Zayit Ra’anan, copy of Rabbi Nehemiya Alter, son of the Admor Sfat Emet of Gur.

Commentary on the Yalkut of Rabbi Avraham Ivlei Gombiner, the Magen Avraham. First edition, Dessau 1704. Cover has the handwritten signature of Rabbi Nehemiya Alter, and stamp on the cover and next page have “Nehem’ Alter of Gur, now in Otwesk.” He lived 1875-1942 and was the third son of the Sfat Emet, brother of the Admor the Imrei Emet and father-in-law of the Admor the Lev Simcha. Married the daughter of Rabbi Zvi Hirsch Morgenstern (the Admor of Łomazy, the grandson of Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kozk. His mother-in-law was the daughter of Rabbi Shlomo of Radzimin. After his marriage he lived for a number of years with Rabbi Shlomo of Radzimin. Then he returned to Gur. During WWI he moved to Warsaw, and at the end of the war he moved to Israel and lived in Tzfat and then Jerusalem, where he served as leader of Gur chassidut. In 1925 his brother the Imrei Emet founded the Sfat Emet yeshiva and appointed his brother to serve as head. In 1929 he returned to Poland to deal with his wife’s treatment. Then he settled in Łomazy and served as Motz and member of the rabbinical council of the community. When WWII broke out he was at the resort town of Vishnova-Gora next to Łomazy, where he escaped with many Jews southward. Next to Warsaw he was captured by the Nazis, who began to shave the beards of the Jews. When they reached him he screamed and in amazement they stopped. Rabbi Nehemiah returned to Łomazy and stayed there for a year and half, until he escaped with help from chassidei Gur to Warsaw. There he died and was brought to burial. He never complained while in the Ghetto. When his family got some bread he told them to save it for Shabbat. [11], 3. 82 (mistake in the page numbering, 91 or 92 in the original). 30cm. Some stains. Generally good condition.