Holy and Awe-Inspiring! Mishneh LaMelech, Hamburg 1790 – With a Dedication in the Handwriting of the Great ...

Holy and Awe-Inspiring! Mishneh LaMelech, Hamburg 1790 – With a Dedication in the Handwriting of the Great Rabbi Yehoshua Leib Diskin, "The Saraf of Brisk, " to His Beloved Student Rabbi Naftali Katz.

Sefer Mishneh LaMelech, a commentary on the Rambam by Rabbi Yehuda Rozanis. Hamburg, 1790. 

With dedication in the holy handwriting of Rabbi Yehoshua Leib Diskin, known as "The Saraf of Brisk" Zt''l.

On the flyleaf, Rabbi Diskin inscribed:

"Given as a gift of drasha (teaching) to my brilliant and distinguished student, Rabbi Naftali Katz..."

Next to this inscription, another note (presumably written by the recipient) states:

"Given as a gift by the illustrious Rabbi Yehoshua Yehuda Leib Diskin..."

The eloquent style of Rabbi Yehoshua Leib Diskin matches the recipient of the dedication, as the phrase from the Torah (Parshat Beha'alotcha 8:16) *"for they are wholly given unto Me from among the Children of Israel"* refers to the tribe of Levi, and Rabbi Naftali Katz was a kohen. It is known that Rabbi Diskin had used this verse previously in his responsa (Shu”t Maharil part 1, section 53).

It's worth noting that Mishneh LaMelech was a beloved sefer of Rabbi Diskin, and it is cited in his own Shu”t Maharil in numerous places. This explains why he chose this work as a gift for his student.

Additional inscriptions are found praising the author Rabbi Yehuda Rozanis. On the rear flyleaf, there are notes and a signature: "Yehuda Yaakov ben Yehuda."

Rabbi Yehoshua Leib Diskin, the Saraf of Brisk (1817–1898):

One of the greatest Torah sages of his generation, known for his profound scholarship. He was born to his father, Rabbi Binyamin, Av Beit Din of Valkovich. At the age of 25, Rabbi Yehoshua Leib succeeded his father as rabbi of the town. He went on to serve as rabbi in several other cities, eventually becoming the rabbi of Brisk (Brest), where he also gathered a group of devoted students, including Rabbi Yosef Rozin, later known as the "Rogatchover Gaon."

In 1877, Rabbi Diskin was forced to leave Brisk due to accusations by the secular Haskalah (Enlightenment) movement. He made aliyah to the Land of Israel, and shortly after his arrival, he was appointed as the Rabbi of Jerusalem, following the passing of Rabbi Meir Auerbach, author of Imrei Binah. Rabbi Diskin's teachings were held in the highest regard by later Torah giants such as Rabbi Chaim of Brisk, Rabbi Baruch Ber Leibowitz (author of Birkat Shmuel), Rabbi Avraham Dov Kahana-Shapiro (Dvar Avraham), and the Chazon Ish.

Rabbi Diskin's influence was not limited to Lithuania but extended even to Hungary, as the famous Rabbi Amram Blum wrote to him:

"Greetings and blessings, from the G-d of battles, to the inhabitants of the righteous land, and among them my beloved, the distinguished and famous Torah giant, the complete tzaddik, the great head of the righteous, Rabbi Yehoshua Leib Diskin, formerly the rabbi of Brisk and now the leader of Jerusalem..." (Shu”t Beit Sha'arim, Orach Chaim, section 73).

In Jerusalem, Rabbi Diskin founded the Ohel Torah Yeshiva, which became a beacon of Torah learning. His famous student, Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld, was among the many who studied under him. Rabbi Diskin fiercely opposed modernist movements that threatened traditional Judaism and led Jerusalem's community with strength and dedication for 20 years, until his passing on Shabbat, the eve of Rosh Chodesh Shevat, 1898. His works include responsa and sermons (Shu”t Maharil Diskin).

Further information on his life and greatness can be found in HaSaraf MiBrisk*by S. M. Wolk (Tel Aviv, 1999).

Good condition overall, with signs of wear and minor worming. The flyleaf and title page show slight damage and some short tears, but there is no loss of text. There are a few stains and creases, mainly on the early pages. Beautiful, finely crafted binding with gold decorations.

Manuscripts in the handwriting of the Gaon Rabbi Yehoshua Leib Diskin are exceedingly rare!