The First Book of Psalms that was Printed in the Land of Israel – Safed 1833 – Rabbi Yisrael Bak Printing Press – ...

The First Book of Psalms that was Printed in the Land of Israel – Safed 1833 – Rabbi Yisrael Bak Printing Press – Prepared for Printing by the Leader of the Hassidim of Safed and Proofread by a Leading Disciple of the Vilna Gaon – with the Be'urei Zohar 'Tamim Yachdav' – a Nice, Complete Copy – Rare!
A Book of Psalms (Tehillim). Safed, 1833. Printed by Rabbi Yisrael Bak, the leading contemporary Hebrew printer of the Land of Israel. A special Hassidic edition.
This is the first edition of Tehillim that was printed in the Holy Land. This is of special significance since King David wrote the Psalms in the Land of Israel. The words of the author of 'Sha'ar Ha'Chatzer' on the matter are well known. He said that saying one Psalm in the Land of Israel is equal to saying a thousand Psalms abroad!
The printer of the book, Rabbi Yisrael Bak, used to emphasize this virtue of the books that he printed in Jerusalem and Safed: "which were printed in a holy place by Israel a holy nation".
Extremely rare! A complete copy of the book is almost nonexistent and has never been seen in auctions in Israel!
Before us in a nice, complete copy!

The content of the book
In this edition, the Psalms are ordered by the days of the week and days of the month. At the beginning of each Psalm, the "intention of the poet" was written. On the margins of the pages, the commentary 'Be'urei Zohar' (called 'Tamim Yachdav')by Rabbi Yisrael ben Rabbi Moshe is printed (until then, the commentary was printed only once in Lublin 1592) as well as the Metzudat Zion commentary. There are also Hassidic and Kabbalistic prayers, Seder Pidyon Nefesh (copied from the Hassidic book 'Likutim Yekarim', Lemberg 1792), and prayers said before and after the reading of the Psalms on the days of the week, on Sabbath, on Yom Tov and on the eve of Hoshana Rabba. There is also a prayer for the sick.
This is an extended edition, when at the same time, RabbiYisrael Bak printed another edition of the Book of Psalms without the commentaries.

This holy book has precedence in many senses:
It is the first Book of Psalms that was printed by Hassidim; thus it can be titled "the first Hassidic Book of Psalms".
This is the first Hassidic printing in the Holy Land and maybe it can even be defined as the "first Hassidic book" printed in the Land of Israel.
This is the first Book of Psalms that was printed in the Holy Land.
This is one of the first book that were printed in Safed by the new printing press of Rabbi Yisrael Bak, approximately a year after its foundation.

Preface by the printer Rabbi Yisrael Bak
On the reverse side of the title page, there is a preface by the printer rabbi Yisrael Bak, "and all the buyers who spend their gold and money on books that are printed here in the Holy Land and especially on Books of Psalms with the Zohar, which they keep in their bags, the Blessed Lord will save them from sorrow and damage and fear…"
This edition is the product of the unique cooperation between Rabbi Gershon Margaliyot, the leader of the Hassidic community of Safed, who prepared the book for printing and the proofreader, Rabbi Shlomo Naftali Reines, who was one of the leaders of the group of disciples of the Vilna Gaon in Safed.

Preface by Rabbi Gershon Margaliyot who prepared the book for printing
At the beginning of the book, a preface by Rabbi Gershon Margaliyot (previously, Av Beit Din of Skalat) who prepared the book for printing. Rabbi Margaliyot was the head of Kollel Hassidim of Safed and the son-in-law of Rabbi Yissachar Dov Ber of Zlotchov. He was close to Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev.
In his preface to the book before us, rabbi Margaliyot recalls that in 1592, the book 'Tamim Yachdav' was printed. Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev visited Rabbi Margaliyot. While going through a bookcase, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak saw the book 'Tamim Yachdav' and asked for it so that when he returned home, he could print it so many could read ut. Rabbi Gershon was forced to promise that he himself will prepare the book for printing. Indeed, several years later, the book was included in the book before us, which was printed in Safed by a disciple of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak, Rabbi Yisrael Bak!
In his preface, Rabbi Margaliyot describes the virtues of a Book of Psalms that is printed in the Land of Israel and the virtues of saying the Pslams.
At the end of his preface, Rabbi Maryaliyot mentions his friend who is great in Torah and piety, Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Naftali Hertz the grandson of Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Av Beit Din of Mir, who proofread the book.
The book before us is the only remnant of the many books which Rabbi Shlomo Naftali Reines, one of the leaders of the group of disciples of the Vilna Gaon in Safed, assisted in their printing.
[4], 152 leaves.