Long Gloss in the Maharshal's Own Handwriting

Long Gloss in the Maharshal's Own Handwriting
A leaf from the Mizrachi commentary [by Rabbi Eliyahu Mizrachi – the Re'em] on Rashi's commentary on the Torah. Venice, 1527. With a long gloss [5 lines] in the handwriting of Rabbi Shlomo Luria – the Maharshal.
The Maharshal – Rabbi Shlomo Luria (c. 1510-1573, Otzar HaRabbanim 18496), Rabbi of Lublin. One of the spiritual giants of Polish Jewry at the beginning of the period called Achronim. Belongs to the generation of Torah scholars such as Maran Beit Yosef, the Rama and the Arizal. A leading Torah authority and Talmud commentator. Lived in Brisk, Lithuania and in Ostroh where he taught Torah. After Rabbi Shalom Shachna Rabbi of Lublin died, was appointed Rabbi of the city and head of the yeshiva. With his Torah authority and hundreds of disciples, he established the largest Torah center in Poland and its surroundings. Many of his generation's leaders and the rabbis of Polish communities were his disciples. Among them are Rabbi Yehoshua Falk HaCohen author of the Sma, Rabbi Shlomo Efraim of Łęczyca author of the Kli Yakar commentary, Rabbi Chaim of Freidberg brother of the Maharal of Prague, Rabbi Eliyahu Ba'al Shem of Chelm, Rabbi Binyamin Selnik author of Masat Binyamin responsa, Rabbi Moshe Meth of Przemyśl author of Mateh Moshe, and the Holy Shla.
The leading Torah leaders of his generation and following generations testified to his greatness and his enormous impact. The Rama, his friend and relative was also a leader of Polish Jewry at that time and a head of a large yeshiva in his native city of Cracow. The two had halachic responsa connections which at times developed into sharp polemics, but at the same time, the Rama revered the Maharshal and self-deprecated himself before him. The Rama wrote, "it is fitting to rely on him as if his words were from Moses who learned from the mouth of G-d". In the following generation, Rabbi Ya'ir, author of Chavat Ya'ir, wrote of his greatness: "It has already been said of the Maharshal that if Torah had been forgotten from Israel, he would bring it back with his ability to study Torah", and "From Shlomo to Shlomo, no one like Shlomo arose".
His renowned work, Yam Shel Shlomo is used as a kind of halachic summary of the Talmud tractates [only writings on some of the tractates survived]. Moreover, he wrote glosses and explanations on the Talmud. Glosses of his version appear in the Talmud editions, some were incorporated into the text of the Talmud itself. His commentary on the tractates is printed in Talmud editions [beside the Maharsha novellae] and is called Chochmat Shlomo. He also wrote halachic responses and more compositions on revealed and hidden parts of Torah.
His glosses on the book of Mizrachi were printed in Yeri'ot Shlomo, Prague 1609, and became a basis for the other commentators on Rashi.
This leaf is from Parshat Metzorah, with five lines written in the Maharshal's own handwriting: "There are those who ask, why does the leper bring birds to purify the houses in the week before it was cured…". This gloss was printed in the book Yeri'ot Shlomo [Prague 1609, page 29].
Leaf, 29 cm. Good condition, stains. Several restored moth holes. Bound with new elaborate leather binding.
Enclosed is an expert’s authorization, identifying the Maharshal’s handwriting.