Bidspirit auction | Eleh Divrei HaBrit – Altona,

Eleh Divrei HaBrit – Altona, 1819. Polemic against the Reformers. Single edition. - Letters from gedolei yisroel against the innovators and the establishment of a Reform synagogue in Hamburg! A composition against the Reform movement regarding the prohibition of changing the prayer liturgy, not to pray in another language other than the holy tongue, and not to play musical instruments in synagogues even by non-Jews. These breaches, whose first signs were seen at that time in Germany, began openly eroding the vineyard of Israel with the publication of the book Nogah HaTzedek - Or Nogah (Dessau, 1818) which justifies these corrections and changes by the Reform rabbis, various ”corrections” that were introduced into the prayer liturgy in the ”Heichal” (temple) in Hamburg, where prayers were also conducted in German and prayers were accompanied by an organ that was placed in the temple. In this book, which is based on a court ruling from the Beit Din in Hamburg, twenty-two halakhic responses were appended from the great Rabbis in Germany, Hungary, Poland, and other countries, bringing proofs from the Halakha and the Poskim that the corrections are absolutely forbidden. Among the great Sages of the generation whose responses appear in the book: Rabbi Yaakov of Lissa, author of Netivot HaMishpat, the Rabbis of Prague – Rabbi Elazar Fleckeles and Rabbi Shmuel Landau, the Chatam Sofer (several letters), the Maharam Bennet, Rabbi Akiva Eiger, Rabbi Meshulam Zalman HaCohen (Maharazach) of Fürth, author of Bigdei Kehunah, and others. Initially, the Chatam Sofer opposed the printing of the book, as he believed that the mere raising of the issue and engaging in debate with the Reformers might strengthen their power and status. Nevertheless, after the fact, he agreed with the necessity and influence of the book and wrote: ”In the holy community of Hamburg, they printed a collection of letters from the great Sages of the time and called it the book Divrei HaBrit, and thank Hashem, it worked wonders in the midst of the land.” 21 cm. Ancient binding. Good condition.