Torat Zevach – Lemberg, 1848 – Copy of the Author Rabbi Shlomo Ganzfried Author of Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, with His ...

Torat Zevach – Lemberg, 1848 – Copy of the Author Rabbi Shlomo Ganzfried Author of Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, with His Signature and Glosses in Preparation for the Third Edition, and with Two Draft Leaves of the Composition in His Handwriting
Torat Zevach, laws of Shechita, Terefot and porging, by R. Shlomo Ganzfried author of Kitzur Shulchan Aruch. Lemberg (Lviv), 1848. First edition.
Wide-margined copy, previously owned by the author. His signature appears at the top of the title page: " Shlomo Ganzfried". Marginal emendations and glosses, handwritten by the author.
This copy, with the handwritten emendations of the author, served as basis for the third edition – Ungvar, 1869. The title page of the third edition states: "Reprinted with emendations from the author". Indications of this copy having been used in the printing press remain in several places: numerous ink stains; scores around sections of text on some leaves; "24" inscribed on leaf 39 (both sides) – corresponding with the beginning of gathering 24 in the third edition (see enclosed material).
In addition, two leaves (4 written pages) of the initial draft of this composition were bound in this copy (between leaves 5 and 6). The draft leaves are handwritten by the author, with many marginal and interlinear additions and emendations. These leaves include the text of the end of section 9 until the beginning of section 16, with variations compared to the printed version. At the beginning of section 14 (of the handwritten leaves), the author added: "Requires rearrangement".
R. Shlomo Ganzfried (1804-1886), son of R. Yosef (rabbi and posek in Ungvar). From the age of 8, with his father's untimely passing, he was raised by R. Tzvi Hirsh Heller (R. Hirshele Charif), author of Tiv Gittin (during that period, his condisciple was Rebbe Tzvi Hirsh Friedman of Liska, author of Ach Pri Tevua). R. Ganzfried's first book, Keset HaSofer, on the laws of scribal writing
of Torah scrolls, tefillin and mezuzot (Óbuda, 1834), earned the effusive approbation of the Chatam Sofer, who stated that no scribe should be ordained without demonstrating proficiency in this book. The Chatam Sofer even recorded his glosses to this book. R. Ganzfried at first avoided assuming a rabbinical position, earning a living through commerce, but when he lost his money, he agreed to serve as rabbi of Brezewitz (Brezovica). From 1850, he served as head of the Ungvar Beit Din, until his passing in 1886. He was a prominent leader of Hungarian Orthodox rabbinate.
He authored dozens of important works, including Torat Zevach, however he is best known for his Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, a clear summary of the Shulchan Aruch, printed in many editions since its first publishing in 1864 in Ungvar (Otzar Yisrael, New York, 1909, notes that up until that point, half a million copies had already been published, and according to the bibliographer Dr. Yitzchak Rivkind, over a million copies had been published by 1960).
Torat Zevach also became a basic book, reprinted in many editions. Apart from this first edition, it was reprinted in Lviv, 1860, and a third time (with emendations based on this copy), in Ungvar 1869. It was then printed in Zhitomir 1870, Lviv 1879, Munkacs 1893, and more.
[1], 46, [4] leaves (four leaves with a responsum from R. Shlomo Kluger and more, which were originally printed at the beginning of the book. In this copy, they were bound at the end, not in the correct order. It must be noted that in the third edition, the contents of these leaves appear at the end of the book) + [2] handwritten leaves (4 written pages). Lacking lower half of leaf 19. 26 cm. Wide margins. Fair condition. Stains, ink stains, wear, worming, tears and cuts, affecting text in some places. Many leaves professionally restored. New, elaborate gilt tooled leather binding.