Bidspirit auction | “A Brand Plucked from the

“A Brand Plucked from the Fire” – A Rare Sacred Manuscript by the Holy Gaon Rabbi Eliezer David Greenwald, Av Beit Din of Satmar: an Autograph of His Monumental Work Keren LeDavid, Buried in the Ground and Recovered after the Holocaust - An impressive sacred manuscript extending over two large pages (more than 1,000 words), containing profound and elevated Torah novellae on Parashat Emor, in the handwriting of the holy gaon Rabbi Eliezer David Greenwald, Av Beit Din and Rosh Yeshiva of Satmar, one of the foremost righteous leaders and disseminators of Torah in Hungary in his generation. [Without indication of year or place of writing]. Manuscripts of the author of Keren LeDavid are exceedingly rare, especially complete Torah novellae in his own hand. Presented here is the very manuscript from which his renowned work Keren LeDavid was printed—one of the central compositions of the great Torah leaders of Hungary. The first two sections of Keren LeDavid (Genesis–Exodus) were printed prior to the Holocaust in Satmar (1930–1939) by his nephew and outstanding disciple, the Rebbe, author of Vayechi Yosef of Papa. In his introduction to the book, the holy Rebbe of Papa elaborates on the greatness and special quality of the manuscript, writing, among other things, that the words of the righteous are living and enduring forever, and adds that gazing upon his writings is a spiritual remedy for fear of Heaven and protection from all harm, as follows: “— — — Behold, such a righteous man, whose occupation in this world was to bring merit to the many… his strength never ceases… and his words are living and enduring, continually increasing… it is explained in the holy books that this is a segulah for fear of Heaven and for protection from all harm — — —” The pages presented here contain the novellae of Keren LeDavid on Parashat Emor. These teachings were printed, with editorial variations, after the Holocaust by the Rebbe, author of Vayechi Yosef of Papa. In the introduction to the new edition (New York, 2008), the publishers write about the rescue of the manuscript during the years of the Holocaust [see attached photograph], stating: “The remaining parts of the book on the Torah (aside from Genesis and Exodus) did not merit to reach the printing press before the outbreak of the World War, and the manuscripts were buried in the ground until the fury passed. Their printing was completed only in the year 1976, when they were printed in America by our master, the Rebbe, author of Vayechi Yosef, of blessed memory.” Thus before us are: — Torah novellae of a unique and exceptional figure among the greatest righteous leaders of Hungary and its foremost disseminators of Torah, many of the leading sages of the generation being among his students. — A monumental foundational autograph: the book Keren LeDavid, by whose name the author has been known for generations. — A manuscript that survived the Holocaust through a wondrous act of rescue, later edited and printed by the Rebbe of Papa. — The segulah of gazing upon the writings of the holy and exalted, which is effective “for fear of Heaven and protection, ” as testified by his nephew, the author of Vayechi Yosef, regarding the manuscript presented here. Description: [1] large leaf, 20.5 × 29.5 cm. Written in the author’s own hand on both sides of the leaf. The Torah teachings were printed in his book Keren LeDavid, with changes. Condition: Good. The manuscript underwent professional artistic conservation to the white margins of the leaf, which had deteriorated while buried in the ground during the years of the Holocaust. Rabbi Eliezer David Greenwald, author of Keren LeDavid (1867–1928), Av Beit Din of Satmar, was among the foremost disseminators of Torah and righteous leaders of his generation. His yeshiva in Satmar was the largest in Transylvania and among the largest in Hungary, producing dozens of rabbis and halachic authorities. He was the younger brother and outstanding disciple of the holy gaon, author of Arugat HaBosem, and also studied under the author of Chatam Sofer. He received his Hasidic tradition from the Rebbes of Belz and Shinova. His sermons and prayers were delivered with tears and weeping, and he was known as a fearless fighter against those who sought to uproot the faith. Among his works: Responsa Keren LeDavid, Keren LeDavid on the Torah and festivals, Keren LeDavid – Sermons, and Chasdei David on the Passover Haggadah—most of which were printed through the efforts of his disciple and nephew, the Rebbe, author of Vayechi Yosef of Papa.