Shnot Eliyahu. Lemberg, [1799]. First Edition with an Important Dedication

Shnot Eliyahu. Lemberg, [1799]. First Edition with an Important Dedication

Shnot Eliyahu. Commentary on Mishnayot Seder Zeraim, by the gaon Rabbi Eliyahu - the GR"A of Vilna.

The book before us was published approximately a year after the GR"A's passing and is one of the first books by the GR"A that was printed (during the GR"A's lifetime, none of his writings were published). This book was printed by the GR"A's sons, with his son-in-law Rabbi Moshe Yehudah of Pinsk responsible for its editing. It was proofread by the gaon Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin, the GR"A's greatest disciple. On the reverse side of the title page: "Proclamation by the Avot Batei Dinin of Vilna about the people who studied insufficiently and crowned themselves to determine the halachah, on behalf of our master, rabbi of the entire Diaspora, the true gaon the well-known deceased Mo' Eliyahu Z"L. 

Many owner's stamps of "The Great Beit Midrash of Mezeritch" (with an illustration of the Beit Midrash) on the title page. With a dedication: "Gift to the great exalted Rabbinical Beit Midrash by Ze'ev Wolf son of the rabbi the gaon Ephraim Tzvi Charla"p ZTzKLL"H".   

The gaon kabbalist Rabbi Ephraim Eliezer Tzvi Charla"p [d. on the fifth of Elul 1849], Av Beit Din of (the Polish) Mezeritch and author of Migdanot Eliezer VeAteret Tzvi was known as a Divine kabbalist and a great expert on the Zohar, Sefer Yetzirah and all other books of kabbalah. It is common knowledge that Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin sent him his questions in kabbalah. Despite his being a sharp opponent of Chassidism, the Admo"r Rabbi Bunim of Pshischa writes of him in his letter, "trustworthy are the wounds of he who loves ... I knew that not from jealousy and hate does he speak but from the G-dly sparks within him ... and the greatness of his study I have heard from ... our teacher the Rabbi Yitzchak [the Seer] of Lublin ZLH"H, and also from the honorable ... teacher Rabbi Yitzchak Yehudi [the "Holy Jew"] ZLH"H - he never ceased loving him and always praised him ... and all sins will be covered by love." The dedicator of the book is his eldest son, Rabbi Ze'ev Wolf Z"L, who immigrated to the Land of Israel.

[2], 9, 55, 57-59 [should be 58] leaves. 35 cm. Otzar Sifrei HaGR"A 177.

Fine condition. A few worming perforations. Light restoration to the title page. Loss in the lower blank corners of the two first leaves. The 3 last leaves are lacking. (The missing leaves are after the colophon and sheet of errata, and are not part of the body of the book, but sheets of omissions). Beautiful copy. New binding.