Bidspirit auction | Kli Chemdah on Midrash Rabbah

Kli Chemdah on Midrash Rabbah — Prague, 1610. With the Signature of the Chiddushei HaRim ZYA”A Kli Chemdah, profound insights on Midrash Rabbah by the illustrious gaon Rabbi Shmuel Laniado ZYA”A. Prague, 1610. Second edition. The title page bears the signature of Rabbeinu Yitzchok Meir Alter, the Chiddushei HaRim of Gur ZYA”A: “...ha-katan Yitzchok Meir...” Midrash Rabbah in the Beis Medrash of Reb Simcha Bunim of Peshischa It is well known that in the Beis Medrash of the heilige Reb Simcha Bunim of Peshischa ZYA”A, three of his foremost talmidim delivered regular shiurim: Reb Yitzchok of Vorka taught Midrash Rabbah, Reb Menachem Mendel of Kotzk taught Zohar, and the Chiddushei HaRim taught Gemara (cited in Dos Yiddishe Vort, no. 330, p. 26). It would seem that these great talmidim attended one another's shiurim. It is therefore quite possible that the Chiddushei HaRim used the present volume, which is devoted entirely to Midrash Rabbah, while attending the Midrash Rabbah shiur of his fellow talmid, Reb Yitzchok of Vorka ZYA”A. The tradition of regular limud of Midrash Rabbah remained deeply rooted within the Gerrer dynasty. Thus, the Imrei Emes wrote to his grandson, Rabbi Pinchos Yaakov: “It is worthwhile to learn Midrash Rabbah every week” (Meir L'Doros, I, p. 378). Indeed, Midrash Rabbah is cited frequently throughout the Torah of both the Sfas Emes and the Chiddushei HaRim. Additional Provenance: The title page also bears the personal stamp and the distinctive “Minchas Shai” stamp of the gaon hakadosh Rabbi Nochum Dov Ber Friedman (1843–1883), son of Rabbi Sholom Yosef Friedman of Sadigura and eldest grandson of Rabbeinu Yisroel of Ruzhin ZYA”A. The “Minchas Shai” stamp was used on seforim presented to him as gifts. An additional early ownership inscription, apparently written during the 1600s, reads: “...ha-katan Yechiel... ben... A”A hagaon Eliezer of Krakow...” It is possible that the writer was a son of Rabbi Eliezer of Krakow, author of Maaseh Rokeach and Rav of Amsterdam, an ancestor of the Belzer dynasty, although no son by this name is presently known. Rabbi Nochum Dov Ber Friedman possessed one of the most important and distinguished private libraries of his generation.