Discovery!
Unknown Chidushim Revealed
Manuscript: Chiddushim of the Korban Nesanel on the Shas, with dozens of pages and hundreds of notations in his own handwriting.
A 160-leaf manuscript containing chiddushim on the Shas and Kuntres ‘Klalei HaShas’ from the author of ‘Korban Nesanel’, of which 30 pages were handwritten by the holy hand of the Korban Nesanel.
Throughout the manuscript are 150 hagahos (notations) handwritten by the Korban Nesanel.
On the front flyleaf is a long sacred autograph of Rabbi Nesanel Weil, Av Beis Din of Karlsruhe and author of ‘Korban Nesanel’:
“This sefer [encompasses] chiddushei halachah and disputes of the sages that Hashem granted to me, Nesanel Weil Ashkenazi of Prague, presently Av Beis Din of the holy congregation of Karlsruhe, province of Dorlech and province of Baden.”
The actual chiddushim were copied, presumably by a family member or talmid, but the leaves and supplements were inscribed by the holy hand of the Korban Nesanel. The handwriting in the margins was professionally examined and found to be a perfect match to Rabbi Nesanel Weil’s handwriting.
The manuscript contains new and unpublished material from the Korban Nesanel, including chiddushim on Maseches Bava Kama as well as several on Menachos, Zevachim, Avodah Zarah, and Niddah.
These chiddushim were never included in the printed sefarim ‘Minchas Nesanel’ (Bilgoraj, 1931) and’ Korban Nesanel al HaShas’ (Jerusalem, 1995), which were based on earlier editions of the Korban Nesanel’s writings.
Additionally, of the chiddushim that do appear in these sefarim, there are many significant variations in this manuscript to the printed editions. For example, several of the chiddushim in the printed sefer end with the note “tzarich iyun” but are resolved in the present manuscript.
Moreover, this manuscript contains a newly discovered booklet called "Klalei HaShas", encompassing 28 principles that apply to all sugyos in Shas. The content in this booklet has never appeared in a different source and has never been printed.
A groundbreaking and remarkable manuscript of great importance.
The Korban Nesanel’s son Rabbi Yedidya Tia Weil writes of his father’s written legacy on Shas: “We have with us handwritten chiddushim and sharp pilpul on the majority of Shas.” (Shnot Dor Vador vol. 6 p. 129)
Rabbi Nesanel Weil (1687-1769), Av Beis Din of Karlsruhe, a descendant of Mahar”i Weil, was one of the greatest Torah luminaries in the era of Achronim. He was the prime disciple of Rabbi Avraham Broide who loved him as a son and arranged his marriage to his niece. He lived and taught Torah in Prague until the expulsion of Jews from Bohemia in 1845, when he was appointed Rabbi in Germany, first in the Black Forest region and subsequently in Karlsruhe.
Rabbi Nesanel was a genius in both the revealed and hidden Torah and was fluent in the writings of the Arizal. He is widely called after his sefer ‘Korban Nesanel’, a fundamental work on the Rosh which was highly praised by his contemporary Achronim. His commentary was printed in the Kapost edition of Shas, then in the Vilna edition, and it has since become an inseparable part of Shas.
Other sefarim by Rabbi Nesanel Weil include ‘Toras Nesanel’ (Furth, 1895) which encompasses shailos and teshuvos and an assortment of drashos; ‘Nesiv Chaim’ (Furth 1879) on Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim; and ‘Minchas Nesanel’ on Shas Moed and Nashim (Bilgoraj, 1937).
One example of the great praises that Achronim showered upon Rabbi Nesanel Weil and his sefarim are the words of the Avnei Nezer who inscribed, “The sefer ‘Korban Nesanel’ is very dear to me, for I heard from my honored father-in-law [Rabbi Menachem Mendel of] Kotzk great praises upon this sefer.”
The Chiddushim
Rabbi Nesanel devoted many years and untold efforts into authoring his chiddushim, both the earlier and later editions. His earliest chiddushim date back to his years studying by his Rebbe, Rabbi Avraham Broide (see Klalei HaShas p. 215a: “All my days I served the Gaon…” and ibid p. 214b “I heard from my master Mori v’Rabbi…”).
Throughout the years, he frequently added, erased, edited and amended his chiddushim. Leaf 131, for example, states: “And now the chiddushim of Maharamash were reprinted.” (This refers to Chiddushei Maharam Schiff on Gittin, which were printed in 1836).
Other examples appearing on leaf 51a state, “In the year 1747, when I was in the holy congregation of Miringen teaching Torah…Hashem illuminated my eyes” and leaf 77a, “And this year, 5519 [1759], I saw in the first chapter in the Rosh…”
In Several of his annotations he notes that the chiddushim also appear in his chiddushim on the Rosh. Sometimes he even refers to them as “chiddushim of the Rosh” (53a, 126a), indicating that he inscribed these glosses even before naming his sefer ‘Korban Nesanel’. This is in contrast to chiddushim that he authored at a later time, when he does reference his chiddushim on the Rosh as Korban Nesanel) (see for example 4b, 11b, 35b and more).
On Leaf 95a, he writes, “See the entire sugya in the sefer that was reprinted from my master and teacher the Gaon Harav Avraham Broide” Additionally, in several places where he quotes from his Rebbe, the Gaon Rabbi Avraham Broide, he noted in the margin "already printed in Ashel Avraham" – printed in the year 1747" (28b, 97b, and others).
Citations
In both his chiddushim and Klalei HaShas, the Korban Nesanel frequently cites teachings that he heard from his Rebbi Rabbi Avraham Broide and from Rabbi Shmuel Krakauer, who was one of the contemporary students of Rabbi Broide and the one who urged him to author and print his sefer ‘Korban Nesanel’. On leaf 51a, he copies a passage from a letter that Rabbi Shmuel Krakauer sent to their Rebbi Rabbi Avraham Broide. He also cites a point that he heard from Rabbi Shmuel (57b, bottom line).
The Korban Nesanel also quotes different kushyos that he was asked by his sons Rabbi Yedidya Tia (47a, 154b) and Rabbi Lipman (37a, 129b).
Editions
As aforementioned, the Korban Nesanel authored his chiddushim in several editions, and there are several indications that the present edition is from his latter works. One example is that in the sefer ‘Minchas Nesanel’, he refers to his son as the “bachur Yedidya” whereas in the present manuscript (154b), he writes “my son Moreinu Harav Tia” (see similarly on leaf 20a).
In summary, this is a large manuscript with important, newly-discovered writings of chiddushim of the Korban Nesanel, of them some thirty pages and over 150 annotations and supplements in his holy hand.
Page Count: [160] handwritten leaves (+3 handwritten leaves of varying sizes that were inserted into the pages of the manuscript).
Page Size: 21X33 cm.
Condition: Good with worn original binding and new spine.
Provenance: The flyleaf contains a handwritten, autographed note by Rabbi Menachem Mendel Kirschenbaum Hy”d, Av Beis Din of Frankfurt and author of ‘Shu”t Menachem Meishiv’, that the manuscript was received in Frankfurt in 1939.
