meir Rafeld, Netivi Meir, (2013), 185-189; R Mandelbaum, Tehilah Ledovid (Jerusalem, 1993); Guttman, Otzar TuBeshvat.
Tikkun Yissachar was republished in 1988 with an excellent introduction from R. Betzalel Landau. Most recently, in 2019, it was reprinted and re-typeset, with additional notes. This edition also includes R Landau’s introduction and another introduction of material about the work. See also Elisheva Carlebach, Palaces of Time: Jewish Calendar and Culture in Early Modern Europe (London: Belknap, 2011), 51-58; יוסף הקר, ‘יששכר אבן סוסאן עליית כוהנים לתורה בשמחת חתנים’, בתוך: ‘מנחה למנחם’, קובץ מאמרים לכבוד ר’ מנחם כהן, בעריכת חנה עמית, אביעד כהן וחיים באר, ירושלים תשס”ח, עמ’ 79-97
Regarding Hagiz, see Elisheva Carlebach, The Pursuit of Heresy (New York: Columbia University Press, 1990).
After the Birkat Eliyahu was published it was attacked by some rabbis. See Meir Benayahu, “Sefarim she-Hiburum R. Moshe Hagiz she-Hotsyim le-Or,” in Ali Sefer 4 (1977), 143, 150-52; see also Shlomo Yaakovovitch, “Sefer Shehitot u-Bedikot le-R’ Yaakov Weil,” in Tsefunot 4 (1989), 112; Carlebach, Pursuit of Heresy, 247-49. Regarding R. Eliyahu see Y. Halpern, Pinkas Vaad Arba Arotsot (Jerusalem, 1990) 362; Tzvi Horowitz, Le-Tolodot ha-Kehilot be-Polin (Jerusalem, 1989), 1.
The literature on Hemdat Yamim is substantial and we hope to return to the work in an upcoming post. For the most recent discussion see Y. Goldhaber, “Le-Birur Zehuto shel Mehaber Hemdat Yamim,” in Sefer Zikhoron le-Professor Meir Benayahu, vol. 2 (Jerusalem: Karmel, 2019), 873-908.
Huss’s article appears as Boaz Huss, “Ha-Ets ha-Nehmad ben Yishi Hayi al ha-Adama: al Mekoro ha-Sabbatai shel Seder 15 Shevat,” in Sefer Zikhoron le-Professor Meir Benayahu, vol. 2 (Jerusalem: Karmel, 2019), 909-20.
Igrot Shmuel: Possible Second printing sign up
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Update about Igrot Shmuel: PossibleSecond printing sign up
By Eliezer Brodt
Less than two weeks ago I announced the publication of R’ Shmuel Ashkenazi’s monumental collection of letters, Igrot Shmuel (see here). I would like to follow up with a small update about the project.
After a long wait of about 12 years, we were privileged to bring to print approximately one thousand letters of R’ Shmuel Ashkenazi, in 3 volumes, 1800 pages titled, Igrot Shmuel.
A mere four to five days after its release to our great surprise and joy (simultaneously), the complete run sold out. The seforim were not sold in any stores nor were they advertised in many places, but people still heard about them.
We have still been receiving many requests to purchase the seforim but we do not have copies. Even though this was not our original intention we are considering a second printing of another few hundred copies for the same price as the first printing.
However, to see if there is a serious interest in an additional printing, we started a list of people who are interested. If we see in the next few days enough people sign up then we will reprint the letters. The deadline is this coming Tuesday (January 26).
Whoever signs up will then pay upfront half the cost of the books immediately before we know that the seforim are actually going into a second printing. The rest will be paid after the seforim are released. This will finance the printing.
The actual printing will happen very quickly and it just depends on the amount of people who sign up.
To sign up for the second printing send me an email at eliezerbrodt@gmail.com
Book Announcement-Sale: Iggrot Shmuel, by Rabbi Shmuel Ashkenazi
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Book Announcement-Sale: Iggrot Shmuel, by Rabbi Shmuel Ashkenazi
By Eliezer Brodt
אוצר כתבי ר‘ שמואל אשכנזי, אגרות שמואל, אלף חסר תליסר מכתבי תורה וחכמה, א, תש“ב–תשל“ה; ב, תשל“ו– תשנ“ה; ג, תשנ“ו–תשס“ט, 1781 עמודים, הובא לדפוס בתוספות מפתחות מפורטים על ידי ר‘ יעקב ישראל סטל
A few months ago, right after Rabbi Shmuel Ashkenazi was niftar I, along with my friend Menachem Butler, initiated a campaign to raise funds to publish R. Ashkenazi’s letters. Baruch HaShem, and thanks to the help of some readers, enough money was raised to go to print and late last Wednesday night the copies of the book, coming in at over 1,700 pages, arrived.
