Auction 7 Rare and special items
Apr 19, 2016 (Your local time)
Israel
 Harav Maimon 2, Jerusalem
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LOT 36:

Ha'Ohel Olam - Frankfurt, 1714 - Signatures of Aharon Chorin - a Pioneer of Early Religious Reform - Extremely Rare

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$ 2,000
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Sefer Ha'Ohel Olam on the Ketubot Tractate by Rabbi Akiva Lehren. Frankfurt am Main, 1714. Single edition.
On the title page a signature in Assyrian script: "Ani … Aharon Choriner Be'Arad". His additional signature, in Rashi script, on the last pages of the book.
The book contains many additional signature and two scholarly glosses in ancient script.
Aharon Chorin (1766-1844) served as Av Beit Din of Arad, Hungary. Later he was known as a pioneer of early religious reform.
In the spring of 1782, he treavelled to Prague to study with Rabbi Yechezkel Landau, "Ha'Noda Be'Hehuda", from whom he received a Semicha for ruling halachic issues, when he was 17 years old. Due to the recommendation of Rabbi Moshe Mintz, he received in 1789 the post of rabbi in the small community of Arad. During that period, he was still loyal to the Halacha. In 1793 he sent a manuscript he had written on the subject of Gittin to the Chief Rabbi of Moravia, Rabbi Mordechai Bennet, and he praised Chorin as "the light of Israel, a pillar of Halacha".
During the next years, he became known for his reformative halachic rulings. In his synagogue in Arad, he made changes that matched his perception, such as cancelling the use of "Ta'amei Ha'Mikra". In 1831, he published his book "Tzir ne'eman", in which he declared that although he preferred observing the Sabbath at its appointed time, with the decision of an assembly, it would be possible to observe it on Sundays. Two years before his death, he permitted to bring a pipe organ into the Synagogue of Arad. It was the first pipe organ to be played in a synagogue in Hungary.
The greatest rabbis, headed by the Chatam Sofer, fought his Psikot with all their might. The Chtatam Sofer called him "Acher" (Aharon Chorin Rabbiner). Rabbi Mordechai Bennet instructed to burn his book "Emek Ha'Shave".
In the book before us, his signature is traditionally styled and is most likely from his first years as a rabbi in Arad.
On the title book, a handwritten dedication: "a gift to the great rabbi … Zvi Hirsch Ginsberg …" Rabbi Ginsberg was one of the greatest students of the Chatam Sofer and Av Beit Din of Medisch.
On the first page, a dedication to Avraham Oischpitz by Yesha'yahu Schwartz. [Rabbi Uehoshua Schwartz of Deyzh. The son of Rabbi ya'akov Moshe Schwartz, Av Beit Din of Krasne and later of Carley. The editor of the religious anthology "Amud Ha'Torah"]. His signature appears also on the title page.
An ownership inscription on the title page: "…Zvi Hirsch Elimelech…" and additional signatures.
On page 86, two scholarly glosses in ancient script, some of which has faded.
Extremely rare. A similar item is unknown. Such an item has never been seen in auctions.
87 [2] pp. Two pages at the end of the book are missing.
Condition: Good. Moth holes, stains and wear. Tears on three pages, with damage to text.

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