Auction 95 Early Printed Books, Chassidut and Kabbalah, Letters and Manuscripts, Engravings and Jewish Ceremonial Objects

Collection of Shulchan Aruch Books with the Commentary of the Gaon of Vilna – Ashlei Ravrevei – Grodno, 1806 / Apei Ravrevei – Vilna and Grodno, 1812-1819 / Maginei Eretz – Johannisburg, 1862

Opening: $500
Sold for: $1,125
Including buyer's premium

Collection of Shulchan Aruch books, with commentary by the Gaon of Vilna:


Ashlei Ravrevei, Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah, with Be'er HaGola and commentary by the Gaon of Vilna. Grodno: Yechezkel son of Moshe, Simchah Simmel son of Menachem Nachum and Simchah Simmel son of Yechezkel, 1806. Some letters on the title page in red ink. First edition of the commentary by the Gaon of Vilna.
With foreword by R. Menachem Mendel of Shklov, disciple of the Gaon of Vilna.
On title page (and p. 18a), ownership inscription in Oriental script of R. "Yosef Chalfon Atiya" [of Damascus, held a yeshiva in his house and owned a large library. He bought the library of R. Yisrael Moshe Chazan, when the library was transferred to the possession of R. Shlomo Eliezer Alfandari].
One gloss in Oriental script (p. 158a).
23, [1], 24-176 leaves. 33.5 cm. Fair-good condition. Stains, including dampstains. Worming, affecting text. Tears and open tears to title page and additional pages, slightly affecting text, repaired with pieces of paper. Close trimming on the border of the text in several places, affecting text. Old binding, damaged.


Apei Ravrevei, Shulchan Aruch Even HaEzer. Vilna and Grodno: Menachem Man son of Baruch and Simchah Simmel son of Menachem Nachum, [1819]. Some letters on the title page in red ink.


The printing of Shulchan Aruch Even HaEzer with the commentary of the Gaon of Vilna began in 1812-1819, yet was interrupted shortly thereafter, due to Napoleon's invasion of Russia that year. The printers only managed to print sections 1-25 (and the beginning of section 26), without the title page. In 1819, the printing resumed, and sections 26-178, the title page and forewords were printed and bound with the incomplete copies printed in 1812. There is a significant difference between the two printings. The part printed in 1812 contains only the commentary of the Gaon of Vilna with the text of the Shulchan Aruch, while the Chelkat Mechokek and Beit Shmuel commentaries were to be printed as an addendum at the end of the book. In the part printed in 1819 however, the Chelkat Mechokek and Beit Shmuel commentaries were returned to their place on each page. In 1819, complementary leaves with the above commentaries pertaining to sections 1-25 were printed (since these sections were originally printed without the commentaries). Concurrently, in 1819, a complete edition of Even HaEzer was printed, in which even sections 1-25 were printed in the new format (with the Chelkat Mechokek and Beit Shmuel commentaries on each page). The present copy belongs to the first, exceptionally rare, edition (combining the 1812 and 1819 editions).

Signature on title page. Stamps of R. "Shlomo son of R. Sh. Kleinplatz, Rabbi of Malkin".

24, 23-55; 188 leaves. 35.5 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains, including dampstains (traces of mold?). Light wear. Marginal tears and open tears, not affecting text, partially repaired with tape. Original binding, with tears and damage.


Maginei Eretz, Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim, with Magen David (Turei Zahav) and Magen Avraham, commentary by the Gaon of Vilna and novellae by R. Akiva Eiger Parts I-II. Johannisburg: Georg Stein, 1862. First edition of the Torah novellae by R. Akiva Eiger. Two volumes, one for each part. The present volumes are additionally bound with a title cover (undocumented in the Bibliography of the Hebrew Book).

Part I (sections 1-428): [5], 318 leaves; Part II (sections 429-697): [3], 217, [1] leaves. 38.5 cm. Fair-good condition. Stains, including dampstains. Wear, tears and open tears, especially to first and last leaves (affecting frame of title cover of Part I), partially repaired with pieces of paper. Stamps. Old bindings, worn and torn. Binding of Part I disconnected and missing spine.

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

The Gaon of Vilna and his Disciples
The Gaon of Vilna and his Disciples