This week, I had the distinct privilege of selling a rare volume titled Be’urim al Rashi, published in Venice in 1593, a work whose authorship remains shrouded in mystery to this very day. The book’s title page states that it was penned by none other than Rabbi Nathan ben Samson Shapiro (ca. 1490–1577), a towering figure in halachic scholarship and the head of the esteemed rabbinic court in Grodno. Rabbi Nathan was no stranger to the intricacies of Jewish law, having authored the influential Mevo She’arim, a work that laid the foundation for his enduring legacy. Yet it is Imrei Shefer, his super-commentary on Rashi’s Torah commentary, that has sparked much scholarly debate and intrigue over the centuries.
Imrei Shefer, a separate work by Rav Shapiro, was crafted as a defense of Rashi’s interpretations against the formidable critiques of Rabbi Eliyahu Mizrahi. The author’s deep commitment to preserving the authenticity of Rashi’s teachings shines through in this monumental work.
The book Imrei Shefer was printed in 1597, almost two decades after Rabbi Shapiro’s passing, under the careful supervision of his son, Rabbi Isaac Shapiro, in Lublin. Rabbi Isaac, who was a distinguished rabbi in his own right, was burdened with significant rabbinic responsibilities, which contributed to the delay in publishing Imrei Shefer. It was also during this interim time that a counterfeit work, this one titled Be’urim al Rashi, falsely attributed to Rabbi Nathan, was circulating among the Jewish communities.
In the introduction to Imrei Shefer, Rabbi Isaac addresses this imposter work, which had been printed a few years prior in Venice in 1593. Rabbi Isaac was quick to clarify that it was a forgery – one concocted by unscrupulous individuals who sought to profit from his father’s revered name. The sefer Be’urim, he claimed, was filled with errors and misguided teachings, and it had even earned the condemnation – an official cherem – of the Va’ad Arba Aratzos, the powerful Council of Four Lands, which had prohibited its sale.
What makes this episode particularly fascinating is the content of sefer Be’urim. The book included illustrations, such as a depiction of the Menorah, a map of the Land of Israel, and even biblical scenes like Jacob’s ladder and the spies carrying a cluster of grapes. While some scholars speculated that parts of this work may have originated from Rabbi Nathan’s students, or perhaps represented an early draft of Imrei Shefer, Rabbi Isaac’s unequivocal denunciation and the official ban left no doubt as to the opinion of the rabbis of the time: Sefer Be’urim was nothing more than a fraudulent attempt to undermine the legacy of his father.
Rabbi Nathan Shapiro’s profound influence on Polish Jewry and beyond is indisputable. His scholarship not only shaped halachic discourse but also positioned him as a contemporary of other great scholars such as Rabbi Shachna of Lublin, the teacher of the Rema and MaHarshal. In addition to Imrei Shefer, Rabbi Nathan’s Mevo She’arim (1574) was widely accepted as a cornerstone of halachic literature, solidifying his reputation as one of the preeminent halachic authorities of his time.
Rabbi Nathan’s intellectual legacy continued through his descendants, with his grandson, also named Nathan, later becoming the renowned author of Megaleh Amukot.
