Beit Yosef Chadash (Including Rare Leaves) – Rabbi Akiva Yosef Schlesinger – Jerusalem, 1875-1881 – With Additional ...

Beit Yosef Chadash (Including Rare Leaves) – Rabbi Akiva Yosef Schlesinger – Jerusalem, 1875-1881 – With Additional Rare Leaf

Beit Yosef Chadash, Torah novellae on halachah and aggadah, ethics and communal matters, by R. Akiva Yosef Schlesinger, author of Lev HaIvri. Jerusalem, [1875-1881].

The book was printed between 1875 and 1881 in two printing houses. The printing began in the printing house of R. Yoel Moshe Solomon, who refused to continue printing the book once he became aware of its polemic content. The printing was resumed in the HaIvri printing house (owned by R. Yitzchak Gościnny). Parts of the book were distributed before the printing was finished, resulting in many variations between the copies of the book.
There are two known title pages (one with full text and one abridged), not appearing in all copies. The present copy contains both title pages. This copy also includes many leaves not found in most copies; see Hebrew description for details.
In addition, the present copy includes an additional, unnumbered leaf containing an open letter by R. Yehudah Leibish Orenstein, Rabbi of the Ashkenazi communities (with his stamp), and a letter by R. Aharon Moshe Ferrara, defending R. Akiva Yosef Schlesinger. This leaf is recorded by Sh. Halevy based only on a citation in a polemical book (this leaf is recorded in a separate entry in the Bibliography of the Hebrew Book).
The author, R. Akiva Yosef Schlesinger (1835-1922), author of Lev HaIvri, disciple of leading Hungarian rabbis. He was one of the most prominent zealots who fought the Reform and Haskalah movements, and continued this struggle after immigrating to Jerusalem in 1870. He was active in support of the Jewish settlements throughout Eretz Israel, and came into conflict with leaders of the Old Yishuv over his opposition to the methods of the Chalukah (distribution of funds), and over other matters. His opposition is voiced in the present book, which engendered a fierce dispute, with polemical booklets being published on both sides and R. Schlesinger's book banned and burned. R. Schlesinger eventually reached a compromise with his opponents, and the ban was rescinded.

[2], 2-10, [2], 11-124, [16] leaves. 28 cm. Some leaves printed on dry paper. Overall good condition. Stains. Dark stain on (longer) title page, paper slightly singed. Tears, including small marginal open tears to several leaves, and a large marginal open tear to the rare leaf, not affecting text. Partially repaired with paper filling. New binding.

Sh. Halevy, no. 231.