AI Summary
5 min read“Borrow it again and again he doesn't return it.” That’s how Rav Reich Bower, a prominent contemporary figure, treated his copy of the sefer Darkei Ein by Rav Naftali Viyershuver. He kept borrowing it and not giving it back. That demand, and the fact that the sefer had been out of print for years, is what drove Sruly Singer, an anekal (antiquarian bookseller), to republish it with his father. The result is a new, well-annotated edition of a work that captures the voice of a pre-war Polish Torah personality who is both obscure and deeply relatable.
Who Was Rav Naftali Viyershuver?
Rav Naftali Viyershuver (1850–1930) is a figure who can be easily confused by name. He is often called “Varshever” because he lived most of his life in Warsaw, but his actual surname comes from the small town of Viyershev, where he served as Rav for six years. He then moved to Warsaw, living on Twarda Street—the same street as the Aviamush Poch, a famous Warsaw landmark—and remained there for the rest of his life. He was buried in Warsaw in 1930 at age 80.
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What you'll learn
- 1 (00:02) **Episode Introduction & Guest Background** - Naki Weinstein introduces guest Sruly Singer, an anekal who republished the sefer *Saver Dark Ein* by Rav Naftali Viyershuver (also known as the Varshever or Viyershuver).
- 2 (02:21) **Clarifying the Name and Biography of Rav Naftali Viyershuver** - The guest clarifies the name, noting he is called Viyershuver after his first rabbanus in Viyershov, not Warsaw (Varsha), where he later lived.
- 3 (07:01) **The Sefer's Personality and Historical Context** - The sefer reveals Rav Naftali's personality and the pre-war era, which the guest finds highly relatable as the "last door of the yeshivas before the war."
- 4 (09:08) **Stories from the Toldos Section** - The guest shares a story from the toldos about Rav Naftali in Karlsbad, where he wanted to serve Rav Avraham Steinberg (author of *Marz Afraum*).
- 5 (11:41) **First Section: Commentary on Tefillah** - The sefer begins with a *peirush* (commentary) on the *feil* (prayer), specifically on *Ritzai* in the Shemoneh Esrei.
- 6 (13:01) **Second Section: Maamarei Mussar** - The next major section is a collection of *maamarei mussar* (ethical discourses).
- 7 (13:30) **Third Section: The Mikatavim (Letters)** - This extensive section includes around 40-50 letters, many of which survived the war, particularly those sent to Rav Chaim Sonnenfeld.
+ Full timestamped outline available in the app
Show Notes
#473
> To purchase the sefer: https://judaicaplaza.com/collections/new-hebrew-seforim/products/ssing-001
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