Bidspirit auction | Personal  Tur of Rabbi Yeshaya

Personal  Tur of Rabbi Yeshaya Pick–Berlin Author of Mesores HaSha”s With his Signature and Hundreds of Glosses * Tur and Beis Yosef Orach Chaim, Yoreh Deah Vol. II, and Even HaEzer, Wilhermsdorf Edition, 1727. The personal copy of the renowned Gaon Rabbi Yeshaya Pick-Berlin, author of Mesores HaShas on the Gemara, containing hundreds of references and glosses and dozens of handwritten annotations. His full handwritten signature appears on the title page of Yoreh Deah. Just as in his famous glosses on the Talmud, titled Mesores HaShas printed on each daf in all Gemaros  where he provided thousands of corrections and references, Rabbi Yeshaya also filled the margins of this Tur with hundreds of chiddushim, corrections, and cross-references for learners’ benefit. These glosses on the Tur have never been published. This copy was used by his son-in-law, Rabbi Yosef Meia of Breslau, when preparing Chiddushei HaHagahos on the Tur. In Siman 447, he cites a correction from these glosses, which appears in Rabbi Yeshaya’s own handwriting on leaf 213b. Rabbi Yeshaya Berlin (1719–1799), Av Beis Din of Breslau, was referred to as “unmatched in knowledge” (the Aderes) and praised for his immense Torah mastery and piety. He authored important works but, above all, is famed for his Mesores HaShas glosses found in the margins of virtually all editions of the Talmud, and from which all of Klal Yisrael study to this day. The Noda BiYehuda described him as “a precious gem, proficient in all Bavli, Yerushalmi, Sifri, and Tosefta… a luminous teacher and complete gaon.” He devoted his life to Torah, studying day and night, and lived with great asceticism. Eventually, he was compelled by the authorities to become Rav of Breslau. Rabbi Yitzchak Isaac of Komarno wrote in the name of Maran, that had Rabbi Yeshaya served the Baal Shem Tov, their combined righteousness would have brought the redemption. “Your Remembrance Shall Be with Dots” The now-standard system of one dot for amud alef and two dots for amud beis when referencing Gemara pages was invented by Rabbi Yeshaya Pick-Berlin, as he records in his introduction to his sefer on Mishnayos Yesh Seder LaMishnah. Two Large Volumes: Orach Chaim: [2], 321 leaves. Yoreh Deah Vol. II (from Siman 322 onward): [1], 52 leaves. Even HaEzer: [1], 166 leaves. (Yoreh Deah and Even HaEzer are bound together.) Size: 37 cm. Condition: Wormholes in both volumes, mostly in the margins. Original wooden bindings covered in leather, worn from heavy use. On the inner cover of Yoreh Deah there appears a long inscription in the handwriting and with the signature of Rabbi Yaakov Koppel HaKohen Blau, Dayan of the holy community of Verbau, a disciple of the Ksav Sofer, who was raised in his household (Chasam Sofer U’Talmidav, p. 503).