Sha’agath Aryeh [Talmudic novellae and responsa].

GUNZBERG, ARYEH-LEIB

Professor Grilla

Frankfurt an der Oder

1756

Vinograd, Frankfurt a/Oder 323.

The author (c. 1695-1785), was the foremost Lithuanian Talmudic scholar of his generation. He was praised by men of such stature as the Vilna Gaon and R. Chaim of Volozhin - who was his disciple. David Metzger states in the introduction to the Jerusalem 2002 edition that there are two variants of this first edition. One which had only 89 leaves containing 103 responsa (which was the version used by R. Akiva Eger as he cites no. 103 as the last responsa); and a more complete version with 93 leaves and an additional four responsa, plus a table of corrections on the last page (see p. 20 n. 35 of the introduction). The present copy is complete with the table of corrections. Of historical value is also the Sha’agath Aryeh’s blessings to the various community leaders of Frankfurt a/ Oder who supported and helped finance this publication (see f. 93a). This paragraph was omitted from subsequent editions.