Responsa of the Rif. Livorno, 1804. First edition of the important and fundamental book – responsa of the Rif, printed by Avraham Yitzchak Kashtilo and Eliezer Saadon, copy of Admor Rabbi Simcha Binam of Atwock.
Many owner’s stamps of the Rebbe “Simcha Benom Rayawski Bialarzig of Atwacz”, few unidentified glosses [probably late].
The Admor Rabbi Simcha Bunim Kalish (1851-1917), son of Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Vorka and brother of the Admor of Skarnevich. Served in Admorim from 1868 at the age of 17 only. In 1886, when his father died, most of his father’s disciples adhered to his disciple Rabbi Dov Berish of Biala, but some of his father’s followers adhered to the young Rabbi Simcha Bunim and received him as Admor. Rabbi Bunim accepted their request and recommended the verse:”בן שבע עשרה שנים היה רועה את אחיו”.
Rabbi Kalish stood out with uncompromising zeal, he forbade his followers any sign of modernization, and fought fiercely against the spirit of renewal. He was careful to wait between eating meat and milk for 24 hours, and his severity was known on Pesach, such as the special apartment he had for the Passover holiday, with all the furniture and utensils, and even the clothes for the Passover holiday, and throughout the year the apartment was locked. It is also told that he was very meticulous about the severity of baking matzot, and despite all his severity he would eat only the “kezayit” matza that must be eaten at the Seder night only. He also ate food only from slaughtering his special shochet, and wherever he went, he took his shochet with him and all his eating utensils, and ordered the shochet to inspect his knife before every slaughter, except for the inspection that must be checked every day. His many grammings were made out of the love of the mitzva.
Rabbi Simcha built very friendly relations, including the Admor of Sochaczew, the owner of the Avni Nezer, the Admor of Gur, the ‘Sefat Emet’, the Gaon of Kutna Rabbi Yisroel Yehoshua Trunk, his cousin Rebbe Menachem of Amshinov, the Admor of Biala,the ‘Divrey bina’
In 1888 he immigrated to Eretz Israel from which he was expelled after two years by the Turkish authorities. On his return to Poland, his followers set up a beit midrash in the resort town of Otwock, near Warsaw, and after that he became famous. At the end of his life he returned to Israel and settled in Tiberias, where he was deceased.
At the beginning of the book, Consent to the book of the Chida and Rabbis of Livorno and Rabbeni Moduna.
[4], 53 leaves. condition: modrerate – fine. Moisture marks. New cover with gilt lettering.
