The Maharsham’s Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah
With thousands of handwritten chiddushim and glosses 2 volumes
The Maharsham’s personal copy of Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah (Vienna, 1806) with thousands of handwritten comments, chiddushim and annotations that constitute the base of his famous work ‘Daas Torah’. The title page is autographed by: “Hak[atan] Shalom Mordechai Hakohein, A[v] B[eis] D[in of] K[ehillas] Brezhan.”
The sefer’s used condition attests that the Maharsham devoted countless hours over the course of many decades to studying from this volume of Shas. There is hardly a page in the entire sefer (including the Shach’s preface and index on the final pages) that does not feature an annotation, and the majority of pages are filled with his comments and chiddushim.
2 volumes
Rabbi Shalom Mordechai Hakohein Schwadron (1835 – 1911), renowned as the Maharsham, was Av Beis Din of Brezhan and one of the greatest poskim and meishivim of his era. He authored thousands of teshuvos, many of which were compiled into the monumental ten-volume Teshuvos Maharsham. Already during the Maharsham’s younger years, Rabbi Shlomo Kulger, author of ‘Sho’el U’meishiv’, and the Beis Yitzchak expressed that he would serve as their successor in writing teshuvos.
In addition to his Torah genius, he was a holy man and a miracle-worker, with many experiencing salvation through the blessings of the Kohen. He was closely connected to the great Chassidic masters: Rabbi Meir of Premishlan, the Sar Shalom of Belz, Rabbi Yitzchak Eizik of Ziditshov, and the righteous leaders of the Ruzhin dynasty, including the Rebbes of Chortkov and Husiatyn.
His written legacy includes ‘Shu”t Maharsham’, ‘Daas Torah’, ‘Giluy Daas’, ‘Mishpat Shalom’, ‘Darchei Shalom’ and others. To learn more about his personal history, see ‘Posek Hadoros’ (Jerusalem, 2023).
Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah. Vienna, 1808.
Page count: [1], 353 [2] leaves.
2 volumes
Page Size: 37 cm.
Condition: Used. Tear on right side of title page and on leaf 169. Holes and signs of worming. Bound in two identical new leather bindings.
The title page also bears the following inscription: “Property of the Rabbi and Gaon, leader of Diaspora Jewry Maran Rabbi Shalom Mordechai Hakohein, Av Beis Din of Brezhan and its environs…by his grandson Avraham Yakir Rubinstein son of the Rav and Av Beis Din of Lentchin." (The latter was the son-in-law of the Admor Imrei Yosef of Spinka and the Maharsham’s beloved grandson. Rabbi Avraham Rubinstein assisted his grandfather with editing his works.)
This precious sefer also passed to the author’s grandson Rabbi Shalom Schwadron, renowned maggid of Yerushalayim. At the beginning of the second volume is his handwritten signature, and between the pages of the book lies a handwritten page containing his chiddushim on the teachings of his grandfather.
