Bidspirit auction | Rare Handwritten and Autographed Semichah

Rare Handwritten and Autographed Semichah by the Yeshuos Yaakov Lemberg, 1829 * A letter of ordination granting permission to issue rulings in the areas of Issur V’Heter, marriage and divorce, and monetary law, conferred by the Yeshuos Yaakov, one of the greatest Achronim, to his disciple, Rabbi Shmuel Nachum [Gassnboyer], who would later serve as Av Beis Din of Lizhensk. Rabbi Yaakov Meshulam Orenstein , Av Beis Din of Lvov (1775–1839), was one of the greatest geniuses of Galicia, enlightening all of Klal Yisrael through his work 'Yeshuos Yaakov', a Sefer Yesod on the four sections of the Shulchan Aruch. He was a great tzaddik and Torah scholar, and fought valiantly against the maskilim (proponents of Enlightenment) of Galicia. He served as Rav in Zolkiew, and led the great city of Lvov for over thirty years. The Chasam Sofer said of him in his eulogy: ”The light of the world was dimmed with the passing, on the 25th of Menachem [Av], of the great gaon Rabbi Yaakov Orenstein, Av Beis Din of Lvov, author of the sefer Yeshuos Yaakov. Diligent, outstanding, humble and righteous—he had both Torah and wealth. He stood with strength and courage to ”shatter the jaws of evil”, and they did not raise their heads in his lifetime. And now—who will rise up against the wicked, who will stand with me against workers of iniquity?” (Derashos Chasam Sofer, Vol. II, leaf 370b) The recipient of this ordination, referred to as “the sharp and knowledgeable Rav, Moreinu HaRav Shmuel Nachum, may he live, ” was the prime disciple of the Yeshuos Yaakov, Rabbi Shmuel Nachum Gassnboyer, Av Beis Din of Hubneyliv and Lizhensk (c. 1800–1857). He authored Shu”t Migdal HaShen, Heichlei Shen, and other works. He was also among the chassidim of the holy Saraf, Rabbi Uri of Strelisk. In his teshuvos, at the end of siman 24, he references this letter of ordination in the following words: ”As I served before Maran, the Yeshuos Yaakov, for close to fifteen years, I witnessed his greatness and genius, and through the help of Hashem I was beloved in his eyes. I received ordination from him, as I have in writing.” see here Lvov, 1829. Page size: 12×19 cm. Condition: Delicate paper reinforcements along the fold lines at the center of the letter.