Previously, I provided the following description of R. Ashkenazi’s letters:
The collection is comprised of almost one thousand letters from R. Ashkenazi to correspondents all over the world. Beginning in 1942 and continues until his death. The letters cover a wide-range of topics, from tracing Hebrew expressions to their sources, providing hereto unknown citations for hundreds of Rabbinic statements, exploring the history and language of piyuttim, discussion of minhagim, tracing the evolution of well-known Jewish stories and legends, bibliography, and the list goes on.
It’s a work that anyone interested in the Jewish Book will find many things to enjoy. The work is not a light read but contains so much valuable information on a wide range of topics.
Just to quote one testimony regarding R. Ashkenazi’s letter, from Professor Shnayer Leiman, (for others, collected by Menachem Butler, see here).
Professor Shnayer Leiman wrote:
Reb Shmuel was “bibliographer, bibliophile, and book collector, and his encyclopedic knowledge of all of Hebrew and Yiddish literature remains unparalleled in our time.” His collected writings are an intellectual treasure trove, “covering a wide range of topics in the field of Jewish Studies. Aside from his scholarly distinction, R. Shmuel Ashkenazi wrote in an elegant Hebrew with its own special charm. Not only did he advance discussion, but he did so in an aesthetically pleasing manner. For those of us who knew him personally, he evinced the same charm in his personal relationships that he did in his writings… Let it be said openly: this three-volume set will enlighten every reader and will significantly advance scholarship. Anyone concerned with advancing the cause of quality Jewish scholarship will take special delight in the publication of these volumes.”
During his lifetime [Ashkenazi] corresponded with the greatest Jewish scholars and bibliographers the world over. They wrote to him, for only he could solve the countless historical and literary problems that stumped them. Suffice to list among those who consulted him: Gershom Scholem (distinguished Jewish historian); S.Y. Agnon (Nobel Prize laureate); Judah Leib Maimon Fishman (Minister of Religions, Israel); and a stellar list of prominent Jewish historians, rabbinic scholars, and bibliographers, much too long to list here (e.g., Simha Assaf; Israel Ta-Shma; Meir Benayahu; A.M. Habermann; Avraham Yaari; and Naftali Ben Menahem).
The letters have been printed in a three-volume set, 1781 pp. including an excellent index of eighty-seven pages.
There are less than two hundred copies for sale. It will not be going into a second printing.
For a PDF of the introduction (which includes a nice biography about him) sample letters, and the indexes send me an email at eliezerbrodt@gmail.com
In the near future I hope to describe forthcoming plans for the printing of more of Rabbi Shmuel Ashkenazi’s writings.
Book Sale 2020
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Book Sale 2020
By Eliezer Brodt
This Book list of over four hundred titles, and consists of a few sections. The first batch are some of the works that were printed in the past year.
Almost all the books are either brand new or in good shape.
Email your order to eliezerbrodt@gmail.com. I will than send you a bill based on what is available. Payment is with Pay Pal, but other arrangements can be made.
Shipping is not included in the price; that depends on the order and size of the book.
All books will be air mailed out after I receive payment
There are other shipping possibilities available depending on the quantity of books ordered.
For every 5 titles purchased there is a 10 percent discount [not including the shipping – a set counts as one title].
Feel free to ask for details about any specific book on the list, or for books not found on the list.
