Magen Avot, Chassidic essays on the Torah portions and the festivals, Shir HaShirim, selections on Neviim and Ketuvim and wedding homilies, by Rebbe Shlomo Zalman Schneersohn of Kopust, grandson and close disciple of the Tzemach Tzedek of Lubavitch. Berditchev (Berdychiv): Hayyim Ya'akov Sheftil, 1902. First edition. Complete set; seven parts in two volumes; two title pages for each volume.

The first six parts comprise essays printed from Rebbe Shlomo Zalman Schneersohn's manuscripts. Part VII is composed of sermons, taken down by the author's disciples ("Shomim Muvhakim"), edited and corrected by him.

Ownership inscription to front endpaper of vol. I. 

Seven parts in two volumes.

* Volume I (Bereshit, Shemot, Vayikra and BaMidbar): [4], 48 ff.; [2], 57 ff.; [2], 50 ff.; [2], 80, [2] ff.

* Volume II (Devarim, Shir HaShirim, selections and wedding homilies, and essays recorded by the author's listeners): [2], 105, [1] ff.; [2], 49 ff.; [2], 74, [1] ff.; 15 ff.

Approx. 30.5-32 cm. Good condition. Stains, including dark stains. Creases and minor wear. Tears and minor worming. New matching bindings.

PLEASE NOTE: Item descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to the Hebrew text.

Hilchot Rav Alfas. Pressburg: Anton Schmidt, 1836. Two parts in one volume; separate title page to each part; parts of title pages printed in red ink.

Large elegant wide-margined volume; thick paper. Frontispiece portrait (imaginary) of R. Yitzchak Alfasi – the Rif. Approbations by the Chatam Sofer, Rabbi Akiva Eiger and the Yismach Moshe. Handwritten Glosses.

Between leaves 75-76, before "Hilchot Tzitzit", is bound a part of "Hagaot VeHearot" on the Alfasi, by Rabbi Shneur Zalman Schneersohn, author of the "Nimukei Shazbani". Jerusalem: Rabbi Yisrael Bak, [1865]. With the author's inked-stamp on the margins of the first page. See: Shoshana Halevi, Sifrei Yerushalayim HaRishhonim, no. 111, p. 50 (Hebrew).

13 leaves after leaf [86] contain "Beur Mordechai", by Rabbi Mordecai Bennet; these leaves are not listed in the Bibliography of the Hebrew Book (which raises the possibility that they were never printed at all).

Two parts in one volume: * Part I: [6], 3-86; [2], 2-13; [2], 103 ff. + [1] plate (portrait of the Rif). * Kuntres Hagaot veHearot (bound between leaves 75-76): 2 ff. (lacking two additional leaves) * Part II: [3], 2-89, [1], 90-132, [1] ff.

Approx. 43 cm. Good condition. Minor stains. Minor creases. Minor marginal tears to some leaves. Stamp to margin of title page of part I. Original leather binding (with new spine). Defects to bindings.

Rabbi Shneur Zalman son of Rabbi Nachum Yosef.Schneerson (ca. 1828-1882), the "Nimukei Shazbani". Third generation to the Alter Rebbe, the Baal HaTanya – eldest son to Rebbetzin Sarah Rivka, eldest daughter of Rabbi Moshe, the son of the Alter Rebbe. Born in Lubavitch, the "Nimukei Shazbani" emigrated to Hebron alongside Rebbetzin Menucha Rochel Slonim.

Rabbi Schneur Zalman was a prominent Chassid of his relative, the Tzemach Tzedek of Lubavitch. An important member of the Chabad community of Jerusalem, Rabbi Schneur Zalman served as Shadar (fund raising emissary) and as the manager of Colel Chabad, and was a Torah scholar and author, and a passionate collector of books and manuscripts. Rabbi Shneur Zalman eventually purchased the library of the Chida, and published several ancient manuscripts found in it. He made his living as a proofreader at R. Moshe Beck's famous Jerusalem printing house, and published several books, among them "Sefer Nimukei Shazbani", glosses and commentary on Rabbi Alfasi, and more.

Beit Aharon VeHosafot, references to the Talmud, Chazal literature, books of Kabbalah and Chabad Chassidut, following the order of the verses of the Bible, by R. Avraham David Lavut, Rabbi of Nikolayev. Vilna: Yehuda Leib Mac, 1880. Only edition.

The author's signature and stamp, and approbation of rebbe Maharash of Lubavitch, on leaf [2\1].

R. Avraham David Lavut (1815-1890; forefather of the Lubavitcher Rebbe), Rabbi of Nikolayev and a prominent Chabad Rabbi; a close disciple of the Tzemach Tzedek of Lubavitch and his son, the Rebbe Maharash. 

[3], 2-180 ff. 33 cm. Good-fair condition. Many dark stains. Browning. Minor marginal tears to several leaves (marginal open tears to title page and final leaves, affecting border and text in final leaves). Some short glosses. Stamps. New leather binding.

PLEASE NOTE: Item descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to the Hebrew text.

Siddur Tefillah with Torah Or and Shaarei Tefillah, according to the Arizal Nusach. Vilna: Widow and Brothers Romm, 1889.

Two parts in one volume. Two title pages to Torah Or and a separate title page to Shaarei Tefillah; first title page printed in red and blue ink.

Siddur Torah Or is considered to be the most accurate and reliable version of Siddur HaRav – the Baal HaTanya's Siddur. Siddur Torah Or was compiled and revised by Rabbi Avraham David Lavut, Rabbi of Nikolayev, who added his own compositions Shaarei Tefillah and Netiv HaChayim. At the head of Torah Or Siddur appears an approbation by Rabbi Yehuda Leib of Janowitz, brother of the Baal HaTanya, originally written for the Kopust 1823 edition. Following the title page is  Rabbi Avraham David Lavut's renowned foreword written for his work Shaarei Tefillah.

