Chiddushei Shnei HaMeorot, novellae on the writings of the Rambam and the Ramban in Sefer HaMitzvot, by R. Shneur Feivish son of R. Menachem of Bolekhiv. Constantinople, [1749].
An inscription in Sephardic script appears at the top of the title page. The first line of the inscription is missing, due to the trimming of the upper margin. The second line reads: "Avraham Gershon Kitover". Apparently, the book belonged to R. Avraham Gershon of Kitov, the famous brother-in-law of the Baal Shem Tov and a leading kabbalist. Possibly, the book was given to him by the author himself, R. Shneur Feivish of Bolekhiv, an Ashkenazi scholar in Jerusalem and emissary of the Ashkenazi community at the time R. Gershon resided in Jerusalem. Calligraphic signature on title page: "Shlomo Halegua" (his signature appears on the last page as well: "Salomon Halegua").
[1], 35 leaves. 19 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains. Worming, mostly to margins. Tears and damage to several leaves, slightly affecting text in some places. Tape repairs to inner margins of title page and several other leaves. Top margins trimmed with damage and loss to headings. Bottom margins trimmed with loss of text on verso of title page. New leather binding.

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

Tosafei HaRosh, on Tractates Yevamot and Ketubot. Livorno, [1776].
Copy of Rebbe Nachum Dov Ber of Sadigura (d. 1883), grandson of Rebbe Yisrael of Ruzhin, with his stamps on the title page. Emendations and brief glosses in several places.
[2], 59; 4, 65-97 leaves. 29.5 cm. Good condition. Stains. New binding.

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

Part of the binding of the Tanach from which the Gaon of Vilna studied.
Front board; an old piece of paper pasted to it reads: "Tanach which our master, the rabbi of the entire Jewish people, the Chassid, the Gaon of Vilna studied from".
Ownership inscription on the verso of the board, on the pastedown: "R. Yaakov Moshe grandson of the Gaon". This Tanach (or the binding alone) was presumably passed down from the Gaon of Vilna to his grandson R. Yaakov Moshe of Slonim (son of R. Avraham son of the Gaon of Vilna; a tremendous Torah scholar and a prominent descendant of the Gaon of Vilna who was very involved in editing and publishing the writings of the Gaon).
Front board. Approx. 20 cm. Leather-covered wood, with part of ornamented metal clasp. Fair condition. Worming and wear.

The binding was displayed at the exhibition marking the 200th anniversary of the passing of the Gaon of Vilna in Beit Hatfutsot, Tel Aviv, Winter 1998. See exhibition catalogue, The Gaon of Vilna: The Man and His Legacy, p. 84.

Provenance: The Yeshayahu Vinograd Collection, Jerusalem.

The Gaon of Vilna Would Hold the Binding of the Book While Learning
A testimony from one of the leading Lithuanian Torah scholars, who had the merit of observing the Gaon of Vilna while learning, is published in the book Meorei Beit Yitzchak (Jerusalem 1866, pp. 52a-b), by R. Uri Yitzchak Eizik son of R. Abba Kadesh, in the name of his grandfather R. Aharon Rabbi of Wysokie (Vysokaye). R. Aharon, who merited to visit the Gaon of Vilna in his study room, reported how he saw him learning, stressing the fact that rather than resting his book on the table, the Gaon of Vilna, held it in both hands, one hand supporting one side and the other hand supporting the other side, out of honor for the Torah.

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

Sefer HaTishbi, lexicon of Hebrew words, by R. Eliyahu Bachur. Horodna: Yechezkel son of Moshe, Simcha Simmel son of Menachem Nachum and Simcha Simmel son of Yechezkel, 1805.
On the title page, signature of R. Yissachar Ber, posek in Vilna, disciple of the Gaon of Vilna and author of Maaseh Rav. Ownership inscription of R. Yissachar Ber on the back endpaper. On the front endpaper, signature and ownership inscription of his son, R. Eliyahu Peretz, posek in Vilna, and German ownership inscription of R. Yissachar Ber.
Two glosses, possibly handwritten by R. Yissachar Ber.
R. Yissachar Ber (1779-1855), posek in Vilna alongside R. Avraham Abele Posweller, R. Shaul Katzenellenbogen and the Chayei Adam. He studied in the Kloiz of the Gaon of Vilna, where he merited to receive Torah from him. He is particularly renowned for the book Maaseh Rav, in which he records the practices of his teacher the Gaon of Vilna. His son R. Eliyahu Peretz (1806-1867) succeeded him as posek in Vilna.
4, [1], 7-10, 10-62, [1], 63-66 leaves. Approx. 21 cm. Fair-good condition. Stains and wear. Inscriptions. Censorship signature and stamp on title page. Original binding, damaged.

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