Bidspirit auction | Important Hungarian Manuscript: Novellae of

Important Hungarian Manuscript: Novellae of the Chatam Sofer’s Disciple Rabbi Meir Klein, Son-in-Law of Rabbi Daniel Prostitz – Including a Eulogy for the Chatam Sofer, Torah Teachings Heard from Him and a Copy of His Will – Pressburg, 1837–1840 - An extensive manuscript comprising [111] written pages in a large-format volume (37 cm), containing Torah novellae, Talmudic discourses, sermons and eulogies in the handwriting of the Gaon Rabbi Meir Klein (also known as Rabbi Meir Stra, or Rabbi Meir P.K. [= Frauenkirchen]), son-in-law of the celebrated “Daniel Ish Chamudot” – Rabbi Daniel Prostitz, Ravad of Pressburg during the lifetime of Maran the Chatam Sofer. Rabbi Meir was a close and particularly beloved disciple of Maran the Chatam Sofer. The magnificent semichah certificate written for him by the Chatam Sofer shortly before his marriage has survived. In it, the Chatam Sofer praises him in exceptional terms, clearly expressing his affection for his disciple (published in Alei Zikaron, Vol. 52, pp. 3–4). The Chatam Sofer also mentions him in his Talmudic novellae: “…and my distinguished disciple, the young bridegroom Meir P.K., may he live, brought this to my attention…” (Chatam Sofer, Moed II, Jerusalem 2006, p. 124). No fewer than three of Rabbi Meir’s younger brothers were circumcised by the Chatam Sofer. At the end of the manuscript appears an extensive eulogy for his teacher, the Chatam Sofer, containing historical details concerning the moments surrounding his passing. This eulogy was published in Otzrot HaSofer, Vol. XVIII, pp. 9–17, where the author was mistakenly identified as Rabbi Moshe Berger-Kattendorf, Rabbi Meir’s brother-in-law. See below for a detailed discussion of the manuscript’s attribution. The manuscript was written in Pressburg, Rabbi Meir’s city of residence, primarily between 1837 and 1840. A few leaves apparently date from a somewhat later period. Several entries throughout the manuscript bear dates from these years. Throughout the manuscript – most of which was written during the Chatam Sofer’s lifetime – Rabbi Meir records more than twenty different Torah teachings that he personally heard from “my master and teacher, the Gaon, may his light shine” – Maran the Chatam Sofer. Two of these are teachings originating with the Hafla’ah. In one passage Rabbi Meir records a discussion he had personally with his teacher: “…and I said before my master and teacher, may his light shine…” (leaf 39a). On leaf 40a he records a Torah discourse that earned the Chatam Sofer’s praise: “What I said at the writing of my tena’im before my master and teacher, and he praised it…” As noted above, Rabbi Meir received his Moreinu ordination from the Chatam Sofer prior to his marriage, and this may have been the discourse he delivered before him prior to receiving semichah. On leaf 11a, Rabbi Meir copied the will of the Chatam Sofer: “The will of my master and teacher, the Gaon, Moreinu HaRav Moshe Sofer, of blessed memory…” In several places Rabbi Meir also cites novellae and questions in the name of his father-in-law, Rabbi Daniel Prostitz. For example: “My father-in-law, the great Gaon, Moreinu HaRav Daniel Prostitz, may his light shine, posed the following question…” (leaf 12a); and “For my father-in-law, the great Gaon Moreinu HaRav Daniel Prostitz, may his light shine, asked…” (leaf 14a). In summary: an extensive manuscript by a close disciple of the Chatam Sofer and son-in-law of the Ravad of Pressburg, written largely during the Chatam Sofer’s lifetime, containing Torah teachings heard directly from him, a eulogy delivered upon his passing, and a copy of his will. To the best of our knowledge, with the exception of the eulogy for the Chatam Sofer, which was published, the main body of the present manuscript has never been published. The manuscript was examined by one of the foremost scholars of Hungarian Jewry, Rabbi Moshe Alexander Zusha Kinstlicher, who referred to it in his biographical entries on Rabbi Meir in HaChatam Sofer VeTalmidav and Pinkas HaMohel. The latter work even reproduces a photograph of the beginning of leaf 22a from the present manuscript. [56] leaves, comprising [111] written pages. Height: 37 cm. Condition: Good to good-fair. Wear to the margins of some leaves, occasionally slightly affecting the edge of the text. Wormholes and worming. Simple new binding. Accompanied by research material. Attribution of the Manuscript to Rabbi Meir Klein The present manuscript explicitly states in several places that the writer’s father-in-law was Rabbi Daniel Prostitz and that his teacher was the Chatam Sofer. Because of these references, the manuscript was formerly attributed to Rabbi Moshe Berger-Kattendorf, who was likewise a son-in-law of Rabbi Daniel and a disciple of the Chatam Sofer. Based on this erroneous attribution,