Manuscript, halachic and Aggadic novellae on the Talmud and on several Torah portions, by an unidentified author. [Europe, ca. mid-18th century].
Cursive Ashkenazic script, in different hands (part of the manuscript may have been written by the author's scribe). Many sections appear to have been written by the author, with deletions, emendations and marginal glosses. The manuscript comprises novellae on Tractates Berachot, Chullin, Zevachim and Menachot. Most of the novellae pertain to Talmudic topics in Order Kodashim. Novellae on the Torah portions appear in several places. To the best of our knowledge, this composition was never published.
The manuscript mentions several dates from the 1730s. Furthermore, the author refers several times to the books Omer Man and Birkat HaZevach, which were published in Berlin in 1739. It therefore appears that this work was composed in the 1740s.
The author, whom we were unable to identify, was a descendant of the Maharshal. This manuscript contains an important testimony on the fate of the manuscript of the Chochmat Shlomo glosses on the Talmud, by the Maharshal: " I am a descendant of the Maharshal, and the book Chochmat Shlomo was not an independent composition, rather it was written in the margins of Talmud volumes, as I personally witnessed, since I had in my possession two volumes of Sanhedrin, Bava Batra, Gittin, Kiddushin, Sotah, printed in Venice, with glosses in the margins handwritten by the Maharshal, and they were unfortunately burnt in Kraśnik with all my books" (p. 3a of the first sequence).
The author also relates of other tragedies which occurred to him: "…unfortunately, my heart's delight was burned, and what I am capable of writing during the time of my troubles, I am recording in the book with tears, and may He who has said to His world 'enough', say so to my trouble" (p. 52a). In one place, the author did not hesitate to admit to his mistake, and wrote: "I was mistaken in what I wrote until now" (p. 52b). In one place, the author mentions a manuscript he saw in Constantinople: "And I saw in Constantinople in the home of R. Chaim Kimchi a manuscript Tosafot Ri…." (p. 39b).
In several places, the author quotes Torah novellae he heard from prominent Torah scholars and leaders: "And I heard an answer in the name of R. Yitzchak Kohen of Izmir" (p. 2a of the third sequence; presumably referring to R. Yitzchak HaKohen Rappaport Rabbi of Izmir, author of Batei Kehunah, a teacher of the Chida); "And I heard from R. Chaim of Apta who studied in Prague" (p. 11b); "And R. Yaakov Krakower of Amsterdam raised the following difficulty when he was there in 1728, and it is quoted in Beit Yehuda printed by R. Leib of Głogów" (p. 16a; i.e. the book Kol Yehuda, Amsterdam 1729, see there p. 37b); "It seems to me that this was said in the name of the preacher R. Falk of Lviv" (p. 53b).
Throughout his composition, the author repeatedly quotes his "exceptional" son R. Moshe. Likewise, he brings a difficulty raised by his grandson "the exceptional groom R. Yisrael Isserl" (p. 10b).
The first page (otherwise blank) bears the heading: "Approbation" (the author presumably intended to copy an approbation he received to his work on this page, which indicates that he intended to publish the work).
[1], 2-5, [1], 1-42, [1], 43-54, 57-64; 1-6 leaves. Altogether 75 leaves (136 written pages). 20 cm. + [4] smaller manuscript leaves (7 written pages), found between the leaves of the manuscript. Fair-poor condition. Stains, including dampstains. Tears and wear. Marginal open tears to many leaves, affecting text. Worming. Detached leaves and gatherings. Without binding.