Important Bibliographic Letter from the Dvar Avraham about his Sefer. Kovno, 1929

Important Bibliographic Letter from the Dvar Avraham about his Sefer. Kovno, 1929

"The manuscript ... has been in my possession for two years already but I am afraid to invest a large amount in printing it"!!

Rare and unique historic-bibliographic letter handwritten by the av beit din of Kovno, the renowned gaon Rabbi Avraham DovBer Kahane-Shapira, author of Shu"t Divrei Avraham, one of the leading poskim of all generations. Set to his friend, the gaon Rabbi Eliezer Silver, president of the Agudath HaRabonim of the United States. Kovno, 1929.

The letter discusses printing his monumental sefer, Shu"t Dvar Avraham - one of the most important in-depth sefarim of halachic adjudication in all of Torah literature. It brought fame upon its author as one of the gedolei Yisrael in Europe. It is fascinating to read the letter demonstrating "No one is a prophet in his own city" - the author of Dvar Avraham is concerned about printing the sefer, lest it not recover the huge expense involved in printing. He writes as follows to his friend in America: The manuscript for the second, revised edition has been in my possession for two years already ... The sefer would consist of 150 large leaves, and the expense of printing it would be huge" (Many collectors nowadays would have been happy to fund the printing of several editions, in exchange for the manuscript ...)

The letter is full of fascinating bibliographic details about one of the most important works of responsa of all time, and about its prominent author, who, in his great humility, did not properly assess the importance and greatness of his sefarim - despite, as he himself writes, there being no copies left of the sefarim, even one exemplar. Indeed, he had only one copy in his possession, filled with revisions and comments necessary for himself for the second edition, which obviously can't be given away.

The Dvar Avraham expresses himself poetically about his sefer, as if it were a living being: "The prepared manuscript is like an unmovable stone for me, " as if begging on behalf of its soul: "Do not shame me, let me make my way into the world of scholars." As such, the Dvar Avraham writes that he will gird his loins, and start the work, "Come what may!! as all authors do, and may Hashem send salvation ... Hashem sends blessings and success." Rabbi Avraham details the arrangements for the printing of the third part as well, and more.

At the end of his letter, he states that his son, R' Yerucham Yehudah Leib has become engaged to Rabbi Leibowitz's daughter in New York, "May Hashem grant me the ability to celebrate at their wedding."

Refer to the Hebrew catalog text for brief biographies of the great gaon Rabbi Avraham Dovber Kahane Shapira, av beit din of Kovno, author of Dvar Avraham and of the addressee, the gaon Rabbi Eliezer Silver.

[1] leaf paper, written on both sides. 22x29 cm. Official stationery. Entirely [40 lines] handwritten and signed by the Dvar Avraham.

Fine condition. Fold marks. Aging stains. Tiny tears in the margins, without blemish or lack.