Bidspirit auction | A magnificent, historically rich, spiritually

A magnificent, historically rich, spiritually charged first-edition set of the fundamental works of the Chidushey HaRIM, with manuscript material and exceptional provenance. - Ḥidushei ha-RIM on the Talmud, and Sefer ha-Zechut — first editions, a doubly-exceptional set. The sacred writings of the holy Rebbe, Rabbi Yitzḥak Meir (Alter) of Ger. Three volumes, all first printings, uniformly bound, with ownership of illustrious ḥasidic dynasties and with manuscript additions. Volume I — Ḥidushei ha-RIM on Berakhot, Shabbat, Pesaḥim, Beitzah, Yevamot, Nedarim, Zevaḥim, Ḥullin. Warsaw 1877 (תרל״ז). Original binding; front board detached. [2], 300, [1] pp. 32.2 cm. Very good condition. Volume II — Ḥidushei ha-RIM on Ketubot, Kiddushin, Gittin. Warsaw 1875 (תרל״ה). At the beginning of the Gittin section (p. 80, pagination beginning with the tractate), signature: “ משה אהרן ראטטענבערג”. Original binding. [3], 291 pp. 32.2 cm. Very good condition. Volume III — Ḥidushei ha-RIM on the laws of Even ha-Ezer and Kiddushin, together with Sefer ha-Zechut. Warsaw 1880 (תר״מ). At the beginning of Sefer ha-Zechut, and again at the beginning of Parashat Beshalach (p. 145), manuscript additions copied from portions of Sefer ha-Zechut not yet printed at that time (printed in subsequent editions). The addition before Beshalach includes a remarkable autobiographical note from the RIM describing the spiritual background to the teachings printed there — precisely those teachings appear in this edition, while the introduction is preserved here in manuscript. In this manuscript the year of the quote is recorded as 1862, while in printed Sefer ha-Zechut it appears as 1852. It is likely that these manuscript additions were penned by Rabbi Moshe Aharon Rotenberg, nephew of the RIM, whose signature appears in Volume II. Original binding. 150 ff. 30.7 cm. Very good condition. Stefanski Sifrei Yesod 84; Sifrei Ḥasidut 211. Ownership: Stamped throughout the set: “ יואל בהה”צ זלה”ה” — the Rebbe Rabbi Yoel of Moshkovitz (1907-1980), youngest son of the Rebbe, Rabbi Meir of Shotz זצוק״ל, and son-in-law of his kinsman, the Rebbe Rabbi Shalom of Shotz–London. Volume II bears the signature of Rabbi Moshe Aharon Rotenberg , son of the holy gaon Rabbi Pinchas Eliyahu Rotenberg of Piltz זיע״א, famed as “Reb Pintshe Pilzer, ” nephew of the RIM and one of the great figures of Kotsk and Gur. His teachings and history were later published (1997) in “Divrei Torah ve-Toldot” by R. David Mandelbaum. A story which appears in that work, concerning Rabbi Moshe Aharon: When the RIM entered his son’s home in Warsaw on Twarda Street, he found a weeping woman whose daughter was in perilous childbirth. She begged for mercy. Suddenly the RIM’s face took on sternness, and he cried: “I have just arrived from a long journey, and already such requests? I have no strength for this…” All present were shocked, for they knew his boundless compassion. After she left, he said: “The moment she entered I saw that the salvation had already come. Had I not acted thus, within moments the entire street would have filled with people…” Rabbi Moshe Aharon later dwelled in Krasnik, a man of great suffering. His saintly father once said to him regarding the verse “אך טוב וחסד ירדפוני כל ימי חיי”: in every pursuit there is also goodness and kindness, though hidden. His only son, Rabbi Shlomo Ḥayim, passed away before him, and his grandchildren were raised in his home. One of them, R. Hillel Rotenberg, survived the Shoah and settled in America, where he taught the Daf HaYomi even in his advanced age — though completely blind!