Pri Shmuel by Rabbi Shmuel Shmelke. Autograph. [1868]. Never Printed

Pri Shmuel in the hand of Rabbi Shmuel Shmelke son of Dov Weintraub of Jozefow. 1868, autograph. Never printed.

Deep and expansive commentary on the Tur and Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim through siman 48. Titles follow the simanim in the Shulchan Aruch. The work begins with a poem with an acrostic of the author’s name, followed by a lengthy introduction in which the author notes that he wrote the work in 1868 in Jozefow.

Rabbi Shmuel Shmelke moved to Jerusalem at the end of his life and was one of its noted sages. He authored a number of works including Bikurei Shmuel on Proverbs, Jerusalem, 1882; Invei Shmuel on Tractate Avot, Jerusalem, 1883; Milchemet Shmuel Neged Dat HaNotzrim was published in 1900 posthumously. [He signed all his works with the initials בהר”ד. The National Library and the Bibliography of the Hebrew Book list his father’s name as David. However, in this work, he signs his full name - with his father’s name as Dov.] His Pri Shmuel commentary on the Torah was lost.

About 250 pages. Ink on paper. 20×15 cm. Small Ashkenazi hand, crowded and clear. Marginal erasures and additions

Very fine condition. New, half-leather binding.