Commentary on Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim
The Vilna Gaon
First Edition.
Shklov, 1803
The Vilna Gaon’s Commentary on Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim. First Edition. Shklov, 1803
Distinguished provenance!
First edition of Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim with Biur HaGr”a printed from “His holy handwritten manuscript in his own precious words.”
Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim with Biur HaGr”a was brought to print by the Vilna Gaon’s sons Rabbi Yehuda Leib and Rabbi Avraham, and his prime disciple Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Shklov. It was edited and prepared for print by another disciple, Rabbi Yisrael of Shklov, and the Vilna Gaon’s grandson Rabbi Yaakov Moshe of Slonim, who was the son of Rabbi Avraham ben HaGr”a.
Biur HaGr”a is one of the contemporary fundamental sources of halacha, the Chafetz Chaim consistently rules accordingly, as written in the preface to Mishnah Berurah Vol. 1: “In every place where I see two opinions between two Achronim on the same matter, I did not shy of searching among the other Achronim, and
especially in the Biur HaGr”a z”l who was the luminary of Yisrael and the stake that all depends on it, and he is worthy of resolving a case.”
The sefer opens with the famous introductions of Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin and the Vilna Gaon’s sons who mention their father’s great disciples.
Biur HaGr”a on Shulchan Aruch was written directly by the holy hand of the Vilna Gaon (as opposed to being transcribed by his talmidim) and was written in very concise format, his talmid Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin wrote
“Although his words are short, they are as stars that appear small, but the entire world stands beneath it.”
The Gr”a’s in his commentary reveals the sources of the Shulchan Aruch’s rulings in the Talmud Bavli and Yerushalmi. Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin expresses in his preface to the Biur HaGr”a that “Here the Vilna Gaon established the foundations of his path of study, to mention in the course of learning Shulchan Aruch its source in Shas.”
This copy bears the distinguished provenance and and autograph of
Rabbi Yaakov Berlin of Mir (1794-1870) on the title page and flyleaf. Rabbi Yaakov Berlin was the father of the Netziv of Volozhin. In 1854, he journeyed to Jerusalem where he served as one of the leaders of the Ashkenazic Yishuv.
The leaves of this sefer also contain numerous marginalia, one of which is sighed “Chaim Tzvi” from
Rabbi Chaim Tzvi Broide (1841-1911), Av Beis Din of Zager and author of Shut”a She’aris Chaim who also settled in Jerusalem in his latter years. Rabbi Chaim Tzvi Broide’s daughter married Rabbi Zelig Reuven Bengis. Based on the handwriting, it is clear that other annotations in this sefer were written by him.
Shklov, 1803. First edition. [1], 3, 346, [1], leaf. Page size: Almost 35 cm. Printed together with Magen Avraham and Be’er Hagolah, who was the Vilna Gaon’s ancestor. Stains and signs of use; professional restorations of tears with missing parts of margins, especially on title page and first and last pages . New half-cloth and marbleized paper binding.
Winograd. Otzar Sifrei HaGr”a #747. Stefansky, Sifrei Yesod #169.
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