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Judaica and Hasidic Books and Manuscripts

Lot 16:

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Ma'at Mi-Kol (Warsaw, 1893) מעט מכל (או דברים של טעם ודברים של מה בכך)

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Start price: £100

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Description

A rare and highly significant philosophical work from the late 19th-century Hebrew Enlightenment, printed in the major Jewish center of Warsaw, by the esteemed Rabbi Aharon Yissachar Shiprin.

This lot features the scarce book מעט מכל (או דברים של טעם ודברים של מה בכך)—Ma’at Mi-Kol (A Little Bit of Everything). The book, comprising 102 pages of content, is a profound work of Musar (Jewish Ethics) and Drush (Homily).
Historical and Philosophical Significance
  • Provenance: Printed in Warsaw (ВАРШАВА) in תרנ"ג (1893). This location and date confirm the book’s importance as a product of the late 19th-century intellectual environment in Poland, a major center for Hebrew publishing under the Russian Empire.
  • The Title’s Challenge: The striking, near-controversial title (distinguishing "Things of Sense" from "Trivialities") reflects the author’s philosophical agenda: to engage with the moral and intellectual challenges of his time by urging readers to prioritize genuine spiritual and ethical truths (D’varim shel Ta’am) over worldly distractions (D’varim shel Mah b’Kach).
  • The Author: Authored by the respected scholar Rabbi Aharon Yissachar Shiprin (אהרן ישכר שיפרין), the book carries the weight of traditional scholarship applied to contemporary ethical problems.
  • Rarity: Works of specialized Musar and philosophical Drush from this period are less common than standard rabbinic texts and are highly sought after by collectors interested in the intellectual history of Eastern European Jewry.

This is a significant historical document, providing a direct view into the ethical and philosophical concerns of Jewish intellectual life in 1893 Warsaw.


Condition report:

  • Content: Complete text of 102 pages.
  • Size: The format is likely a small octavo (8vo), approximately 6.5 to 7.5 inches (16.5 to 19 cm) tall, typical for a scholarly essay collection of this period.
  • Condition Issues (Transparently Noted): The spine is loose, indicating binding wear. The title page is completely detached, though present. Crucially, the book is textually complete.