ר‘ ישראל סלנטר וראשיתה של תנועת המוסר, עמנואל אטקס, $23
הצנזור, העורך והטקסט, אמנון רז קרקוצקין, $18
מטפחת ספרים, להגאון יעב”ץ, $34
הויכוח על הפלפול, דב רפל $22
יאיר בן שבתי מקוריו, חרב פיפיות, $21
מלחמת השם, יעקב בן ראובן, $21
נתיבי אמונה ומינות, ישעיה תשבי, $21
מאסף לתולדות יהדות פולין, גלעד $10
רבי יצחק בר ששת הריב“ש דרך חייו ותקופתו, אברהם הרשמן, $20
ספר דברים, הרב דוד צבי הופמן, שני חלקים $45
יוסף פאור, עיונים במשנה תורה להרמב”ם, $23
נח שטיינשנדר, עיר ווילנא, דפוס צילום, $24
לפלגות ישראל בהונגריא, $13
קורות יהודים בהונגריה, $14
עיר הצדק, צונץ, $22
פסקי עוזיאל בשאלות הזמן, $25
מפתחות שו“ת משפטי עוזיאל, לחלקים א-ט, $9
רבינואליהו מווילנא, ישראל יעקב דינסטאג, כריכה רכה ,$9
מלות ההגיון, רבינו משה בן מימון, $19
הצדקה בישראל, יהודה ברגמן, $13
בית הועד לעריכת כתבי רבותינו $18
העקיבות התרגומית בתרגום אונקלוס, רפאל בנימין פוזן, $24
מ‘בעל שד‘ ל‘בעל שם‘, מיכל אורון, $18
בני עליה, ש. ברנפלד, $8
מבואות למקורות ומסורות, דוד הלבני, $15
לשון התרגום לנביאים ראשונים, אברהם טל, $12
עולם כמנהגו נוהג, יצחק (אריק) זימר, $29
מפרד“ס התנ“ך, ז. שזר, $25
עיוני תפילה, יוסף היינימן, $21
מילי דמרדכי, ה‘ ספרים מר‘ מרדכי זק“ש, $23
שבחי הבעש“ט כתב יד, י. מונדשיין, $40
פיוטי רבי פינחס הכהן, שולמית אליצור, $42
תשובות רבינו אברהם בן הרמב“ם, פריימן גויטיין, $42
פיוטי רבי יהודה בירבי בנימין, שולמית אליצור, $32
רבי אלעזר בירבי קליר, שולמית אליצור, $32
החדש אסור מן התורה, משה סמט, $55
כתבים נבחרים, ב‘ חלקים אברהם ברלינר, $36
כתבים נבחרים, אברהם ברלינר, חלק א, הערות על סידור, $18
קובץ ראשונים מועד קטן, $24
על פי דרכו, יהודה ברנדס, $18
ספר ראבי“ה, חלק ו, מכון הרי פישל, $17
ספרי רבינו ישעיה פיק: קשות מיושב, אומר השכחה, חידושי הש”ס, מיני תרגומא, $16
גאוני פדוואה, קונטרס המקוה בריווג’ו, שאלות ותשובות מהר”י מינץ, סדר הגט למהר”י מינץ ומהר”ם פדאווה, שני חלקים, (זכרון אהרן) $55
אגרות שד“ל, ב’ חלקים $46
מנחת שי על התורה, צבי בצר, $40
המדפיס דניאל בומבירגי ורשימת ספרי בית דפוסו, א. מ. הברמן, $36
ספר צמח דוד, מהדורות מרדכי ברויאר $50
על התפילה, אברהם הברמן, $23
נאחז בסבך, דוד אסף, כריכה קשה, $36
יעקב זוסמן, תורה שבעל פה, פשוטה כמשמעה, $23
הלכות ארץ ישראל מןהגניזה, מרדכי מרגליות, $26
מבוא על חכמי צרפת מפרשי המקרא, שמואל אברהם פאזנאנסקי, $25
לקורות הגזרות על ישראל, אוסף ספרים על ת“ח ות“ט, $28
ר‘ אברהם בקראט, ספר זכרון על פירוש רש“י (מהדיר: משה פיליפ) $23
ספרים קדושים מתלמידי בעש“ט הק‘ : שם אפרים, יד ושם, אות ישע, אורח מישור, תולדות אדם, חשבה לטובה, ספר היחש, ברכה שלמה, $16
קובץ ספרי טעמי המקרא, (מאת יודא ארי‘ גוטמאן) $40
התפילה בתקופת התנאים והאמוראים, יוסף הימן, $24
עם הארץ הגלילי, ביכלר , $18
ספר לב טוב, לרבי יצחק ב”ר אליקים מק”ק פוזנא, תרגום מיידיש, $19
מנוחה נכונה, ביברפלד, $14
שמחה עמנואל, מגנזי אירופה, ב, $28
שמחה עמנואל, מגנזי אירופה, א, $28
“הגדול” ממינסק, הרב מאיר היילפרין, $21 [מצוין]
מבחר כתבים, ר‘ מתתיהו שטראשון, $23
מבוקר לערב, יצחק לוין, $19
