Temim De'im, novellae of Rabbi Avraham ben David [the Ra'avad Ba'al HaHasagot]. Lvov, 1812. Printed by Naftali Hertz Grossman.
On the leaves are five glosses in the handwriting of Rabbi Baruch Frankel Te'omim, Av Beit Din of Leipnik, author of Baruch Ta'am, [two glosses are slightly cut off].
Rabbi Baruch Frankel Teomim (1760-1828, Encyclopedia Le'Chachmei Galicia Vol. 2, pp. 314-322), author of Baruch Ta'am, was a famous Torah scholar, renowned for his genius and sharp mind and his scholarly glosses on many books. Disciple of Rabbi Yehuda Liber Charif Krongold, Ra'avad of Cracow, Rabbi David Tevele of Lissa and Rabbi Meshulam Igra. At the age of 19, he was appointed Rabbi of Vizhnitz and after the death of Rabbi Binyamin Wolf Eiger, he was asked to succeed him as Av Beit Din of Leipnik, a position he held for 30 years. After the death of his teacher Rabbi Meshulem Igra, he was a candidate for succeeding him as Rabbi of Pressburg but the lot fell on the Chatam Sofer.
He was famed for his deep and sharp thinking - the author of the Avnei Nezer said that all his life he toiled to reach the sharp intellect of the author of the Baruch Ta'am. The Chatam Sofer alleged that had Torah been forgotten from the Jewish People, Rabbi Baruch would return it with his pilpul. He eulogized him saying: "A genius… wonder of the generation… taught Torah with sharpness and proficiency, his disciples were not able to decipher the deep sharpness of his thinking…". In his approbation to Baruch Ta'am, the Chatam Sofer wrote to the author's son: "Is my approbation and counsel necessary to lighten the sun and brightness of your father, the Torah prodigy… and do I not know his strength and glorious genius?... All his words shone like the celestial bodies…".
His renowned son-in-law, Rebbe Chaim Halberstam, author of the Divrei Chaim of Sanz, wrote: "The one year I was with him, he taught me almost the entire Talmud with Rishonim and at all times he showed me great wonders in his pilpul". Although the Baruch Ta'am was counted among the mitnagdim (opposing Chassidism), the Chozeh of Lublin said to the Chassidim that spoke against him: "What can I do, his Torah is very dear to me". His other descendants were Chassidic leaders: His son, Rabbi Yehoshua Heshel of Komarno, was a leading disciple of the Chozeh of Lublin (see: Encyclopedia Le'Chassidut Vol. 2, p. 76). His first printed book was Baruch Ta'am, Lvov, 1841, edited by his son-in-law the Rebbe, author of Divrei Chaim of Sanz. It was accepted and beloved by Torah learners and in a relatively short period five other editions were printed (from 1878-1902). Among his other compositions: Ateret Chachamim, Sefer Marganita de-Rav, and Baruch She'amar. He was especially known for the many glosses which he used to write on his books while studying, some of which were printed in later editions of those books. His glosses on the Talmud (printed in the Vilnius edition) and on the Shulchan Aruch became famous, as well as his glosses on the Kreiti U'Pleiti, Shev Shemateta, Turei Even, Chavat Ya'ir, the Ran responsa, Beit Meir, Ketzot HaChoshen, Netivot Mishpat, and more .
Inscriptions and scribbles on the inner side of the front cover. Stamps of "Biblioteka shel Kollel Kovno".
[1], 57 leaves. 37 cm. Good condition, stains and wear. Worn ancient binding with leather spine.
Enclosed is an expert's authorization, identifying the glosses written by the author of Baruch Ta'am.