Sefer Tehillim (Psalms) with Shir Hashirim (Song of Songs). Large print. [Jerusalem]: A. Bezalel, [21st century].
Large format, with leather binding.
On the page preceding the title page is a dedication with a blessing, handwritten and signed by R. Aharon Leib Steinman: "Grow and be successful in Torah and fear of Heaven. A.Y.L. Steinman".
R. Aharon Yehuda Leib Steinman (1914-2017) was a leader of Haredi Judaism and President of the Moetzet Gedolei HaTorah (rabbinical council) of the Degel HaTorah movement. He was considered the de facto leader of the Lithuanian Torah world during the past twenty years. R. Aharon Leib was born and raised in Brisk (Brest, Belarus), where he was a close disciple of R. Simcha Zelig Rieger (who wrote his rabbinical ordination), and R. Yitzchak Zev Soloveitchik (the Brisker rav). Due to fears of conscription into the Polish army, he fled to Switzerland with his friend, R. Moshe Soloveitchik, where they studied and taught in the Etz Chaim yeshiva in Montreux. This move on the eve of the Holocaust eventually saved his life and had tremendous impact on the establishment of the Torah world of today. Upon his move to Israel in the 1950s, he was appointed rosh yeshiva of Yeshivat Chafetz Chaim in Kfar Saba upon the recommendation of the Chazon Ish, who regarded him highly and would stand in his honor. In 1955 he was appointed rosh yeshiva of the Ponovezh high school, and ten years later became head of the Ponovezh kollel as well. He later established and headed other Torah institutions as well, and was involved in teaching Torah his entire life. In 1989, upon the foundation of the Degel HaTorah political party, he was appointed to its rabbinical council by R. Elazar Shach. This increased his influence on the community, especially regarding educational matters. Upon the passing of R. Shach in 2002, he was recognized as his successor as leader of the Lithuanian Torah world, alongside R. Yosef Shalom Elyashiv. From his modest apartment on Rechov Chazon Ish in Bnei Brak, he faithfully served the Torah world, and guided its many institutions with dedication and care. He became the central address for advice and guidance for individuals as well as institutions and yeshivot, and the challenging problems of the age were addressed to him. He concerned himself personally with the wellbeing of thousands of individual students as well as many yeshivot and institutions by fundraising from philanthropists around the world. He passed away the day before Chanuka, 2017, at the age of 104, and his funeral was attended by hundreds of thousands.
[4], 249 leaves. 30 cm. Very good condition. Elaborate leather binding.