Signatures and inscriptions.

* Part I (Torah Or): [4], 5-187, [1] ff. * Part II (Shaarei Tefillah and Netiv HaChayim): [2], 5-28; [1], 2-60; 73, [4] ff.

Approx. 21.5 cm. Fair-good condition. Dampstains and dark stains. Creases and wear. Tears and significant worming, affecting text. New binding.

Levin, List of Publications of the Torah Or Siddur , II; Oberlaender, HaSiddur, 75, pp. 331-332.

Siddur Torah Or

The Siddur compiled by the Alter Rebbe R. Shneur Zalman of Liadi - Siddur HaRav, was printed during his lifetime in several editions, in Shklow and Kopust. From the passing of the Baal HaTanya, until 1886, the Siddur was reprinted in dozens of editions. In many of the editions, the printers were not particular to preserve the accurate text of the prayers and laws, and in some editions, they combined the text of Siddur HaRav with texts of other prevalent Siddurim.

In the 1880s, R. Avraham David Lavut, Rabbi of Nikolayev (Mykolaiv; maternal grandfather of the Lubavitcher Rebbe), began studying and researching the original text of Siddur HaRav. To that end, he searched for editions of the Siddur published in the lifetime of the Baal HaTanya. Upon finding such a Siddur, he set to work proofreading and correcting the text of Siddur HaRav, according to the siddur he found. In 1886 he printed the Siddur HaRav in Vilna under a new title – "Siddur Torah Or" (see previous item).

However, immediately after the first version of the Siddur was published, R. Lavut obtained another edition of Siddur HaRav published in the lifetime of the Baal HaTanya, which contained some variations. In light of this, R. Lavut produced a new, corrected edition of Siddur Torah Or – the Vilna 1889 edition (the present edition).

The Siddur, published by R. Lavut, was supplemented by two of his own compositions: "Shaarei Tefillah", focusing on the sources, versions, and traditions, upon which the Alter Rebbe based his Siddur, and "Netiv HaChayim", which compares between contradicting rulings in "Derech HaChayim" by the Gaon of Lissa, and the Alter Rebbe's Siddur and Shulchan Aruch.

Seder Tefillah with Torah Or and Shaar HaKolel, according to the Arizal Nusach. Vilna: Widow and Brothers Romm, 1896. 

First edition of Shaar HaKolel. Two parts in one volume. Two title pages to Torah Or and two title pages to Shaar HaKolel; first title page printed in red and black.

Siddur Torah Or is considered to be the most accurate and reliable version of Siddur HaRav – the Baal HaTanya's Siddur. Siddur Torah Or was compiled and revised by Rabbi Avraham David Lavut, Rabbi of Nikolayev, who added his own compositions Shaar HaKolel and Netiv HaChayim. At the head of Torah Or appears an approbation of Rabbi Yehuda Leib of Janowitz, brother of the Baal HaTanya, to the Kopust 1823 edition. With the Rabbi Avraham David Lavut's renowned foreword written for his work Shaar HaKolel.

* Part I (Torah Or): [4], 187, [1] ff. * Part II (Shaar HaKolel and Netiv HaChayim): [2], 3-49, 49-80, 82-89, 89-96; 77 ff.

21.5 cm. Good condition. Stains and browning. Tears and minor wear. Adhesive tape to one leaf for reinforcement. New binding.

Levin, List of Publications of the Torah Or Siddur , V-VI; Oberlaender, HaSiddur, 98, page 337 (pagination in the present copy differs both from Levin and from Oberlaender).

Siddur Torah Or

The Siddur compiled by the Alter Rebbe R. Shneur Zalman of Liadi - Siddur HaRav, was printed during his lifetime in several editions, in Shklow and Kopust. From the passing of the Baal HaTanya, until 1886, the Siddur was reprinted in dozens of editions. In many of the editions, the printers were not particular to preserve the accurate text of the prayers and laws, and in some editions, they combined the text of Siddur HaRav with texts of other prevalent Siddurim.

In the 1880s, R. Avraham David Lavut, Rabbi of Nikolayev (Mykolaiv; maternal grandfather of the Lubavitcher Rebbe), began studying and researching the original text of Siddur HaRav. To that end, he searched for editions of the Siddur published in the lifetime of the Baal HaTanya. Upon finding such a Siddur, he set to work proofreading and correcting the text of Siddur HaRav, according to the siddur he found. In 1886 he printed the Siddur HaRav in Vilna under a new title – "Siddur Torah Or" (item 51).

However, immediately after the first version of the Siddur was published, R. Lavut obtained another edition of Siddur HaRav, published in the lifetime of the Baal HaTanya, which contained some variations. In light of this, R. Lavut produced a new, corrected edition of Siddur Torah Or – the Vilna 1889 edition (Item 52).

Yet the same occurred once again. As soon as the 1889 edition was published, R. Lavut obtained a third siddur edition published in the lifetime of the Baal HaTanya, and began preparing a third, updated edition of Siddur Torah Or. This third edition was only published after the passing of R. Lavut (Adar 1890), in Vilna 1896, and it includes the latter's illustrious work – Shaar HaColel.

The Siddur, published by R. Lavut, was supplemented by two of his own compositions: "Shaar HaKollel" (later enlarged edition of "Shaarei Hatefillah"), focusing on the sources, versions, traditions and customs, upon which the Alter Rebbe based his Siddur, and "Netiv HaChayim", which compares between contradicting rulings in "Derech HaChayim" by the Gaon of Lissa, and the Alter Rebbe's Siddur and Shulchan Aruch.