Sefer Machazeh Avraham (pilpul). First edition, Cluj, 1923. With a letter signed by the publisher, the author’s son ...

Sefer Machazeh Avraham (pilpul). First edition, Cluj, 1923. With a letter signed by the publisher, the author’s son, Rabbi Yaakov Schechter of Manchester.

Machazeh Avraham, 170 interesting riddles and interesting heichi timtzi, pilpulim in divrei torah, by Rabbi Avraham Schechter, the Rabbi of Promoshika-Botoshan, Romania. They appear as a dialogue between a rabbi and student. With additional notes “Likkutei Yaakov” by the author’s son, who brought the work to the publisher, Rabbi Yaakov Shechter, Rabbi of Manchester. First edition, Klausenberg (Cluj). [1], 205, [3] leaves.

At the beginning is a pretty but complicated poem from the author, which can be read either normally or in reverse. Important approbations from the geonim: Rav Kook, Rabbi Mordechai Epstein of Slobodka-Hevron, Rabbi Meir Shapira of Lublin, whem he was in the Pietrekov rabbinate.

Binding detached, overall good condition.

The back of the approbations page has a stamp from the author’s son, Rabbi Yaakov Schechter: “Yaakov Schechter, Rabbi in Manchester”, with the Star of David. There are also two letters on his official letterhead, one in English, in which he certifies with his signature that he received payment for the books.

Rabbi Yaakov Schechter (1887-1972) was the author’s son, Chief Rabbi of Northern Ireland (he replaced Israel’s Chief Rabbi Yitzhak HaLevi Herzog). Before that, in 1920 he moved from Romania to England, where he served as Rabbi of Manchester for a community of Romanian immigrants. He was a Zionist through and through, and stood out for his Zionist educational work. He wrote many books and published his father’s writings, and translated sifrei kodesh into English.