The Book "Machatzit HaShekel" – Copy Owned by the Great Rabbi Akiva Eiger – Long Annotation in His ...

The Book "Machatzit HaShekel" – Copy Owned by the Great Rabbi Akiva Eiger – Long Annotation in His Handwriting

The book *Machatzit HaShekel*, one of the renowned halachic works, authored by Rabbi Shmuel Halevi Keelin. Printed by Menachem Mendel Finkelstein and associates, Horoshov, 1818. This particular copy belonged to the great Torah giant, Rabbi Akiva Eiger. The book originates from the Silberberg family collection, known for publishing several of Rabbi Akiva Eiger’s writings based on manuscripts in their possession. Included is an expert certification verifying the authenticity of the handwriting.

On the margin of leaf 46a, at the end of Siman 203, there is a fine annotation spanning thirteen lines, written entirely in Rabbi Akiva Eiger’s own hand. In this annotation, he poses a strong question on *Machatzit HaShekel*, leaving it with the note "Tzarich Iyun" ("this requires further investigation") and concluding with "V'duk" ("study this carefully"). To the best of our knowledge, this annotation has never been published.

As is well known, every single word that emanated from the pen of Rabbi Akiva Eiger is analyzed and studied with great care. Rabbi Chaim Soloveitchik of Brisk would scrutinize Rabbi Akiva Eiger’s words as one would those of the early commentators (*Rishonim*). The Gaon of Tchebin stated that if Rabbi Akiva Eiger provided proof from the Talmud, it might still be subject to debate, but if he wrote something based on reasoning (*sevara*), it was beyond dispute. Here we have over 45 words in Rabbi Akiva Eiger’s own distinctive handwriting, unpublished until now.

This book was part of the collection of the Silberberg family, whose stamps appear on the pages. The family is known to have possessed numerous manuscripts of Rabbi Akiva Eiger and was instrumental in publishing previously unknown writings. The seller also has additional volumes from the Silberberg collection, including another book belonging to Rabbi Akiva Eiger, containing a similar annotation in the same handwriting found in *Machatzit HaShekel*.

Included with the book is a certification from the renowned handwriting expert, Rabbi Yitzchak Yeshaya Weiss, Av Beit Din of Neve Achiezer and editor of the manuscript research journal *Tzefunot*. Rabbi Weiss, whose expertise is often sought by collectors and auction houses, confirms in writing that the handwriting in this copy matches that of Rabbi Akiva Eiger’s known manuscripts.

128, [3] leaves. 35 cm. Bound in an antique half-leather binding.

Condition: Fair to good. Holy signs of use throughout the pages. Time stains. Wormholes, primarily in the white margins.