רש“י על התורה, מהדורת ברלינגר, $27
התלמוד הבבלי בהתהוותו ההיסטורית, מ”א טננבלאט, $20
מחקרים בספרות התשובות, י. ז. כהנא, $28
טמירין, ב’, $17
קובץ ספרי סת“ם, כתרי אותיות תפילין, ברוך שאמר, אלפא ביתא, $17
שמחה עמנואל, שברי לוחות, ספרים האבודים של בעלי התוספות, $25
מעולמם של חכמים, אפרים א. אורבך, $42
בשערי ספר, נפתלי בן מנחם, $20
מקראה בחקר הרמב“ם, ליקוטי “תרביץ”, $20
ילקוט המכירי, ישעיה משלי, $20
ברכות לאברהם, לכבוד פר‘ אברהם גרוסמן, בעריכת יוסף קפלן, $23
יין הטוב על התרגומים, על התורה שני חלקים, $34
כתבי הרב ד“ר יוסף זליגר, $28
ספר הזיכרון, הריטב”א (מהדורת ר’ כהנא) $19
מחקרים בגיאוגרפיה היסטורית יישובית של ארץ ישראל, $14
חז“ל אמונות ודעות, א.א. אורבך, (כריכה קשה), $27
אשכול חלק ד עם פירוש נחל האשכול, $12
תרגום אונקלוס, מהדורת ברלינר $30
רבינו מיוחס, פירוש על ספר במדבר, $17
מגילת איבה לבעל התוס’ יום טוב $18
יעקב מארק, גדולים פון אונזער צייט, $36 [מצוין]
ר’ מרדכי גימפל יפה, מבחר כתבים $15
רשימת תשובות רב שרירא גאון, $18
ספר רש”י מוסד רב קוק $36
בצלאל לנדוי, הרב ר’ אלימלך מליז’נסק, $26
ר’ משה אבן עזרא, שירת ישראל, $20
ר’ יהושע מונדשיין, הצופה לדורו, תולדות חייו ופעלו של הרב יקותיאל קמלהאר, $22
שני ספרים נפתחים: ר’ ראובן מרגליות, תולדות אדם חיי המהרש”א, תולדות רבינו חיים בן עטר בעל אור החיים, $24
ר’ אברהם גבישון, עומר השכחה, משלי $23
חתן דמים, דפוס צילום, $11
ר’ יצחק דמן עכו, מאירת עינים על רמב”ן על התורה, $24
ר’ יוסף קאפח כתבים, חלק ב $23
שו”ת הרי”ף מהדורת רוטשטיין, $24
ר’ בצלאל לנדוי, הגאון החסיד מוילנא, $16
אדרת אליהו, הגאון מוילנה, דמותו והשפעתו, בית התפוצה, $22
רבי שמואל ב”ר נסים מסנות, בראשית זוטא, מוסד הרב קוק $28
תשובות הגאונים, שערי צדק, $21
חמדת גנוזה, $15
תשובות הגאונים מוסאפיה (ליק), $16
יד הקטנה, ביאור על תרי”ג מצוות, $25
שני כרובים, על התוספות יום טוב וקצות החושן $22
ישראל מ’ תא-שמע, הנגלה שבנסתר $20
צבי ברסקי, חנות ותווית, מוכרי ספרים בארץ ישראל, 1870-1948, $30
ר’ יוסף אבן עקנין, התגלות הסודות והופעת המאורות, פירוש שיר השירים, $35
פירוש רבינו מיוחס ב”ר אליהו על ספר איוב, $17
עמנואל אטקס, יחיד בדורו, הגאון מווילנה דמות ודימוי, $23
תשלום אבודרהם פירוש על סדר העבודה, $21
מנחם כהנא, המכילתות לפרשת עמלק, $36
פירוש רש“י על התורה [על פי כ”י משנת ר’], מאת מנשה ליהמן, $28
שלמה דב גויטיין, סדרי חינוך, מתקופת הגאונים עד בית הרמב”ם, $21
ספר זכרון לר’ יוסף בן יצחק קמחי, $23
ש’ שרגאי, מעייני חסידות איזביצא-ראדזין, $22
יצחק רפאל, ספר החסידות, $27
ספר ציוני, $20
מדרשי הגניזה, בתי מדרשות, ב’ חלקים, רבי שלמה ורטהימר, $55
ר’ יעקב עמדין, לחם שמים ד’ חלקים $65
ספר הבתים, ג’ חלקים $66
ספר השרשים לרד”ק $24
ר’ אהרן מרקוס, החסידות, $26
א’ אשכול, סיפור דוד הראובני, $28
תרגום יונתן בן עוזיאל, מהד’ גינצבורג, $25
תרגום ירושלמי, מהד’ גינצבורג $21
אפרים אלימלך אורבך, מחקרים במדעי היהדות, ב’ חלקים, $42
שרגא אברמסון, בעלי התוספות על התורה $23
ספר הניצחון, $23
ספר יוחסין השלם, $27
משלי עם פי’ ר’ יצחק בן עראמה, $27
רד”ק על התורה, מוסד הרב קוק, $21
