Sefer HaTishbi - Copy of Rabbi Meir Shapiro of Lublin, Founder of the Daf HaYomi - Copy which also Belonged to His ...

Sefer HaTishbi - Copy of Rabbi Meir Shapiro of Lublin, Founder of the Daf HaYomi - Copy which also Belonged to His Matchmaker, Rabbi Menachem Manish Gold, the Maggid of Tarnopol
Sefer HaTishbi, by R. Eliyahu Bachur, with the Raglei Mevaser commentary, by R. Eliezer son of R. Menachem Shmuel Herstik. Marmaroschsiget (Sighet, Sighetu Marmației), [ca. 1910].
Copy of R. Meir Shapiro of Lublin, dean of the Chachmei Lublin yeshiva and founder of the Daf HaYomi. The front and back endpapers bear several ownership inscriptions indicating that the book belongs to him, including mention of the various towns where he served as rabbi - Galina, Sanok, Lublin. On the title page, two of his personal stamps: "Meir Shapiro, rabbi and dean of Piotrkow". Stamps of the Yeshivat Chachmei Lublin library on the title page and in other places.
This copy also belonged to R. Menachem Manish Gold, whose stamps appear in several places in the book: "Menachem Manish Gold - maggid in Tarnopol". R. Menachem Manish Gold, posek and maggid in Tarnopol, played a part in arranging R. Meir Shapiro's match, when he travelled from Tarnopol to Shotz (Suceava) - R. Meir Shapiro's hometown, to examine him and assess his character, on behalf of his future father-in-law, the wealthy R. Yaakov David Breitman.
This story is retold in great detail in the memoirs of Dr. Mordechai Rosner, a resident of Tarnopol in those days. He first describes how rumors spread of the existence of an exceptional genius - "the Ilui of Shotz", who could defeat with his pilpul leading elder rabbis, such as the Beit Yitzchak of Lviv and the Maharsham of Berezhany. One day, Rosner relates in his memoirs, surprising news spread through Tarnopol - the rebbe would shortly be travelling to Shotz, to examine this young genius. He would be doing this on behalf of the wealthy R. Yaakov Breitman, whose daughter was suggested for this genius. R. Manish Gold, who was a posek and maggid in Tarnopol, was renowned amongst the Torah scholars of Galicia as an outstanding Torah scholar, well-versed in Talmud and Halachic literature, an excellent researcher who studied with great depth. This was R. Menachem Manish's impression of the young R. Meir Shapiro, as he related it to Rosner and his friends, the young yeshiva students in Tarnopol: "What I saw in Shotz… greatly surpasses what I imagined. It did not occur to me that it would be possible to find in our lowly generation, such an exceptionally learned person, entirely devoted to Torah. In the two days and nights I spent in his house, I often felt that I was living in the times of R. Yaakov Pollack, creator of pilpul… fortunate is the eye who witnessed all this…" (Mordechai Rosner, excerpts of memoirs, in: Sefer HaYovel L'Rabbi Meir Shapiro MiLublin, Lodz 1930 - during the lifetime of R. Meir Shapiro, pp. 214-216). This book first belonged to R. Menachem Manish Gold, who later gave it to R. Meir Shapiro, presumably during his stay in Tarnopol, while being supported by his father-in-law.
R. Meir Shapiro (1887-1933), rabbi of Piotrkow and Lublin, dean of the Chachmei Lublin yeshiva and initiator of the Daf HaYomi, one of the founders of Agudat Yisrael and leading rabbi in his times. He was one of the youngest and most dominant rabbis in the Moetzet Gedolei HaTorah. One of the most renowned figures in recent times. A yeshiva dean, sharp and witty, an outstanding scholar in Halacha and Aggadah. A chassid closely attached to his rebbes. An excellent orator, and extremely accomplished person. An active and dynamic communal worker, a member of the Polish Sejm. Always full of grace, his conduct was regal. R. Meir passed away without leaving any offspring, yet he himself would say that he has two children - the first being the Daf HaYomi, and the second - the Chachmei Lublin yeshiva.
48 pages, 96 leaves. 19 cm. Good condition. Stains. Remnants of paper glued to title page. Stamps and inscriptions. Old binding, damaged.