Manuscript, Keren Orah on Tractate Nazir – Manuscript Used to Publish the Book in 1868 – Additional Unpublished Glosses

Manuscript, Keren Orah on Tractate Nazir – Manuscript Used to Publish the Book in 1868 – Additional Unpublished Glosses
Manuscript, Keren Orah on Tractate Nazir (folio 35 until end of Tractate), by R. Yitzchak Minkowski Rabbi of Karlin. [Karlin? ca. mid-19th century].
This book was published in Vilna in 1868, some 17 years after the passing of the author (Cheshvan 1851). Since its publication, Keren Orah has become a classic work and the main commentary on Tractate Nazir, a profound tractate with few commentaries. The book was published based on the present manuscript – see below.
Note handwritten and signed by R. Chaim Kreiswirth Rabbi of Antwerp on the front endpaper, attributing the manuscript to the author: "Handwriting of the tremendous Torah scholar, author of Keren Orah, and this is the manuscript of Keren Orah on Nazir, Chaim Kreiswirth". In R. Chaim's letter to the buyer of this manuscript, he also describes this manuscript as handwritten by the author himself (the letter appears in this catalog, see item 121). We have not found a sample of the author's handwriting for comparison. However, the nature of the errors, which are typical of a copyist, seem to indicate that the manuscript is an orderly copying produced by a scribe rather than handwritten by the author itself.
The manuscript was written in two columns. Various types of glosses, in different hands, were added in the margins and between the lines: 1. Emendations and addition of omissions, in the copyist's handwriting. 2. Correction of errors and printer's markings, presumably made while preparing this manuscript for print (including markings indicating the beginning of a new page in the printed version). 3. Glosses on the contents and additions in a different hand (handwritten by the author? or perhaps corrections based on the author's original manuscript), incorporated in the Vilna 1868 edition. 4. Lengthy scholarly glosses (in Ashkenazic script, typical of ca. 1850s-1880s), which were not published in the printed book. These were presumably written by a prominent Torah scholar who studied the composition from the present manuscript.
R. Yitzchak Minkowski author of Keren Orah (1788-1851), leading Torah scholar of his times. He was born in Minsk to R. Aharon (son of R. Baruch Doktor of Shklow, disciple of the Gaon of Vilna). He studied for many years with his older brother R. Yaakov Bruchin author of Mishkenot Yaakov (1781-1844), who was a prominent disciple of R. Chaim of Volozhin. R. Yitzchak lived in Shereshov (Šarašova), and later in Karlin, unassumingly applying himself to Torah study and to composing his works, all the while refusing to undertake a rabbinical position. In 1845, after the passing of his brother R. Yaakov, the community of Karlin obliged him to succeed his brother as rabbi of the city.
R. Yitzchak Minkowski prepared all his works for print, though he did not merit to publish them in his lifetime. His books were printed in 1852-1884.
At the end of their foreword to Keren Ora on Tractates Zevachim and Me'ilah, printed in 1857, the sons of the author describe the process of preparing their father's books for print, which included having the manuscripts copied by copyists, and then carefully proofread and edited by experts.
[83] leaves (most leaves written on both sides in four columns). 37 cm. Multiple foliations (some leaves presumably bound out of sequence). Condition varies. Stains, including dampstains. Dark stains to some leaves. Wear and traces of mold. Open tears to some leaves, affecting edge of text (with old paper repairs). Non-original cloth binding, worn.