Manuscript Booklet – Halachic Responsa of Rabbi David Tevele, the Nachalat David – Stowbtsy, 1849 – With His Signature

Manuscript Booklet – Halachic Responsa of Rabbi David Tevele, the Nachalat David – Stowbtsy, 1849 – With His Signature

Manuscript booklet (14 pages), two halachic responsa handwritten and signed by R. David Tevele, Rabbi of Stowbtsy and Minsk, author of Nachalat David, to R. Yaakov Moshe, "the Rabbi of Stalavichy". Stoptz (Stowbtsy), Tamuz 1849.

Lengthy halachic responsa on the laws of oaths and vows, and on the laws of separating terumah and maaser, concluding with his signature: "David Tevele of Stoptz". After the signatures appears a responsum to another halachic query "asked the past winter", also signed at the end: "David Tevele of Stoptz". The entire booklet is neatly written, apparently by the author, the Nachalat David, with his additions in the margins. The present booklet is the original responsum sent to R. Yaakov Moshe, and comes from his family's archive. At the end of the last page, the Nachalat David asks the recipient: "Please copy this booklet in a neat, beautiful writing and send it to me". These responsa were printed (with slight differences, additions and omissions) in Responsa Beit David, sections 13-14 (printed during the lifetime of the Nachalat David – Warsaw, 1854).

R. David Tevele (Rubin), author of Nachalat David (1794-1861), a prominent disciple of R. Chaim of Volozhin and a foremost Torah giant of his generation. From ca. 1820 he served as Rabbi and yeshiva dean in Stoptz (Stowbtsy, Minsk region, approx. 70 km southwest of the regional capital Minsk), and in 1849 he was appointed Rabbi of Minsk (a Jewish center second only to Vilna in all of Lithuania and Belarus, full of rabbinical authorities, yeshiva teachers, Torah giants and learned laymen). He was appointed chief halachic authority and posek in Minsk (after the passing of R. Yisrael Mirkes in 1813, the Minsk rabbinical title was abolished in favor of "chief halachic authority and posek"). His books on the Talmud, responsa and sermons are called Beit David and Nachalat David. He is best known for his Nachalat David on Bava Kama, which remains to this day a basic aid to studying this and other tractates.

The recipient of the letter, R. Yaakov Moshe Direktor (1809-1879), Rabbi of Mush, a Lithuanian Torah scholar, famous as a holy man and wonderworker. A disciple of R. Itzele of Volozhin, he served as Rabbi of Stalovichy (a town near Novardok). He engaged in halachic discussions with leading rabbis of his generation, including the Nachalat David; R. Eizel Charif, Rabbi of Slonim; R. Shmuel Avigdor Tosfaah and R. Yitzchak Elchanan Spektor. In 1857 he relocated to serve as Rabbi of Mush (Novaya Mysh). He was the father of R. Yisrael Yehonatan Yerushalimsky (1860-1917), Rabbi of Orlya and Ihumen (Chervyen), father-in-law of R. Yechezkel Abramsky, Head of the London Beit Din, author of Chazon Yechezkel.

7 leaves, written on both sides. 23.5 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains and wear. On last leaf, tears, slightly affecting text, and old paper repair.