Bidspirit auction | Large Halachic 16 Page Manuscript!

Large Halachic 16 Page Manuscript! From the Maharsham Berezhany, 1897 * An extensive halachic discourse regarding the laws of an animal purchased with money sanctified with kedushas shevi'is which is exempt from the laws of bechor (firstborn), and branching into additional topics such as the laws of Pesach, laws of impurity, separation of terumos and ma'asros, and more. The discourse was composed by the Gaon Rabbi Shalom Mordechai HaKohen Schwadron, known as the 'Maharsham of Berezhany', who was among the greatest poskim in recent generations, responding to thousands of halachic queries. The 3 lines at the beginning of the letter and 13 lines at its conclusion are in the Maharsham's own handwriting, including his beautiful autograph: ”And I am his friend who seeks his welfare from afar with a close heart, and who is awaiting to ascend to Jerusalem with joy and eternal gladness and to see its rebuilding. From the humble Shalom Mordechai HaKohen, Av Beis Din of the above-mentioned city, author of Mishpat Shalom and Da'as Torah and Giluy Da'as.” This large treatise was sent to Jerusalem to Rabbi Aharon Simcha Blumenthal (later a Rav in America), for publication in the HaMa'asef journal of Rabbi Ben-Zion Cuenca, and it was indeed printed there from this manuscript (Year 3, 1898, leaves 53b - 62a). The 10 lines following the Maharsham's signature were not intended for publication but are a private letter for Rabbi Aharon Simcha, and therefore were never printed. (A line was drawn through them to indicate they should not be printed). It is extremely rare to find such important and extensive discourses from one of the greatest scholars of recent generations! Rabbi Shalom Mordechai HaKohen Schwadron, known as the Maharsham (1835 – 1911) , was Av Beis Din of Berezhany and one of the greatest authors of halachic responsa in his era. He authored thousands of teshuvos with utmost clarity, which were published in his sefarim. The most complex and intricate halachic questions in the world were addressed to him, and he inevitably responded swiftly and clearly. When he was still a youth, the author of Sho’el U’meishiv regarded him as his future successor. In 1882, he was crowned Rav of Berezhany, where he served for 30 years until his passing in 1911. Berezhany, 1897 The main body of the manuscript is in a scribe's handwriting. Several lines at the beginning and end are in the Maharsham's own handwriting and with his autograph. Size: 14.5 x 23 cm. Condition: Good; tiny tears. Original ink stains from the Jerusalem printing workers, made during their work printing this very letter in the HaMa’asef journal. At the beginning of the letter, Rabbi Aharon Simcha Blumenthal notes where the matters the Maharsham was responding to were printed: ”(HaMa'asef Issue 8, 16, 1897)”. Written beside this in an oriental script is a reference to the words of Maharit Algazi (which was added to the body of the response in HaMa'asef), apparently in the handwriting of Rabbi Ben-Zion Cuenca, publisher of HaMa'asef.