Be’er Yaakov with 6 large Handwritten pages + Glosses by Rabbi Betzalel Rensburg. Furth, 1767.
Beautiful copy with extra-wide margins
Chiddushim on Shulchan Aruch by Rabbi Yaakov Berlin of Furth. Rabbi Betzalel Rensburg regarded the sefer Beer Yaakov as invaluable to the study of Shulchan Aruch and devoted much effort in creating a handwritten index of the sefer, following the order of Shas. The index comprises
6 large leaves, bound together with the first leaves of the sefer.
Rabbi Betzalel Rensburg also inscribed numerous glosses in the extra-wide margins of this sefer, two of which are autographed (66a, 140a).
Beautiful edition with extra-wide margins. Standard printed sefarim are 30 cm; this extra-large sefer measures 40 cm.
Rabbi Betzalel Rensburg (1762-1821) was one of the great Achronim of Prague. He was a disciple of the Noda B’Yehudah who described him as “My friend, the wondrous and brilliant young man” (Noda B’Yehudah Orach Chaim Ch. 65). The Chasam Sofer also inscribed in his hesped, “The famous genius, pious and holy from the womb, [who] sits and learns all day, and there is hardly anyone after him who resembles him” (Toras Moshe Hashalem, Devarim p. 184). His legacy includes Horeh Gever, Pischei Niddah and Hagaos on the Vilna Shas, among others.
Rabbi Yaakov Berlin (1708-1750) was the prime disciple of the author of Shav Yaakov as well as a dear friend, chavrusah and admirer of the author of Zichron Yosef (see his approbation to the sefer). Rabbi Yaakov taught Torah in Furth, but unfortunately he perished in his prime at the age of 42. Despite his youth, he was reputed as a genius, and his scholarly work Be’er Yaakov gained international acclaim. Many latter Achronim, among them the Noda B’Yehudah, Rabbi Akiva Eiger, Chasam Sofer, Chayei Adam and Baal Hatanya discuss his writings extensively and cite his rulings as halachah (see Hayeshivah Haramah B’Furth Vol. 1 pp. 467-473).
F
urth, 1767. First edition. Page Count: [3], 144 leaves. Page Size: 40 cm. Condition: Good. Leaf 3 has marginal tear that was professionally restored; leaf 66a stained at edges. Bound in attractive new leather binding.
