Saturday, January 16, 2010

You won't see this sort of thing much anymore; Litvish rabbinic approbations in a Karaite's magnum opus.

Below are some images from the book Avne Zikaron (Vilna, 1872) by the notable Karaite scholar Abraham Firkowicz.

Title page:

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The author (1786-1874):

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The book included facsimiles of medieval Crimean tombstones. Here's a sample:

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The subscriber list includes R. Shmuel Strashun (the Rashash):



and among the approbations is the following letter from R. Raphael Nathan Nata Rabbinowich, compiler/ author of Didkduke Sofrim (incl. Maamar al ha-defasat ha-Talmud):

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There's even one from a Soloveitchik, this one with a famous family first name:

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