ר’ יעקב עמדין, תורת הקנאות, $42
ר’ אברהם גלאנצר, מעייני אגם, אסופת מאמרים נבחרים, עיונים בפירוש רש”י $21
פירוש הרמב”ן על התורה, דפוס צילום דפוס ראשון, $60
ספר רושיינא, במדבר-דברים, $20
ספר רושיינא, ויקרא, $20
ספר רושיינא, בראשית, $21
ספר רושיינא, שמות $20
ספר הברמן, $25
יד להימן, $25
פנקס ועד ארבע ארצות, מהדורת תש”ה, $40
שבת אחים, אדר”ת, $21
תשובות רבי שר שלום גאון, $22
מאמר על יהודי ונציה, $21
מבוא לש”ס, אשכול, $65
שבט יהודה, $24
אברהם יערי, מסע משולם מוולטרה בארץ ישראל $24
שלשלת הקבלה, $27
ילקוט המכירי, תרי עשר, ב’ חלקים $26
ר’ שלמה שיק, תקנות ותפילות, סדור רשב”ן, $21
דובנא רבתי, עיר דובנא וגדוליה, $20
בן גרני, קובץ ספרים מובחרים, $20
אגרות רמח”ל, מהד’ גינצבורג, ב’ חלקים $36
ר’ יוסף קרא, איוב, $24
ר’ יוסף קרא, נביאים ראשונים, $25
דרשה לפסח לרוקח, $23
חשמונאי ובניו, $23
פירושים לספר משלי לבית קמחי, $27
שד”ל, בית האוצר, $30
א’ קופפר, מהדיר, תשובות ופסקים, $25
משה צינוביץ, עץ חיים על וולוז’ין $32
שד”ל, מבוא למחזור רומא, $35
הגאון מטשעבין, $18
ספר רפאל וייזר, עיונים בכתבי יד, בארכיונים וביצרת ש”י עגנון, ערך גיל וייסבלאי, $34
שאול ליברמן, יוונים ויוונות בארץ ישראל, $32
לוית חן, אור עינים, $23
ד’ חלקים, אריה ליב פרומקין, תולדות חכמי ירושלים $60
עזרא פליישר, היוצרות בהתהוותם והתפתחותם $36
אוצר נחמד, ד’ חלקים, $45
כתבי יד הגניזה, גנזי ירושלים ב’ חלקים, $50
ביאור הגר”א כתב יד, מכון הגר”א, $23
רבי אשתורי הפרחי, חלוץ חוקרי ארץ ישראל, (קובץ מחקרים), $25
מחזור גולדשמידט, סוכות $25
מאיר בניהו ועוד, סדר אליהו זוטא, ג’ חלקים, $66
אוסף הגדות [שבע: מלבי”ם, זכר יהוסף, אמרי שפר, מעשה נסים, מעשה בר’ אלעזר, מגדל עדר, צורף אמרים], $20
פירוש חמאת החמדה על התורה, $27
וידוי של משכיל, יומן, מרדכי גינצבורג, $12
יצחק קובנר, יומן, ספר המצרף, $12
שמואל פין, קריה נאמנה $36
ספרי זוטא, ליברמן $24
מחזור גולדשמידט, פסח $26
מחזור גולדשמידט, שבועות $26
מחזות של הרמח”ל ג’ חלקים: מעשה שמשון \ לישרים תהילה \ מגדל עוז $35
שמא פרידמן, לתורתם של תנאים, $21
יחוסי תנאים ואמוראים, מוסד הרב קוק $60
דב רפל, הרמב”ם כמחנך $19
מאיר בניהו, היחסים שבין יהודי יוון ליהודי איטליה, $34
יוסף היינימן, התפילה בתקופת התנאים והאמוראים [כריכה קשה] $25
שלחן שלמה \ פסקי תשובה א-ג $10
מעלות היוחסין מאת ר’ אפרים זלמן מרגליות עם הערות 10$
א”א אורבך, בעלי התוספות (ב’ חלקים), $27
וילנסקי, חסידים ומתנגדים, (ב’ חלקים) $27
משנת ארץ ישראל, ספראי, כתובות, ב’ חלקים $40
כנסת מחקרים ישראל תא שמע,חלקים א-ד, כל חלק $27
Book Announcement: Volume Five of Amudim beToldot haSefer haIvri
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Book Announcement: Volume Five of Amudim beToldot haSefer haIvri
By Eliezer Brodt
I am very happy to announce the recent publication (and Sale) of an important work, which will be of great interest to readers of the Seforim Blog, the fifth volume of, Amudim be-Toldot ha-Sefer ha-Ivri by Professor Yaakov Shmuel Spiegel, of Bar-Ilan University’s Talmud department.
