Sefer Derech Hamelech. First edition, Lemberg 1892-1894. Two parts in one volume.
Signed on the title page "Hakatan Shalom Mordechai HaKohen Rabbi of Berezhany"
Last page has a few words in his holy hand "Turn over this page for good [ending]"
The famous Gaon the Maharsham – Rabbi Shalom Mordechai HaKohen Schwadron (1835-1911), was the supreme Halachic authority in his generation, foremost posek in Galicia and beyond. From all over Russia-Poland and Hungary, difficult questions were addressed to him for his ruling. He served as rabbi of Zolotyi Potik, Yazlovets and Berezhany. A chassid, he was close to the Rebbes of Belz, Zidichov, Stretin and Chortkov. As a young boy, he received personal guidance from Rebbe Meir of Premishlan. Since his childhood, he toiled in Torah with outstanding diligence, and attached himself with utter devotion to the ways of Torah and Chassidism.
While he was yet young, the author of Sho’el U’Meishiv already saw him as his successor in his method of halachic rulings. It was related by the elder Chassidim, because his rabbi, the Sar Shalom of Belz, instructed him that due to his being considered the greatest expert of his generation, he was to utilize ‘the power of permission, ‘ that is, to rule according to the lenient opinion, in order to ease matters for the Jewish people. His ruling to rely on machine-made matzah on Passover, despite his being a member of the Chassidic community, stood out.
In the period following his wedding, he opened a store, yet just whilst sitting there he managed to review the four parts of Shulchan Aruch four hundred times (!). After a while, he began serving in the rabbinate, and Rabbi Shlomo Kluger accorded him an effusive ordination, writing: "… although I am not accustomed to accord rabbinic ordinations for undisclosed considerations, this rabbi does not need my sanction, and he may issue Torah rulings just like renowned, leading Torah scholars, and be relied upon in any matter…". The Minchat Chinuch also wrote him an interesting approbation: "The young author exhibits exceptional prowess and proficiency in Torah learning, and we have already aged…". Although he was primarily renowned for his eminence in Torah and Halacha, the foreword to his book Techelet Mordechai on the Torah relates many wondrous accounts of Heavenly revelations he was privy to, and of salvations and recoveries he engendered
He composed dozens of works, including: Shu"t Maharsha"m (six volumes with over 2300 responsa), Da’at Torah, Shu"t Darkei Shalom, Mishpat Shalom, Techelet Mordechai and others.
Most of the volume is in good condition, first 4 pages with crude tape repairs & tears, later binding.
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