Bidspirit auction | Discovery: Manuscript of the Sefer

Discovery: Manuscript of the Sefer Pinos Tzeva'am by Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Mirels, Av Beis Din of Schwerin, Author of Mispar Tzeva'am – 1775–1782 * An important manuscript that has never been published, authored by one of the great figures of the Mirels–Ashkenazi family – the gaon Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Mirels, Av Beis Din of Schwerin. The existence of this work was known to us from the title page of his sefer Mispar Tzeva’am, as well as from the author’s words in his introduction there; however, until now we had not merited to actually see it, and it is now revealed here for the first time! These are Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch’s words in the introduction regarding this work: “My chiddushim on Tanach and Midrashim, drashos for all their needs, Shabbos and Yom Tov… which I have entitled Pinos Tzeva’am… but now, due to the expense of printing, which weighs heavily upon me at present, I have set it aside…” The identity of the author is clearly established through his reference to his sefer Mispar Tzeva’am; see p. 39a, where he writes, “according to what I wrote in my sefer Mispar Tzeva’am in maseches Pesachim daf 59,” and indeed the passage appears there. On that same page, he mentions “my grandfather-in-law, the gaon Av Beis Din of Chentschin” (see below). Throughout the manuscript, he refers to “my son and grandson, the Chacham Tzvi, the gaon the Yaabetz” (p. 95), Rabbi Shaul of Amsterdam (p. 20), and Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Berlin (p. 42), as his relatives. The manuscript includes drashos, primarily for Shabbos HaGadol and Shabbos Shuvah, as well as explanations on aggados and Midrashei Chazal. Most of the drashos were delivered in the city where he served his first rabbinic post, Schwerin, between 1775 and 1782. The drashos are filled with words of mussar, and he does not refrain from rebuking members of his community, admonishing them regarding various shortcomings such as shaving with a razor, the prohibition of stam yeinam, matters of women’s dress and head covering, idleness on Shabbos leading to disputes and informing, excessive preoccupation with livelihood at the expense of mitzvah observance, vigilance against pitfalls in the baking of matzos, and more. Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Mirels of London (1740–1814) , Av Beis Din of Schwerin and Wershna, author of Mispar Tzeva’am (Berlin 1789), was of illustrious lineage: son of Rabbi Aharon Mirels, himself the son of Rabbi Meshulam Zalman Mirels, Av Beis Din of Altona-Hamburg-Wandsbek, who was the son-in-law of the Chacham Tzvi. Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch was the son-in-law of Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Margalios, Av Beis Din of Hildesheim, son of Rabbi Avigdor, Av Beis Din of Chentschin (mentioned above). His son was Rabbi Aharon Mirels, Av Beis Din of Chentschin, author of Beis Aharon (Berlin 1830). His illustrious relatives mentioned above — Rabbi Shaul of Amsterdam and Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Berlin — wrote approbations for his sefer Mispar Tzeva’am and greatly praised it. Page Count: 123 pages. Size : Approx. 33 cm. Autograph of the author. Condition : Overall good; a few leaves with holes and stains. The final six leaves have tears with varying degrees of loss, up to approximately one-third of a page.  Fine new leather binding.