Shvut Yaakov responsa, Part II, Offenbach, 1709. By the Gaon Rabbi Yaakov Reischer (1661-1733), known as the author of Chok Yaakov on the Shulchan Aruch, halachot of Pesach and other books.

On the first page of the book is the owner’s signature, beside “May G-d be gracious unto me… Natan the son of my beloved father, Shimon Adler Katz.”


This is the signature of the outstanding Gaon, the great eagle, Rabbi Nusen Hacohen Adler (1741-1800).


Rabbi Nusen Adler is one of the Frankfurt sages and was the rabbi and mentor of the Chatam Sofer, who called him a Chasid of the kehuna. Rabbi Adler was known for his unique path in serving G-d with great piety and knowledge of the Ar"i’s Kabbala. There are also some wondrous stories of his practical achievements using his wisdom of Kabbala.


Over the years Rabbi Adler also began to conduct himself in public in exceptional ways, such as speaking with Sephardic pronunciation, praying using nusach Ar"i and other various practices. This was not received favorably by the members of the Frankfurt community, and Rabbi Adler ultimately left the city, accompanied by his beloved student, the Chatam Sofer. Still, Rabbi Adler later returned to Frankfurt and even died and was buried in this city of his birth. The rabbi of the city, the Gaon Rabbi Pinchas Horowitz, author of Sefer HaHafla’ah, delivered an emotional eulogy at Rabbi Adler’s funeral.


The signature in the book is from Rabbi Adler’s youth, before he was 24 years old, because he mentions his father, blessing him with life, and he died in 1765.


In the book itself there are two ideas on the page, by Rabbi Adler, and they are in his well-known style for all his writings. He did not write down the novelae of his teachings, but rather made only brief notations and signs, in which he concealed all his remarkable chiddushim. Rabbi Zvi Binyamin Auerbach published a comprehensive composition based on Rabbi Adler’s allusions to mishnayot (Mishnat Rav Natan, Frankfurt am Main, 1862).


Everyone knows that there are no handwritten compositions by Rabbi Adler, such that the signature at the beginning of this book, with the lengthy inscription, is one of the longest extant writings by him.