Mishnayot, Nashim-Nezikin, Amsterdam, 1766 – from the Beit Midrash of the Vilna Gaon with Glosses

Mishnayot, Nashim-Nezikin, Amsterdam, 1766 – from the Beit Midrash of the Vilna Gaon with Glosses

Mishnayot Seder Nashim-Nezikin, with the commentary by Rabbi Ovadya of Bartenura and Tosfot Yom Tov. Amsterdam, 1766. Printed by Hirtz Levi Rofeh and his son-in-law Kashman. Two sections.

On the two title pages, a handwritten inscription: "LeChevra Kaddisha Mishnayot shel Beit HaMidrash HaGaon". In addition, throughout the leaves of the book, many stamps of "Chotam Chevra Kaddisha Mishnayot MiKloiz Hagra Zal". In these inscriptions, the Vilna Gaon is not referred to with the title "Zal' (Of Blessed memory). Thus, apparently, the inscriptions were written in his lifetime. In addition, throughout the book there are approx. 15 glosses of significant textual corrections of the language of the Mishnah and the language of Rabbi Ovadya Bartenura. The glosses are marked with a sign of a key / Zarka, and round parenthesis on the corrected text.

In the catalog of the Kedem Auction House, auction 25, item24 "Hagra Glosses to the Talmud – Glosses in his own handwriting", there are photographs of the Vilna Gaon's glosses which were handwritten by him during various times of his life. Among the glosses, there are several which are written in a script that is very similar to that of the glosses that appear before us. There, there is reference to the round parenthesis marking the corrections, just like the ones that appear here, and the photographs depict the sign of the key and the Zarka, which also appear here. Were the glosses before us handwritten by the Vilna Gaon himself [?]

The Vilna Gaon built a Beit Midrash adjacent to his house in Vilnius and there he often gave lessons and it was where his selected disciples used to study. Among his well-known disciples are Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin and his brother Rabbi Shlomo Zalman, Rabbi Shlomo of Vilkomir, Rabbi Shlomo of Tolchin, Rabbi Moshe Shlomo of Tolchin – his leading Kabbalistic disciple, Rabbi Zvi Hirsch of Samiatitz, Rabbi Shlomo of Mogilev and many more. About the study of Mishnayot, Rabbi Avraham and Rabbi Yehuda Leib, the Vilna Gaon's sons, in their introduction to Shulchan Aruch with the glosses of the Vilna Gaon:

"אחר צוה להיות ששה סדרי משנה שגורה בפיו, עם כללות פירושיה המפורסמות, ועל צבאה דגל גרסותיה הנכונות, תלמידיו הגדולים המה ראו כי חכמת אלהים בקרבו, כי מגודל בקיאותו ועוצם חריפותו לאמתה של תורה, הודיע חדשות אשר לא שערום אבותינו המפרשים הקדמונים והראה מדברים הנרגשים מסדר המשנה או מכפל תיבותיה..."

[Section C]: Nashim. [1], 159 leaves. [Section D]: Nezikin. [1], 196 leaves. 25cm. original leather-covered wooden binding. Good-fair condition. Loose and damaged binding/ Detached leaves. Blemishes on margins. Signs of use and stains.

The book is in an elegant leather case with gilt decorations and the inscription: משניות מקלויז של הגאון החסיד ר' אליהו בן שלמה לזמן מוילנא עם הגהות. Size of case: length: 31cm. Width: 26cm. Height: 10cm.