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Four works, by three authors, printed in 1910, bound together. The first book is Hilkhatat le-Mishikhah by R. Binyamin ben David ha-Levi Balzak. The title page descibes it as being about the future redemption. Hilkhatat le-Mishikhah, om the messianic era, bvegins with an introduction form the author followed by the text which is in the form of three she’elot and lenghty responsa on the book’s subject matter. It also deals with the issue of Zionism and includes a call from R. Hbalzak to support the setttlements in the Holy Land. The second title, Torat ha-Adam, also by R. Balzak, is a related work in two parts, the first entitled Har Sinai, the second Har Carmel. It has approbations from R. Solomon ha-Kohen Aronson; and R. Menahem Mendel, both of Kiev; R. Hayyim ben Alexander Sussking; R. David ben Naphtali Ginsburg; and R. Isaac Dovber Markan. Torat ha-Adam is a defense of Judaism according to the words of the sages and a refutation of Christianity.
The third title is Kenneset Yisrael and Haderet Yisrael by R. Israel Jacob ben Abraham ha-Kohen Yoffey (1874-1934). Kenneset Yisrael is discourses on the material and spiritual condition of the Jewish people during their exile in different periods from the time they were expelled from their land until the present. While addressing this subject R. Yoffe explains many wsayings of the sages in the manner of peshat (literal interpretation). R. Yoffe, son-in-law of R. Joseph ben Moses Yoffe, was born in Ukmerge. He succeeded his father-in-law as rabbi of the Central Synagogue at the age of 23. He founded the Manchester yeshivah and revitalized the talmud torah. Together with R. H. Hurwitz of Leeds he organized in 1911 the first conference in England of Eastern European rabbis, with the aim of uniting them. He also convened the first conference of religious Zionists in England (1918), becoming one of the leaders of the Mizrachi movement. He died in Alexandria, Egypt, on the way to Erez Israel. In addition to Keneset Yisrael he also wrote Tehiyyat Yisrael (1927), and Shofar Yisrael (1931).
The fourth title is ha-Ga’ot Lebi by R. Isaac Yavarkavski. It is comprised of the discourses he delivered on Shabbat and festivals in Bialystok. |
