Keren Shmuel, on the Rashbam commentary on the Torah, by Rabbi Shlomo Zalman ben Yechizkiya Hessel Ashkenaz. Frankfurt an der Oder, [c. 1727]. Sole edition.
On the title page is a handwritten dedication: "For the marriage of the important young man Isaac ben Rabbi Moshe…From Aryeh Leib Darshan and Dayan of Poznań". Rabbi Aryeh Leib Darshan dayan in the Poznań community was imprisoned on Erev Rosh Hashana 1737, accused of a blood-libel together with other important members of the community and was murdered al Kiddush Hashem after cruel torture [the description of the happening is written in the introduction to the book Amudei Olam, Berlin 1741].
On the leaf following the title page is an ownership inscription and the signature of Rabbi Shlomo of Chelm, author of Merkevet Hamishne: "—Shlomo ben Moshe of Zamoshtz" [the first line of the inscription is cutoff. The signature is complete]. Rabbi Shlomo of Chelm (1716-1781), a renowned Polish Torah genius and great scholar of all times. Wrote many books and was particularly famous for his book Merkevet HaMishne on the Rambam. Born in Zamoshtz, he served for 30 years in the rabbinate of Chelm. In 1771, he was appointed Av Beit Din of Lvov and after six years, decided to immigrate to Eretz Israel. On the way, he traveled through Turkey, delayed for a long while in Constantinople and in Istanbul where he formed a deep connection to the great rabbis in those places. A few months after he arrived in Eretz Israel he was forced to leave, reached Thessaloniki with his family and began to prepare the second part of his book Merkavet HaMishne and his other works for print but perished in a plague which spread through the city. On the title page and throughout the book are signatures of “Aryeh Leibush Bernstein” – RabbiAryeh Leib Bernstein of Lvov (1780-1843, see Encyclopedia L’Chachmei Galicia, Vol 1, p. 623).
[2]. 63 leaves. 18 cm. Upper margins are cutoff. Good-fair condition. Moth marks, stains. Tear with lack on title page. Damaged and partially detached binding.