Two large pages handwritten by the holy Gaon of Buchach, author of Da’at Kedoshim and Eshel Avraham – the leaf introduce and innovation in the name of the holy Rav the Ohev Yisroel of Opatow: "I have heard in the name of the Chassid Rav the famed Gaon Avraham Yehoshua Heschil of Mezhibuzh" – Buchach, between the years 1816-1825 – Aggadic innovations on the Tfilah – have not been printed
This leaf refers to an innovation by his father in-law ממו"ח זללה"ה", the author of Neta Sha’ashu’im.
This leaf was written when he was living in Buchach, after 1814, and serving as its Av Beis Din after the passing of his father-in-law (in Shevat, 1814). Since he refers to the Ohev Yisroel as living in Mezhibuzh, it was apparently written during the years 1816-1825.
The holy Gaon Rabbi Avraham David Worman Av Beis Din of Buchach (1771-1841) was the son-in-law of the holy Gaon Rabbi Zvi Hirsch Kara Av Beis Din of Buchach and author of Shut Neta Sha’ashu’im. In 1791, when he was twenty, he was appointed Av Beis Din of Jazlovich. In 1814, after his father-in-law’s passing, he succeeded him as Av Beis Din of Buchach. Rabbeinu wrote many deep halachic and Aggadic innovations, yet only some of his writings were published. His most renowned books are Da’at Kedoshim, 3 sections, on Yoeh Deah, Eshel Avraham on Orach Chaim, Ezer Mekudash on Even Haezer and Kesef Hakodashim on Choshen Mushpat – books that are constantly studied by Poskim and some of which were printed inside volumes of the Shulchan Aruch. In his youth he studied with the holy Rav the author of the Tzemach Hashem Lazvi and the holy Rav the author of Be’er Mayim Chaim. When he was living in Jazlovich, he followed the holy Rav of Berditchev, the holy Rav Rabbi Moshe Leib of Sasov and the holy Rav the Sar Sholom of Belz and many Shmu’ot he heard from them appear in his books.
However, we do not know of Shmu’ot by the holy Rav of Opatow in his books; thus, this is an interesting discovery.
Gedolei Hador greatly praised his genius and sanctity. The holy Gaon Rabbi Aryeh Leib of Ozorov wrote of him (to a Rav who disagreed with Rabbeinu’s ruling): "כל גאוני וגדולי הדור שהיו בזמנו, כגון הגאון מליסא בעל חוות דעת ז"ל, והגאון מלבוב בעל ישועות יעקב ז"ל היו נכנעים לפניו ומכבדים אותו במאוד…
היה מפורסם לגאון גדול וקדוש בדורו לכן מהראוי לסמוך עליו בפשיטות בלי שום פקפוק ולהכשיר". The Chavat da’at of Lisa wrote of him when he was 18: "הבקי בכל הש"ס". . It is told that the holy Rav Rabbi Meir of Premishlan, when passing through Jazlovich, said: : "קדושת הרב הצדיק רבי אברהם דוד נכרת ברחובות קריה". The author of Shoel UMeshiv wrote of him in his approbation to Da’at Kedoshim: ": "
הגאון החריף ובקי וצדיק נשגב, קדושתו ותורתו מלא עולם… ראיתי בעת פתחו את פיו הקדוש וחורז מתורה לנביאים וכתובים, ולמדרש וילקוט וספרי קבלה, והיה כולל אותם ביחד".
The holy Gaon of Buchach treated his manuscripts as the apple of his eye. It is told that once, on Sabbath, a fire broke out in Buchach, burning many houses, including that of Rabbeinu. During the entire Sabbath, Rabbeinu was anguished, assuming the case with his manuscripts had burned too. However, the case was retrieved by one of the neighbors. Miraculously, the manuscripts were undamaged although all the other books that were in the house were destroyed in the fire. While Rabbeinu was going through the manuscripts, he found a letter that was handwritten by his leading Rav the holy Gaon Rabbi Moshe Leib of Sasov. Rabbeinu, thus said modestly that his writings merited surviving the fire due to the holy letter by his Rav that was among them (Ir Umelo’ah, S.Y. Agnon, p. 555 and see an abbreviated version in Esser Kewdushot, Esser Tzachtzachot, Jerusalem 2001 edition, pp. 68-69).
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