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Judaica and Hasidic Books and Manuscripts

Lot 80:

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A two-volume workโ€”a cornerstone of early American-Hebrew printingโ€”containing...

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Description

A two-volume workโ€”a cornerstone of early American-Hebrew printingโ€”containing the author’s profound, printed dedication to his late wife and endorsed by four leading contemporary American Rabbis.


This volume contains both parts of the celebrated commentary ืื•ืจ ื—ื™ื™ื (Or Chaim), by Rabbi Chaim Michael Greenburg (ื—ื™ื™ื ืžื™ื›ืœ ื’ืจื™ื ื‘ืขืจื’), printed in New York City in ืชืจืข"ื– (1917). This book is invaluable for collectors focused on the establishment of traditional Hebrew scholarship in the United States.


Unique Historical and Biographical Features

  • Printed Author’s Dedication: Just before the second volume, the book includes the author’s deeply personal and printed dedication to the memory of his recently deceased wife. By making this sorrow a permanent, public part of his scholarly work, Rabbi Greenburg created a unique biographical document, connecting his personal tragedy to his commitment to Jewish law.
  • Association Provenance: The volume bears the stamp of the Beth Hamidrash D’Sphardim D’Harlem (The Sephardic Synagogue of Harlem) and was personally inscribed as a gift by the author to Rabbi R. Levi Yitzchak, establishing a unique, documented link between two early New York rabbinic figures.


Scholarly Authority: Four American Rabbinic Endorsers

The book’s scholarly value is validated by the four esteemed Haskamot (Endorsements), affirming its stature among the contemporary American Orthodox leadership:


  • Rabbi Avraham Eliezer Alfarshtein (ืื‘ืจื”ื ืืœื™ืขื–ืจ ืืœืคืขืจืฉื˜ื™ื™ืŸ)
  • Rabbi Alter Shaul Pepper (ืืœื˜ืขืจ ืฉืื•ืœ ืคืคืขืคืคืขืจ)
  • Rabbi Binyamin Baruch Gotta (ื‘ื ื™ืžื™ืŸ ื‘ืจื•ืš ื’ื•ื˜ื”) 
  • Rabbi Menachem Yehuda Guzik (ืžื ื—ื ื™ื”ื•ื“ื ื’ื•ื–ื™ืง)


The collective approval of these four respected figures confirms that Rabbi Greenburg’s work met the highest standards of the American rabbinate in the 1910s.



This is a significant, documented connection between two early American rabbinic figures and two major New York Jewish communities (Ashkenazi publishing and Sephardic Harlem).