Auction 90 Judaica - Books, Manuscripts, Letters, Ceremonial Art
Sifra DeTzniuta, with the commentary of the Gaon of Vilna. Vilna and Horodna: Menachem Mann son of Baruch and Simcha Simmel son of Menachem Nachum, [1820]. First edition of the commentary of the Gaon of Vilna on Sifra DeTzniuta.
This book is one of the fundamental books for studying and understanding the approach of the Gaon of Vilna to Kabbalah.
The work was brought to print by R. Yaakov Moshe of Slonim, grandson and disciple of the Gaon of Vilna (son of R. Avraham son of the Gaon of Vilna).
Lengthy foreword by R. Chaim of Volozhin at the beginning of the book – the last foreword written by R. Chaim to one of the books of the Gaon of Vilna (he passed away a year after this book was published, in 1821).
[6], 59, [3] leaves. 20.5 cm. Good condition. Stains. Minor wear. Small tears, including tear slightly affecting text on one leaf (without loss), and minor marginal open tear to another leaf, not affecting text. Stamps. New binding.
Vinograd, Thesaurus of the Books of the Vilna Gaon, no. 696.
Sifra DeTzniuta with the Commentary of the Gaon of Vilna – The Segulah Qualities of the First Edition
The following stories are told about the holiness and segulah of this edition:
R. Shemaryahu Greineman told the following story in the name of the Chazon Ish – A dybbuk was once brought before one of the tzaddikim of the previous generation, in the presence of all the townspeople. The tzaddik declared: "Let me show you a wondrous thing!". He presented the dybbuk with two copies of a book (Sifra DeTzniuta or Sefer Yetzirah), one printed in the previous generation and the second printed in his times. The books were both wrapped in paper, and thus outwardly undistinguishable. The dybbuk took one book and embraced it lovingly; however, he recoiled from the other book saying that he is unable to touch it. The tzaddik explained the reason for this: the impure dybbuk was unable to touch the book published in the previous generation since it was printed by G-d-fearing Jews, unlike the second book, which was printed in a printing press which employed Jews who were lured by the Enlightenment Movement (Maaseh Ish, V, p. 122, in the name of R. Shemaryahu Greineman who heard the story from the Chazon Ish).
A similar story was told by R. Shmuel David HaKohen Munk (rabbi of the Orthodox community in Haifa), in the name of a Sephardic Jerusalem kabbalist – A person with a dybbuk was brought before the kabbalist, who placed the second edition of the Vilna Gaon's commentary on Sifra DeTzniuta on the man to no avail. He then used the first edition and the man was cured (Zechor LeDavid, II, p. 159). R. Munk also quotes R. Eliezer Gordon of Telz, who reported that when a volume of the first edition was placed in the hands of a dybbuk, he shook and screamed in terror: "The Vilner! The Vilner!", but did not show the same agitation upon similar exposure to a second edition (ibid).
PLEASE NOTE: Item description was shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.
Published based on the original manuscript of the Gaon of Vilna. A commentary by the editor R. Shmuel, rabbi of Luknik (Luokė), was printed alongside the work of the Gaon of Vilna.
Foreword by R. Yaakov Moshe of Slonim, descendant of the Gaon of Vilna, relating to the correct way of viewing secular sciences.
Lengthy handwritten glosses (mostly trimmed), with calculations related to the topic of the book.
[7], 31 leaves. 21.5 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains. Minor open tears to final leaves, affecting text. Minor worming, affecting text. New binding.
Vinograd, Thesaurus of the Books of the Vilna Gaon, no. 862.
PLEASE NOTE: Item description was shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.
Approbation by the Gaon of Vilna on the verso of the title page. This is one of the only two approbations ever given by the Gaon of Vilna.
In his approbation, the Gaon of Vilna blesses the author: "May he succeed in publishing it, with G-d's will, to revive many people and grant them the merit of seeing the pleasantness of G-d…".
[2], 117 leaves. 20 cm. Fair condition. Stains, including dampstains. Tears, including large open tears to title page and other leaves, with damage to title page border and significant damage to text, mostly repaired with paper (with photocopy replacements). Minor worming. New leather binding.
Vinograd, Thesaurus of the Books of the Vilna Gaon, no. 990.
PLEASE NOTE: Item description was shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.
Six (consecutive) autograph leaves by the author, R. Menachem Mendel of Shklow from his work on Mishnat Chassidim by R. Immanuel Chai Ricchi, on the principles of Kabbalah. This work was published in the book Kitvei R. Menachem Mendel, Jerusalem 2001, Vol. I, based on the manuscript of which these leaves are a part (the contents of these leaves can be found on pp. 189-204).
R. Menachem Mendel of Shklow (d. 1827), prominent kabbalist, close disciple of the Gaon of Vilna in the final two years of the latter's life. He led the first group of the disciples of the Gaon of Vilna in their immigration to Eretz Israel, and founded the Perushim community in Jerusalem.
[6] leaves (12 autograph pages). Approx. 30 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains, including large, dark dampstains. Ink faded in several places. Marginal tears and wear.
PLEASE NOTE: Item description was shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.
An appeal letter given to the emissary R. Tzvi Hirsh son of R. Yehuda, with a blank space for the emissary to fill in the name of the donor.
Signed by R. Chaim Kohen (previously rabbi in Pinsk, served as rabbi in Safed until his passing in 1831); R. Yisrael of Shklow (disciple of the Gaon of Vilna); R. Natan Neta son of R. Mendel (leader of the first group of disciples of the Gaon of Vilna who immigrated to Eretz Israel in 1809; d. 1846); R. Natan Neta son of R. Saadia (attendant of the Gaon of Vilna; d. 1849); R. Aryeh Leib son of R. Yosef Leon (head of the Ashkenazi Yishuv in Safed); R. Aryeh son of R. Yerachmiel Markus of Keidan (trustee of Kollel Perushim in Jerusalem and founder of the Hurva synagogue); R. Shlomo Zalman son of R. Ze'ev Wolf HaKohen (emissary for Eretz Israel; d. 1847 in Calcutta).
[1] leaf. 24.5 cm. Good condition. Stains. Marginal worming, not affecting text.
PLEASE NOTE: Item description was shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.