Bidspirit auction | Sefer Yesod: Machatzis HaShekel, Vol.

Sefer Yesod: Machatzis HaShekel, Vol. I, First Edition – Handwritten Glosses by Rabbi Shimon Wiener, Av Beis Din of Leschbrin Copy of His Grandson, Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Breuer of Frankfurt,   Vienna, 1807 * Machatzis HaShekel, Vol. I — an extensive commentary elucidating the Magen Avraham on Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, by Rabbi Shmuel Kelin of Boskovitz. A fundamental work of halacha, without which the Magen Avraham is virtually impossible to understand. In recent generations, it has been included in most editions of the Shulchan Aruch. This copy belonged to Rabbi Shimon Wiener, Av Beis Din of Leschbrin, and one of the senior rabbanim of Hungary. He was one of the earliest disciples of the Chasam Sofer — who was only six years his senior! On the flyleaf there is a line with the handwriting and signature of Rabbi Shimon, recording that he received the sefer from his brother, Rabbi Nosson. Throughout the sefer are fourteen fine and substantive glosses in Rabbi Shimon’s handwriting, all clear and complete. Four of them are signed: “Shimon Wiener” (143a), “Shimon M.D.” [= Shimon of Mattersdorf] (117b), and others. At the foot of the flyleaf is a lengthy inscription dated 1865, attesting that the sefer belongs to Rabbi Shimon. It was handwritten and signed by his grandson, Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Breuer, who later became the son-in-law of Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch and Av Beis Din of the Orthodox community in Frankfurt am Main. The title page bears Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Breuer’s stamps: “DR. S.B.” Rabbi Shimon Wiener, Av Beis Din of Leschbrin (1769–1871), was born in Mattersdorf and was the first of the Chasam Sofer’s disciples in Hungary, beginning his studies under him when the Chasam Sofer assumed the rabbinate of Mattersdorf in 1798. He also studied under Rabbi Mordechai Banet in Nikolsburg and received semichah from both of them. In a letter recommending him for a rabbinic position, the Chasam Sofer wrote: “My distinguished disciple, the eminent Rav, a towering scholar… Fortunate is the community in whose midst he dwells… and Hashem is with him, for the halacha follows his ruling.” He passed away at the advanced age of 102. A selection of his chiddushim, entitled Avnei Nezer, was published at the end of his grandson’s sefer Divrei Yosef. (See: HaChasam Sofer VeTalmidav, pp. 453–455; Ishim BeTeshuvos Chasam Sofer, entry 656.) Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Breuer, Av Beis Din of Frankfurt (1850–1926) , was the renowned son-in-law of Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch and his successor in the Frankfurt rabbinate. He was raised under the guidance of his grandfather, Rabbi Shimon Wiener, and became his primary disciple. He later studied under the Ksav Sofer. A letter of recommendation written on his behalf by his grandfather to Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch was published in Shemesh Marpeh, pp. 262–263. He initially served as Av Beis Din of Pápa and subsequently moved to Germany, where he remained until his passing. He was one of the leaders of European Jewry and one of the leading rabbanim of Agudas Yisrael during its formative years. Rabbi Shmuel Kelin, author of Machatzis HaShekel, (1720–1806) , was the son of Rabbi Nosson Nota HaLevi and a descendant of Rabbi Nosson Nota Shapira, author of Megaleh Amukos. The Chasam Sofer described him in a eulogy as: “An elderly and righteous sage, sitting and expounding Torah like Moshe transmitting the word of the Almighty, with thousands of disciples surrounding his table like olive saplings; it was as though the Shechinah spoke from his throat.” The Chasam Sofer attended his lectures during his time in Boskovitz. His renowned work, Machatzis HaShekel on the Magen Avraham, Orach Chaim, became indispensable; without it, the Magen Avraham would have remained a sealed book. Vienna, 1807. First edition of Vol. I. Vol. II was published the following year, in 1808. Page Count: 156 leaves. Lacking the final six leaves containing corrections and additions. These leaves were printed “a considerable time” after the completion of the original printing, as stated by the publishers on the verso of the title page of Vol. II of the second edition (Vienna, 1817), and are therefore absent from many copies. These leaves are likewise absent from the digitized copies held by the National Library of Israel and Otzar HaChochma. Large format. Condition: Good. Fine margins. A few stains. Fold marks at the corners of several leaves. Bibliography: Stefansky, Sifrei Yesod, no. 190. The sefer is offered on account of the distinguished stature of its righteous owners, notwithstanding the absence of the final six leaves, which, as noted above, are lacking in many copies. ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ Text of the Inscription Handwritten by Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Breuer: “I, too, hereby offer clear and irrefutable testimony that this exceedingly precious sefer, entitled Machatzis HaShekel, authored by the illustrious gaon, the righteous chassid, Rabbi Shmuel HaLevi Kelin, zt”l,