Bidspirit auction | Pri Megadim on Yoreh De’ah.

Pri Megadim on Yoreh De’ah. Zolkova, 1811. Copy of Maharil Diskin, With Maharil Diskin's and his Family's Signatures! - Pri Megadim on Yoreh De’ah – including the works Mishbetzos Zahav on the Taz and Sifsei Daas on the Shach, with halachic novellae and compilations from the words of the Rishonim and Acharonim, by the Gaon Rabbi Yosef Teomim, author of the Pri Megadim. Printed in Zolkva at the press of Rabbi Gershon HaLevi, 1811 [תקע״א]. Copy of the Maharil Diskin On the endpapers appears the signature “Yehoshua Leib, ” the signature of the renowned Gaon Rabbi Yehoshua Leib Diskin, later Rabbi of Brisk and Jerusalem, known for generations as “the Saraf of Brisk.” Alongside the signature appear additional ownership inscriptions, including the note: “Belonging to the great Gaon, sharp and expert, our teacher Rabbi Binyamin, Av Beis Din of Horodno, ” indicating that the book belonged to his father, the Gaon Rabbi Binyamin Diskin, Av Beis Din of Volkovysk. Additional inscriptions indicate ownership within the family of his brother, the Gaon Rabbi Shmuel Diskin. On the endpapers are preserved numerous family inscriptions in manuscript, some of which may have been written by the Maharil Diskin himself. Among them is a reference to his brother “the sharp and expert Rabbi Zerah ben Binyamin, ” alongside drafts of letters, writing exercises, and additional interesting family records reflecting the environment of the Diskin family. This is an exceptionally distinguished copy, which passed among several members of the famed Diskin family, most prominently, the Maharil Diskin, one of the greatest Torah  and halachic authorities of Eastern Europe and Jerusalem in his generation. The Saraf of Brisk, the Gaon Rabbi Yehoshua Leib Diskin (1818–1898), was among the greatest Torah geniuses of the recent generations. He was born to his father, the Gaon Rabbi Binyamin Diskin, Av Beis Din of Volkovysk, and already at age 25 was appointed to succeed him as rabbi of the city. He later served in several rabbinic posts and ultimately as Rabbi of Brisk, where many disciples gathered around him, including Rabbi Yosef Rozin, later author of the Tzafnas Paaneach. In 1877, due to persecution and informers among the Maskilim, he left Brisk and ascended to Jerusalem. A few months later, after the passing of Rabbi Meir Auerbach, author of Imrei Binah, he was appointed Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem. His rulings and teachings were received with reverence by the leading sages of the generation, including Rabbi Chaim of Brisk, Rabbi Baruch Ber Leibowitz, Rabbi Avraham Dov Kahana Shapiro, and the Chazon Ish. In Jerusalem he founded the Yeshiva “Ohel Torah, ” which became an important Torah center, and among his students was Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld. He stood at the forefront against reformers and those undermining religion, and led the Old Yishuv in Jerusalem with a firm hand for about twenty years until his passing on Shabbos Kodesh, Erev Rosh Chodesh Shevat 5658. [2], 141 leaves. 37 cm.