Manuscript, Sermons by R. Moshe Hertzfeld, Rabbi of Szilas, Son-in-Law of R. Daniel Prostitz – 1859-1869

Manuscript, Sermons by R. Moshe Hertzfeld, Rabbi of Szilas, Son-in-Law of R. Daniel Prostitz – 1859-1869

Manuscript, Dat Moshe – sermons and novellae on Aggadah, handwritten by R. Moshe Hertzfeld, Rabbi of Szilas, a disciple of the Chatam Sofer. Szilasbalhás, 1859-1869.

On the endpaper, an inscription in the handwriting of his son-in-law, R. Avraham Tzvi Klein, Rabbi of Szilasbalhás: "Dat Moshe – these are Aggadic teachings written by my father-in-law, R. Moshe Hertzfeld, of blessed memory".

Large-format volume (40 cm). Bluish-greenish paper. Autograph (with extensive additions in ink and pencil) of sermons he delivered in his community, beginning with Shabbat Shimu (28th Tamuz) 1859, through Shemini Atzeret 1864, with additional sermons from later years added in the margins, the latest from Nisan 1869. In various places, the author noted additional years in which the sermons were repeated, or wrote beside a sermon: "Not delivered". Most sermons are in Hebrew, except for several from Elul to Rosh Hashanah 1862 (leaves 38-40), which are written in Western Yiddish.

Sermons for year-round Shabbatot and special occasions, including: Rosh Chodesh and Shabbat; "For the Shabbat before Rosh Chodesh Elul 1859"; before Tekiat Shofar on Rosh Hashanah; Shabbat Shuvah; Kol Nidrei on Yom Kippur; Shemini Atzeret; Hanukkah; Parashat Zachor and Purim; Shabbat HaGadol; last day of Pesach; Pirkei Avot; Shavuot; sermon for the donation of a Torah Scroll (Shabbat Nachamu 1859); sermons for synagogue dedications, circumcisions, weddings, and eulogies; a sermon for the setting of a gravestone after a full year; sermon "for the setting of a gravestone for a righteous woman"; sermon "to elevate the House of our G-d and to support the settlers of Jerusalem" (Chanukah 1861 and 1867); "For the commencement of studying Halacha and Rashi every Shabbat, Parashat Yitro 1863"; and more. Many sermons conclude with words of blessing and inspiration.

At bottom of last page, a table of contents listing the sermons and their corresponding pages.

Various inscriptions in Hebrew and German on the endpapers and inside the original binding, including addresses of: R. Yosef Schlesinger, bookseller in Vienna (R. Yosef Ginz-Schlesinger, step son-in-law of the Chatam Sofer, son of R. Simcha Bunim Güns-Eger Rabbi of Mattersdorf, and founder of Schlesinger Publishing in Vienna, which operated until the Holocaust); R. Yosef Schreiber; R. Moshe Freund, a wine merchant from Nitra; and others.

R. Moshe Hertzfeld (1816-1872) was born in Milchdorf to R. Leib Hertzfeld. He studied under R. Tzvi Hirsch Charif Heller, Rabbi of Alt-Ofen (Óbuda), and later at the Pressburg Yeshiva under the Chatam Sofer and his son, the Ktav Sofer (in the same period, another student with the same name studied at the Pressburg Yeshiva – R. Moshe Hertzfeld [1819-1883], son of R. Eliezer Hertzfeld of Pressburg, later served as rabbi in Szerdahely and authored Torat Moshe – Magen Avot, Lakewood 2021).

In Nisan 1841, R. Moshe Hertzfeld became engaged to Chaya, daughter of R. Daniel Prostitz, Head of the Pressburg Beit Din, and after their marriage they settled in Pressburg. In 1849, he returned to his birthplace, Milchdorf. In 1856, he was appointed Rabbi of Szilasbalhás (now Mezőszilas, Hungary), serving there for 16 years. After his passing, he was succeeded by his second son-in-law, R. Avraham Zvi Klein (1853-1927), a disciple of the Ktav Sofer and author of Be'erot Avraham. His eldest son-in-law was R. Shlomo Zalman Beitum (1845-1914), a disciple of the Ktav Sofer and R. Yehuda Aszod, Rabbi of Mildoy (Szepsi, now Moldava nad Bodvou, Slovakia) and author of Da'at Shlomo.

Manuscripts by R. Moshe Hertzfeld have survived to this day: novellae on Aggadah (the present work) and novellae on Talmudic topics (see: R. D.B. Schwartz, Meshiv Devarim, Vol. 1, section 40, p. 198, referencing "an old manuscript containing novellae on Talmudic topics by R. Moshe Hertzfeld, Rabbi of Szilas… who cites Torah teachings in the name of R. Daniel Prostitz of Pressburg, referring to him as… 'my teacher and father-in-law'…"; this manuscript of novellae on the Talmud is currently in the collection of the Rebbe of Karlin-Stolin, Ms. 744). To the best of our knowledge, both of these works have yet been published.

[47] leaves (93 pages of handwritten Torah novellae). 40 cm. Bluish-greenish paper. Good-fair condition. Stains. Wear. Marginal tears to several leaves. New binding, with parchment spine.