Bidspirit auction | Sefer Derech HaKodesh Copy of

Sefer Derech HaKodesh Copy of the Holy Kabbalist Rabbi Nosson Adler of Frankfurt Köthen, 1718 * Sefer Derech HaKodesh on the grammar of Lashon Hakodesh – the rules of vocalization, the structures of verbs and the cantillation marks – authored by the grammarian Rabbi Alexander Ziskind of Metz. This copy belonged to ”the holy man of G-d, chassid among the kohanim, ” the brilliant gaon Rabbi Nosson Adler Katz of Frankfurt, one of the greatest Ashkenazic kabbalists of recent generations, and the revered rebbi of the Chasam Sofer. On the title page is a handwritten inscription: ”Belongs to the illustrious Torah scholar R' Nosson son of R' Shimon Adler Katz, z”l.” Rabbi Nosson Adler, himself a grammarian, was known for his meticulous study of Hebrew grammar (it is noteworthy to mention his well-known custom of praying according to nusach Sefard). His library contained rare and important works on Hebrew grammar, several of which bear his handwritten notes. The famed grammarian Rabbi Wolf Heidenheim made use of this remarkable library in his youth, when he was a close student of Rabbi Nosson Adler. In the JTS Library in New York there is a handwritten leaf by Rabbi Wolf Heidenheim, in which he copied grammatical material he found in Rabbi Adler’s library, written there in 1782. This sefer of Rabbi Nosson Adler later came into the possession of his disciple, the aforementioned Rabbi Wolf Heidenheim. The title page bears his signature and his distinctive, finely designed seal – the same emblem that adorns the title pages of the renowned Rödelheim Machzorim he published. It appears that Rabbi Wolf Heidenheim expended effort to obtain sefarim that belonged to his holy rebbi. We know of at least two other different sefarim which initially belonged to Rabbi Nosson Adler, and were later acquired by Rabbi Wolf Heidenheim. This sefer is listed in the catalog of the works of Rabbi Wolf Heidenheim, compiled shortly before his passing: List of the Books Left by the Scholar Wolf Heidenheim, Roedelheim 1830, p. 8, no. 146. Rabbi Nosson Adler (1741-1800) was a prominent and holy kabbalist and a renowned miracle worker. His disciple, the Chasam Sofer, said in his eulogy: ”He achieved the highest levels of chassidus and prishus (abstinence)… and all gates of Torah were open before him.” He attested that at the time of the great fire in Frankfurt, the fire did not come near Rabbi Nosson's home (Drashos Chasam Sofer pp. 371–373). The Chasam Sofer's son, Rabbi Shimon Sofer, recounted that he once described Rabbi Nosson as ”an angel of G-d, ” to which the Chasam Sofer objected and said: ”Why did you write about Rabbi Nosson that he is an 'angel of G-d?' No angel has ever reached this level and no angel has merited what the rebbi [Rabbi Nosson] merited.” Rabbi Nosson never slept past midnight and never forgot a word of his learning. He left behind no written works except for a few brief notes written in hints, later printed in Mishnas Rabbi Nosson. Köthen, 1718. Singular Edition. Page Count: [2], 50 leaves, including two large folded leaves. Condition: Good. The border of the title page is cropped at the bottom. A single hole runs through the length of the sefer, and there are tears on the final leaf. A rare sefer and one of the very few Hebrew books printed in the city of Köthen, Germany. Not listed in Otzar HaChochma. Provenance: The sefer was offered for sale in 1834, and it is recorded in the catalog of sefarim of Rabbi Wolf mentioned above, which was prepared for that sale.