Alphei Menashe [philosophy and novellae on the Talmud]

A child prodigy, R. Menasheh of Ilya (1767-1831), was an enigmatic personality who became well acquainted with the Vilna Gaon whom he held in the highest esteem. In this work R. Menasheh cites the Vilna Gaon a number of times. See especially f. 38b: “I heard from the holy mouth of the Gaon… if not for him, Torah would have been long forgotten from Israel… Even with his great sharpness and erudition he [the Gaon] paid attention to even the simplest of matters, seeking to provide explanations of the greatest clarity.” For an important discussion of the life and works of R. Menasheh of Ilya see D. Kaminetsky, “HaGaon R. Menasheh Me’Ilya” in Yeshurun Vol. XX, pp. 729-81, where he takes issue with M. Plungian in his work Ben Porath, (Vilna, 1859), asserting that Plungian deliberately painted an inaccurate portrait of the personality of R. Menasheh. See also A. Kosman, Pesher Davar LeRabbi Menasheh Me’Ilya, Talmid HaGra, in: Yeshurun, Vol. V pp. 191-203.