Tzvi Shimon Album. Divrei Emeth, Part I [polemic]. FIRST EDITION.

(AMERICAN JUDAICA).

L. Meites

Chicago

1904

[Goldman, 1129].

Concerns a polemic between the Author and R. Jacob David Willowsky, (Ridva”z) over the seemingly lax state of Kashruth supervision in Chicago. The present work is Rabbi Album’s defense, especially against the Ridva”z’s personal attacks recorded in his earlier work Nimukei Ridva”z in which he questioned R. Album’s rabbinic credentials. Album (original name Katzenellenbogen), an alumnus of the famed Volozhin Yeshivah, asserts here that his family pedigree dates back to the Mahara”l of Prague and therefore the Ridva”z’s comments directly impugn the majesty of such greats! He states “the fingernails of my holy forbearers are better than the whole body of the Ridva”z who insulted them in public.” As for the Ridva”z’s accusations, Album published here a facsimile of a document, endorsed by the Ridva”z on his personal stationary, that would seemingly exonerate Album over the Kashruth matter (see pp. 50-51). The Ridva”z was the founder of the eminent Yeshivah in Slutzk, Russia, that was headed by R. Isser Zalman Meltzer. In 1903 he traveled to America in order to finance the publication of his commentary on the Jerusalem Talmud, whereupon he was appointed Chief Rabbi of Chicago. He later emigrated to Safed.