Tractate Shabbat from the Babylonian Talmud. Slavuta, 1836. Printed by [Rabbi Moshe Shapira, Av Beit Din of Slavuta, and his son] Rabbi Shmuel Avraham Shapira.
This volume of the Talmud includes Masekhet Shabbat with commentary by the Rosh, Maimonides’ commentary on the Mishnah, and Maharsha’s commentary.
The volume was printed in 1836, at the peak of the famous controversy between the printers of Slavuta and Vilna, and it is one of the last seforim printed at the Slavuta press before its tragic closure. This volume is part of the fourth edition of the Slavuta Shas (Talmud), in which only the tractates Berachot, Shabbat, and Eruvin were completed. During the printing of Tractate Pesachim, the press was closed by the Russian authorities due to the well-known accusation.
At the beginning of the volume, there are 13 letters and endorsements from leading rabbis who supported the Slavuta printers, including Rabbi Elazar Loewe – author of Shemen Rokeach, Rabbi Avraham Abeli Posweler, Av Beit Din of Vilna, Rabbi Yaakov Ornstein, Av Beit Din of Lvov – author of Yeshuot Yaakov, Rabbi Shlomo Kluger, Av Beit Din of Brody, and Rabbi Shalom Halevi, Av Beit Din of Yarotshov and Kaminka.
The letters and endorsements provide valuable information about the development of the famous dispute, in which around 200 rabbis of that generation were involved.
At one point, the Vilna printers spread a rumor that the rabbis supporting them had imposed a ban on anyone buying the Slavuta Talmud. In response, the Slavuta printers asked their supporting rabbis to clarify that no such ban had been issued. In their letters at the beginning of the volume, the rabbis affirmed that not only was there no prohibition, but rather, they urged people to buy only the Slavuta edition and not to believe the rumors spread by the Vilna printers.
"Every wise-hearted person will fulfill the mitzvah to educate others in the study, to buy only Talmud volumes from Slavuta… and those who engage in this Talmud and buy it will merit the light of Torah to illuminate their eyes" (Rabbi Aryeh Leib Horowitz, Av Beit Din of Stanislav).
Only Berachot, Shabbat, and Eruvin were printed. During the preparation of Tractate Pesachim for printing, one of the workers was found dead in the press, likely from suicide. Due to this tragic incident, the authorities ordered the closure of the Shapira press in Slavuta. As a result, Rabbi Shmuel Abba was sentenced to forced labor, as he was ultimately held responsible for the worker’s death. For more information, see: Introduction to the Vilna Shas, Yosef Shalom Weinfield, Jerusalem 1994, pp. 266–286.
This rare edition is not listed in the Mifal HaBibligraphy.
Two title pages. Some of the letters on the title pages are in red ink.
[4], 2-195, 43, [1] Leaves. 38.3 cm.
Overall Good condition, marginal water stains, very minor marginal worming on last couple pages, original leather binding restored and slightly rubbed, new spine.
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Lot #167