Fascinating Rare Document with Signatures of the Torah Giants of Warsaw – Rabbi Shlomo Eiger, Rabbi Moshe Lifshitz (Father-in-law of the Ger and Kotzk Dynasty), Rabbi Chaim Davidson and Others
Warsaw, 1811
A paper containing signatures of approximately twenty Rabbanim, confirming they will purchase the sefer ‘Rishmei She’eilah’ after its printing, and that they are providing partial payment in advance.
The sefer ‘Rishmei She’eilah’ (printed in Warsaw 1811) was authored by Rabbi Yisroel Moshe, Av Beis Din of Karnik. He was a close friend of Rabbi Akiva Eiger who wrote an enthusiastic approbation for the sefer.
Most signatories added handwritten blessings and signed at the end of their words. These words of blessings were never printed. At the beginning of the printed sefer, the author mentions all the names of those who signed on this special paper.
Some of the Rabbanim who signed:
- Rabbi Shlomo Eiger, Av Beis Din of Posen – 4 handwritten lines with his signature. He is the illustrious son of Rabbi Akiva Eiger and author of ‘Gilyon Maharsha’. He lived in Warsaw for 35 years, and later became Av Beis Din of Posen. In these lines, he mentions "my father and teacher, the righteous Gaon" – referring, of course, to Rabbi Akiva Eiger.
- Rabbi Moshe Lifshitz "Chalfan" – one handwritten line with his signature. He was a talmid of the Maggid of Kozhnitz and the Chozeh of Lublin and father-in-law of the holy Rebbes, the ‘Chiddushei HaRim’ of Ger and Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk.
- Rabbi Chaim Davidson, Av Beis Din of Warsaw – 5 handwritten lines with his signature. One of the greatest leaders of Polish Jewry, he later become Av Beis Din of Warsaw after the passing of the ‘Chemdas Shlomo’.
- Rabbi Yisroel Hirshzohn – father-in-law of Rabbi Shlomo Eiger and brother-in-law of Rabbi Chaim Davidson, Av Beis Din of Warsaw.
- Rabbi Shlomo Zalman of Yaroslav – father of the holy Rabbi Yaakov Moshe who was a prime talmid of the Maggid of Kozhnitz and who printed several seforim at his Rebbe’s request. Grandfather of Rabbi Yeshaya Mushkat (son of the aforementioned Rabbi Yaakov Moshe).
- Rabbi Elkanah of Levertov and Rabbi Moshe of Tzuzmir signed as representatives of the Warsaw community on an agreement between the Kollelim in Eretz Yisroel, followed by the signatures of the holy ‘Bas Ayin’ of Avritch and Rabbi Yisroel of Shklov (printed on a special paper, Jerusalem 1845).
A complete listing of all signatories can be found below.
This leaf is a rare remnant of the "behind the scenes" process of printing a sefer about 200 years ago. Initially, the author collected approbations from the Torah giants of the generation (including Rabbi Akiva Eiger), then gathered "subscribers" who committed to purchase the sefer and paid part of the cost in advance (as evidenced by this paper).
Just two months after these Rabbanim signed this paper, and after collecting sufficient funds, the author began printing the sefer and completed it that same year!
Warsaw, 1811. Large leaf: approx. 19.5×33.5 cm.
Condition: Good-fair, slight ink burns and minor creases.
A complete listing of signatories in order of appearance:
Page 1:
– Rabbi Chaim son of Rabbi David Tevel z"l [this is Rabbi Chaim Davidson, Av Beis Din of Warsaw]
– Rabbi Elkanah son of [this is Rabbi Elkanah of Levertov]
– Rabbi Yisroel son of Rabbi Hirshzohn [father-in-law of Rabbi Shlomo Eiger]
– Rabbi Shlomo Eiger [Av Beis Din of Posen]
– Rabbi Naftali son of Rabbi Aharon Margolios z"l
– Rabbi Moshe of Tzuzmir
Page 2:
– Rabbi Moshe son of Rabbi Berman z"l of Kremnitz
– Rabbi Leibush Chalfin
– Rabbi Yisroel Pozna
– Rabbi Yitzchok Itzik Tzentner
– Rabbi Moshe Lifshitz son of Rabbi A. [this is Rabbi Moshe Lifshitz the ‘Chalfan’, father-in-law of the Rebbes of Gur and Kotzk]
– Rabbi Avrohom Moshe son of Rabbi S. Katz
– Rabbi Avrohom… son of Rabbi Yehuda Segal z"l
– Rabbi Yaakov Sholom (scribe’s handwriting)
– Rabbi Tzvi Hirsh of Tzentzmin (scribe’s handwriting)
– Rabbi Tzvi son of Rabbi T. Chalfan of Cracow z"l
– Rabbi Eliezer Katz
– Rabbi Shlomo Zalman of Yaroslav
– Rabbi Shabsai Leib…
– Rabbi Moshe of Semiatitz