As I have written in the past, Professor Spiegel is one of the most prolific writers in the Jewish academic scene, authoring of over 160 articles and 18 books (16 of those are publications for the first time of works which remained in manuscript). Many suspect that he knows the secrets of Hashbot Hakulmos (automatic writing) (about which see here).
His articles cover an incredibly wide range of subjects related to many areas of Jewish Studies, including history of Rishonim, piyutim authored by Rishonim, bibliography and minhaghim, to name but a few. His uniqueness lies not only in the topics but also that his work has appeared in all types of publications running the gamut from academic journals such as Kiryat Sefer, Tarbiz, Sidra, Alei Sefer,Assufot, Teudah, Kovetz Al Yad and also in many prominent Charedi rabbinic journals such a Yeshurun, Yerushasenu, Chitzei Giborim, Moriah,Sinai and Or Yisroel. It is hard to define his area of expertise, as in every area he writes about he appears to be an expert!
Worth noting that recently thanks to the hard work of a dear friend of mine, all of his published articles are available for free downloadhere.
He has edited and printed from manuscript many works of Rishonim and Achronim on MassekhesAvos and the Haggadah Shel Pesach (and IYH some more are on the way). He is of the opinion, contrary to that of some other academics, that there is nothing non-academic about printing critical editions of important manuscript texts. Although there is a known “belief” in the academic world, “publish or perish,” which some claim is the cause of weak articles and books, at times, Spiegel’s prolific output does nothing to damper the quality of his works.
Another point unique to Speigel’s writings, besides his familiarity with all the academic sources, he shows great familiarity with all the classic sources from Chazal, Geonim, Rishonim and Achronim, to even the most recent discussions in Charedi literature – this bekius (breadth) was apparent well before the advent of search engines of Hebrew books and Otzar Ha-hochmah. Alongside all this is his penetrating analysis and ability to raise interesting points.
Another point of interest is although he is an Academic and from the Mizrachi world, he is on very good terms with various Charedei scholars. In his first few volumes, he thanks R’ Yehoshua Mondshine and Rabbi Dovid Tzvi Hillman for their useful comments. In other volumes he thanks R’ Yaakov Stahl. In his two most recent volumes he thanks Rabbi Shaul Alter, Rosh Yeshiva of Ger who has started reading and commenting about his material.
Some of his articles were collected into a volume called Pischei Tefilah u-Mo’ad, which was reviewed a few years back here on the Seforim Blog. This volume is currently out of print.
One of Professor Spiegel’s main areas of interest has been the History of the Jewish Book. He has written numerous articles on the subject and published four books on this topic in a series called Amudim be-Toldot ha-Sefer ha-Ivri.
Volume one was first printed in 1996 and is called Amudim be-Toldot ha-Sefer ha-Ivri: Haghot u-Maghim. It was reprinted with many important additions in 2005 (copies are still available). It was reviewed by Dan Rabinowitz and myself, a few years back here on the Seforim Blog.
The second volume is called Amudim be-Toldot ha-Sefer ha-Ivri; Kesivah Vehatakah. This volume is currently out of print and will hopeful be the subject of a book review by Dan Rabinowitz and myself in the near future.
The third volume is called Amudim be-Toldot ha-Sefer ha-Ivri;Bisharei Hadefus and is out of print. (See here).
The fourth volume is called Amudim be-Toldot ha-Sefer ha-Ivri:Hadar Hamechaber (copies are still available).
I think that anyone who has an interest in the Jewish Book will enjoy this work immensely.
In the near future I hope to review this work in depth.
I am selling copies of this work; part of the proceeds helps the efforts of the Seforim Blog.
For more information about purchasing this work, feel free to contact me at Eliezerbrodt@gmail.com
