Lot 153:

חרות על הלוחות - The handwritten signature of Mara DeAra DeYisroel Rabbeinu the holy Shelah...

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חרות על הלוחות – The handwritten signature of Mara DeAra DeYisroel Rabbeinu the holy Shelah on the title page of Shut Mahram Galanti, Venice 1608, first edition.

Appearing on the title page is the personal dedication and signature of Rabbeinu Yeshaya Halevi Segal Horowitz – the holy Shelah: "מאת ה’ היתה לי נא’ ישעי’ בן לאא"מ מהר"ר אברהם סגל זלה"ה הורווייץ".

This is the precise version appearing in his letters and approbations and the few of his autographs. It should also be noted that in his known signatures, he wrote his family name like it appears in this book: "הורווייץ" with two "י". The line: "מאת ה’ היתה לי" is also written in his books that had survived.

The Chida in his book Shem Hagdolim stated with pride: "I have his holy handwritten signature".

Rabbi Yeshaya Halevi Segal Horowitz (1558/1560/1570 – 1626?) known as Ba’al HaShelah Hakadosh, was born in Prague and served as Av Beit Din and Rosh Yeshiva of the most important communities of Poland and Germany. Since 1600, served as Rav of Dubno, Ostrohe, Posna and Frankfurt am Main. After the expulsion of the Jews from Frankfurt in late 1614, he returned to Prague, where he served as Rav until 1621. In late 1621, he immigrated to Jerusalem. This significant event led him to title his sacred Siddur Sha’ar HaShamayim (the Gate of Heaven). In Jerusalem, he became the first Av Beit Din of the Ashkenazic community, and eventually was considered, and titled, Mara DeAra DeYisrael. Rabbeinu the holy Shelah also was famed for his charity, constantly supporting Torah learners.

His most renowned book is Shnei Luchot Habrit which was published for the first time after his passing, in 1648. The book is a basic halachic book on many halachic issues and it is quoted and discussed reverently by the Magen Avraham, the Taz and many other Amudei Hora’ah. There are not many books that have been accepted with such reverence both by Ashkenazic and Sephardic communities, Chassidim and Misnagdim alike.

To demonstrate the sanctity of Ba’al HaShelah and his book, we shall quote the approbation of Rabbi Yoel Sirkish in the Siddur Sha’ar HaShamayim: "ואשא עיני ואראה איש קדוש ונורא מדבר מתוך האש… הלא הוא הרב הגדול בכל התורה הגאון כמהור"ר ישעיה הלוי זצ"ל, מעודו היה מרביץ תורה בקהילות גדולות, ובסוף ימיו הלך לארץ הקדושה, ונתקבל לאב"ד וראש ישיבה בכל קהילות וגלילות ארץ ישראל, ונאסף אל עמיו והניח אחריו ברכה בחבוריו הקדושים, וכאשר ראינו וקרינו בהם הרגשנו השפעת הקדושה מרום המעלות בכל אברינו, וזה האות שחיבוריו הם מחוברים לשם שמים… כי אין ספק אצלנו כשיתפשטו בקרב ישראל, כל מי שמתפלל בתוכו שאין תפילתו חוזרת ריקם". ה"נודע ביהודה" כותב עליו (נוב"י, בתרא, יו"ד, סימן קכג): "הגאון הקדוש הזה לרוב קדושת חסידותו נתקיים בו אוהב מצוות לא ישבע מצוות, ורצה למען צדקו להגדיל תורה ולהרבות במצוות".

The Chida in Shem Hagedolim implies that the sublime soul of Rabbeinu the Shelah’s descended from that of Rush (and Boaz) (in some editions of Shem Hegedolim, these lines were omitted).

Part of the signature is faded.

The book is bound in an impressive, ornate, gilded leather binding, with buckles.

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