Bidspirit auction | Magnificent and massive volume from

Magnificent and massive volume from the Frankfurt Talmud set, 1720. With the signature of Rabbi Avraham Segal Binga. - Bavli Tractate Bava Kama. Tractate Eduyot with commentaries. Tractate Horayot with commentaries and with the Jerusalem Talmud. Tractate Makkot with commentaries. Frankfurt am Main, printed by Johann Kelner. [1720]. Luxurious copy. Massive volume, printed on thick and high-quality paper. At the top of the first title page, owner’s inscription: “Given to me as a gift... the humble Avraham son of the esteemed Rabbi Enosh Binga Segal” — referring to the Gaon Rabbi Avraham Binga Segal. The Gaon Rabbi Avraham Halevi Bing – also known as Moreinu Rabbi Avraham Segal Binga [1752–1841], was one of the foremost rabbis of German Jewry in the 18th and 19th centuries. He served as rabbi of the state of Würzburg in the Franconia region of the Kingdom of Bavaria – the local halachic authority, Av Beit Din, halachic decisor, and Rosh Yeshiva. Among his students were most of the rabbis of the German principalities in the East Rhine region in the 19th century, some of whom later served in rabbinic positions throughout Europe, as well as among the leaders of the Old Yishuv in Eretz Israel. Already in his youth he was considered an outstanding prodigy and was greatly esteemed by the rabbis of his city. He first studied Torah under Rabbi Avish Frankfurter, but his primary learning was under the kabbalist Rabbi Natan Adler, whom he considered his foremost teacher. Even there, Rabbi Avraham held a distinguished place and was regarded among the yeshiva students and the publishers of his teacher’s books as “one of the outstanding disciples of our Rabbi, ” second only to the renowned disciple, the Chatam Sofer. In 1778, he was appointed Ram (Talmud lecturer) in the yeshiva and dayan in the Beit Din of Rabbi Pinchas Halevi Horowitz, the author of Hafla’ah, at the young age of only 26. At that point, his first students began to gather around him, and his name spread throughout the Torah world. During this period, he continued to receive Torah from his teacher Rabbi Natan Adler and became close to the Chatam Sofer, who was about ten years his junior. This friendship lasted their entire lives. The Chatam Sofer frequently quoted him in his responsa and writings, and in their correspondence they referred to each other as “my friend, ” although the Chatam Sofer regarded him as one of his teachers. In 1796, Rabbi Bing was appointed as the chief rabbi and Av Beit Din of the state, which included more than a hundred towns and communities. At that time, the rabbinic courts across the Holy Roman Empire dealt with all legal matters within the Jewish community, including monetary laws. Rabbi Bing and his Beit Din were extremely active, and his rulings gained a strong reputation even among the general legal community and government authorities, who sent him letters of appreciation for the quality of his judgments. Three years after his appointment as Av Beit Din, the state’s Supreme Court officially recognized all the rulings of the Beit Din of Heidingsfeld retroactively and henceforth. The Würzburg Period In 1836, the Bavarian government convened rabbis and public figures from most communities in Lower Franconia in the city of Würzburg to discuss the issue of Jewish emancipation. Due to Rabbi Bing’s frail health, he was unable to attend the meeting and asked the recipient of the present letter – Rabbi Yitzchak Dov Bamberger – to represent him, also advising him from his experience on how to contend with those who rejected religious authority. Owner’s signature at center of the title page. 44 cm. Exceptionally wide margins, up to approx. 12 cm! Good–very good condition. Minor time stains. A few wormholes. Wooden binding covered in leather. Remnants of clasps and damaged spine.