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Lot 148:

Complete Drush Handwritten by the Gaon Rabbi Meir Av Beis Din of Constantine, the Son of the Yavetz Who Corresponded with the Baal Shem Tov Hakadosh on Halacha

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Complete Drush handwritten by the Gaon Rabbi Meir, Av Beis Din of Constantine-Yashan (Starokostiantyniv), the Son of the Ya’avetz, and with his handwritten signature, the only person in the world known to have corresponded with the Baal Shem Tov Hakadosh on Halacha.


Written on verso of the leaf “Greetings to my beloved master, my father the Rabbi Yaakov” – apparently, the Drush was sent to his father, Gedol Hador Rabbi Yaakov Emden, and the Gaon Rabbi Meir made note of that. 

The Drush is complete, dealing with an elucidation of the words of the Torat Cohanim on Parashat Tazri’a. It was printed in his Sefer ‘Hama’or Hagadol’, §II, pp. 292-294 and p. 271. 

The Gaon Rabbi Meir Ashkenazi (1717?-1798), the eldest son of the Ya’avetz (and brother-in-law of the ‘Merkevet Hamishne’ on the Rambam). Served as Av Beis Din of Old-Constantine [Starokostiantyniv, Vohlin state] from 1743 till his passing in 1798. Was a leading contemporary Meishiv. Was known as an immense Matmid and had vast knowledge of Shas and Poskim. He would complete Shas three times a year.

He had a close and mutual friendship and admiration with Or Shivat Hayamim, the Baal Shem Tov. There is a famed question sent by Maran the Baal Shem Tov to Rabbi Meir about a lung that was rendered Kosher by a Moreh Tzeddek of Mezhibuzh, contrary to the ruling of the Rema. The Baal Shem Tov refers to him in the request as “The great light, may his candle shine, his honorable, holy name is exalted, Moreinu Harav Meir” (Printed in Responsa ‘Mayim Chayim’ by his grandson, the Gaon Rabbi Chaim HaKohen Rapaport, Yoreh De’a, §27). The ‘Toldos’ regarded him with such fear and awe that he said regarding him: “My master and Rebbe the Baal Shem Tov could go to him, but I cannot.”  

[1] pg. written on one side; on the other, the addressee’s name. Fair condition. Stains and wear. Tears to edges. 

Measurement: 20 CM