Or Yisrael, responsa by Rabbi Israel Lifshitz. Kleve, 1770. Printed in a new printing press in Kleve. The only Hebrew book printed in Kleve.
The book deals primarily with "the Keve divorce" which caused an upheaval in the Jewish world of that time. Simanim 34-36, with sharp criticism of the Rabbis of Frankfurt am Main, were omitted. Siman 33 was printed with many changes. This copy was censored by pasting pieces of paper with softer expressions on the sharp words originally written (other copies we have seen have the criticism erased with black ink).
On the title page appears the stamp S.R.H. – the stamp of Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch (1808-1888), a prominent leader of Orthodox Jewry in Germany. Disciple of Chacham Breines of Hamburg, and Rabbi Ya'akov Etlinger, author of Aruch LaNer of Altona. From age 22, he began to serve in the Rabbinate in Oldenburg, Emden and Nicholsburg. In 1850, he was called by the eleven orthodox families in Frankfurt am Main to stand at the helm of the new Orthodox community Adat Yeshurun. Rabbi Hirsch was the first to stop the snowballing decline of Orthodox Jewry in Germany. His halachic and Torah authority granted him the distinct status of the leader of Eastern Europe Orthodox Jewry. He was very active in establishing separate communities in various cities throughout Germany and he educated a whole generation to Torah and mitzvoth with his books and articles (Igrot Tzafon, Chorev etc.).
31, 33-66, 69-120 leaves. 20 cm. Good condition, stains. Parchment binding detached and damaged.