There are only a handful of halachic works that were accepted throughout the Jewish world, and are still studied generations after having been published. One author, R. Avraham Danzig (1748 – 1820), merited that several of his sefarim had become classics already in his lifetime. Born in Danzig (Gdansk, Poland of today), to a rabbinic family, R. Avraham studied in Prague under the Noda Beyehuda, R. Ezekiel Landau. He authored several important works, though the most widely known and used are his Chayei Adam and Chochmat Adam. It has been said that he chose these names as titles as a means to prevent a future author to write an abridged version of his books, as the name would be Kitzur Chayei and Chochmat Adam (The shortened life/wisdom of man). Despite this attempt, an abridged version was indeed published a generation later, with the title Kitzur Chayei Adam.
I recently acquired a fine copy of a first edition of his Chochmat Adam, published in Vilna in 1815. His Chayei Adam, published prior, did not contain any approbation. On this Chochmat Adam, the author writes that he feels that approbations in this day and age are superfluous; the book should speak for itself. Despite this, he writes, some ignorant people felt a need for an approbation. He thus follows with an approbation from his friend, R. Chaim Volozhiner, despite R. Chaim’s hesitance to give approbations to halachic works. The approbation appears unusually on the title page itself.
An unusual addition to the title page is the following statement:
Being that my published work, Chayei Adam and Nishmat Adam, were already accepted throughout the Jewish world, and I have sold out all copies, I give permission to anyone who might want to publish it again. This being on condition that they use my own notated copy with corrections and updates. Anyone who would feel so inclined shall write to me and I’ll gladly send them a copy of my notes at no charge.
On November 18, 1804, there occurred a gunpowder explosion in Vilna, resulting in 31 deaths and the resulting fire caused a massive loss of property. R. Avraham Danzig lost his home and possessions, but he and his family survived intact. Celebrating this miracle, R. Danzig in gratitude to G-d, set the 15th of Kislev as a fast day to commemorate the event, and the following day, a family holiday and day of thanksgiving. This celebration is still commemorated by some of his descendants to this day.
