Bidspirit auction | The Personal Gemara of Maran,

The Personal Gemara of Maran, the Gaon Rabbi Yechezkel Abramsky - Tractate Chullin from the Babylonian Talmud, an exceptionally large and substantial volume – the personal Gemara of Maran, the Gaon Rabbi Yechezkel Abramsky, author of Chazon Yechezkel. The volume accompanied him during his years in England, and toward the end of his life was brought with him to Eretz Yisrael, to the Bayit Vegan neighborhood of Jerusalem, where he settled and delivered a regular Daf Yomi shiur. The Gemara before us was printed immediately after the Holocaust in the Displaced Persons camps in Germany for survivors of the camps, and is known as the “She’erit HaPleita” edition. When the camps were dismantled, the remaining volumes were distributed among European rabbis. Due to his great affection for this Gemara, Rabbi Abramsky brought it with him to Eretz Yisrael, where he continued to use it while delivering his renowned shiurim to the local householders of Bayit Vegan. Following his passing, his library, including the present volume, was donated to the Kollel Ba’alei Batim in Bayit Vegan. At the beginning of the front flyleaf appears a dedicatory inscription: “This Shas is from the library of Maran HaGaon Rabbi Yechezkel Abramsky, who established his place of prayer in this synagogue. Donated by his family to the Kollel Ba’alei Batim, Bayit Vegan.” Despite the volume’s extensive use – both for Rabbi Abramsky’s personal study and for the delivery of his shiurim – the Gemara has been preserved in exceptionally fine condition. The corners of the leaves are not creased, and the pages show almost no stains, food marks, or similar signs of use. The principal evidence of use consists of natural darkening along the edges of the leaves and wear to the spine of the binding, as would be expected from such a large and heavy volume that was used over many years. The meticulous preservation of the volume is a fitting testimony to Maran Rabbi Yechezkel Abramsky’s noble, orderly and fastidious character, and to the respect with which he treated his books. Particularly noteworthy in this context are the words of Rabbi Moshe Zvi Neria, describing the impression made upon him by Rabbi Yechezkel’s meticulous handwriting: “I was deeply impressed by his distinctive handwriting. The pearl-like letters, straight and finely formed – one need not be an expert graphologist to immediately recognize the writer’s firm personality, the uprightness of his path, his capacity for order, and the decisiveness of his resolve.” The same meticulousness, order and cleanliness that Rabbi Neria discerned in Rabbi Abramsky’s handwriting are likewise evident in the remarkable state of preservation of the personal Gemara volume before us, even after many years of use. The Gaon Rabbi Yechezkel Abramsky [תרמ”ו-תשל”ו], author of Chazon Yechezkel, was among the leading figures of Orthodox Jewry and one of the great Torah authorities of his generation. He served as rabbi in several cities in Lithuania, including Slutsk, and subsequently served as Rosh Beth Din of London. He was a member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah, President of the Vaad HaYeshivos, and one of the heads of the Slabodka Yeshiva. His most important Torah undertaking was his commentary on the Tosefta, Chazon Yechezkel [10 volumes]. Rabbi Abramsky devoted the finest years of his life to this monumental work; the first part appeared in Vilna in תרפ”ה, while the tenth was published some forty years (!) later in Jerusalem in תשכ”ו. Volume of Tractate Chullin, with all the commentaries. Height: 41 cm. Exceptionally thick volume: approximately 5 cm. Published by the Vaad Agudas HaRabbanim in the American Zone of Germany. Munich–Heidelberg, תש”ט. At the beginning of the volume is an illustration depicting extermination camps and barbed-wire fences, accompanied by the verse: “They had almost consumed me upon earth; but I forsook not Thy precepts.” Very good condition. Minor signs of wear to the binding.