Very rare! Full handwritten signature of Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin, author of 'Nefesh HaChaim' - Atzmos ...

Very rare! Full handwritten signature of Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin, author of 'Nefesh HaChaim' - Atzmos Yosef, Fürth, 1767.

Sefer Atzmos Yosef, principles of the Talmud and novellae on Tractate Kiddushin and a bit on Bava Kamma, by Rabbi Yosef ben Ezra, Fürth, 1767.

Signature on the title page  "To God belongs the earth and its fullness, Hakatan Chaim son of my father and teacher Rabbi Yitzchak, may his light shine, from Volozhin, a branch from the Rappaport family tree"

This is the holy handwritten signature of the father of the yeshiva world, our master the Gaon Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin, the distinguished student of Rabbi Eliyahu of Vilna 'the Gra' and the 'Sha'agas Aryeh'.

A deeply scholarly yeshiva sefer, in which the father of the yeshiva world studied!

The Gaon Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin (1749-1821), author of "Nefesh HaChaim". One of the greatest of his generation, leader of Lithuanian Jewry, father of yeshivas, and founder of the famous Volozhin Yeshiva, the greatest student of the Gaon of Vilna. Born in Volozhin to his father Rabbi Yitzchak, who was the community leader. In his youth, he studied under Rabbi Raphael HaKohen of Hamburg, author of "Toras Yekusiel". Later he studied under the Gaon author of "Sha'agas Aryeh". Afterwards, he began to study under the Gra of Vilna, to whom he clung and served until his passing, becoming his greatest student.

His friend and companion Rabbi Israel of Shklov writes about him in the introduction to his work "Taklin Chadtin": ". ..The sun in its might... his distinguished student [=of the Gra], the glory of the generation, the crown of the era, the true Gaon, the pious and humble one famous as the greatest of his generation in both revealed and hidden wisdom, our teacher and master Rabbi Chaim, may his light shine, the head of the rabbinical court and yeshiva head of the holy community of Volozhin... when he was twenty-two years old, he had already completed the entire Talmud and all its associated works..."

Around 1774, when he was about 25 years old, Rabbi Chaim was crowned as the head of the rabbinical court in his hometown of Volozhin. He responded to halachic questions and ruled on issues of the generation. *"And he responded with many responsa from his youth until old age to all the great rabbis of our country and the geniuses of our time, and all were established as practical law"* (Introduction to the responsa "Chut HaMeshulash").

He established a world of Torah by founding the Volozhin Yeshiva, which became the "mother of yeshivas" in Lithuania. The "Etz Chaim" Yeshiva. Students from all over Lithuania were drawn to it, which was known for its Torah and for producing Torah disseminators for over a hundred years.

Rabbi Chaim did not join the Cherem against Hasidim. He established a dynasty of rabbis from his offspring, as the Brisker dynasty are his descendants, as well as the Netziv of Volozhin, Rabbi Raphael Shapiro, Rabbi Chaim Berlin, and others.

Very good condition. Light stains, minor professionally repaired holes, binding expertly repaired while preserving the original decorative front and back covers. In a new, attractive leather box.