Auction 76 - The Gaon of Vilna and his Disciples: Books and Manuscripts from the Yeshayahu Vinograd Collection
Alim LiTerufah – First Edition of Iggeret HaGra – Vilna, 1800 – Only Known Copy
Opening: $10,000
Unsold
Alim LiTerufah, Iggeret HaRamban with Iggeret HaGra. [Vilna? 1800?]. According to Vinograd, this is the first edition of Iggeret HaGra, and it was printed before the Minsk 1836 edition which is known as the first edition (see below).
Presumably printed without title page. A heading appears at the top of the first leaf: "Alim LiTerufah – Iggeret HaRamban together with the letter of Rabbenu HaGaon Eliyahu". Iggeret HaGra begins on the second leaf with the heading: " This is the letter which the tremendous Torah scholar, rabbi of the entire Diaspora, holy, G-dly man, Rabbenu Eliyahu HaChassid נ"ע [see below] wrote to his family members, guidance and ethics, from his journey towards the Holy Land, matters which burn like a glowing fire in the hearts of the G-d-fearing".
In the Thesaurus of the Books of the Vilna Gaon (p. 202, no. 1138), Vinograd determined the place and year of printing of this booklet as Vilna, 1800, based on the type of paper and style of typeface, and thus he renders this the first edition of Iggeret HaGra, rather than the Minsk 1836 edition.
There is an interesting distinction between these two editions. The Minsk edition begins with a similar heading: "This is the letter which the Gaon Olam [tremendous Torah scholar]… Rabbenu Eliyahu HaChassid, Gaon Olam…". The repetition of the praise "Gaon Olam" in the Minsk edition is surprising. According to Vinograd, the printer of the Minsk edition mistakenly read the acronym נ"ע (Nishmato Eden) in the present edition as ג"ע, which he interpreted as גאון עולם – Gaon Olam. [Nevertheless, in the Warsaw 1840 edition, printed in the book Divrei Chachamim VeChidotam – see item 144, the acronym נ"ע was printed].
[5] leaves. Lacking end, presumably one last leaf (just a few lines are missing from the conclusion of the letter). 13 cm. Bluish paper. Good-fair condition. Stains. Worming affecting text, repaired. Leaves trimmed affecting headings and with slight damage to text. Ink slightly faded in several places. Signature at top of title page: "Eli. Yechiel". New leather binding.
Provenance: The Yeshayahu Vinograd Collection, Jerusalem.
Extremely rare copy, presumably the only exemplar in the world.
Presumably printed without title page. A heading appears at the top of the first leaf: "Alim LiTerufah – Iggeret HaRamban together with the letter of Rabbenu HaGaon Eliyahu". Iggeret HaGra begins on the second leaf with the heading: " This is the letter which the tremendous Torah scholar, rabbi of the entire Diaspora, holy, G-dly man, Rabbenu Eliyahu HaChassid נ"ע [see below] wrote to his family members, guidance and ethics, from his journey towards the Holy Land, matters which burn like a glowing fire in the hearts of the G-d-fearing".
In the Thesaurus of the Books of the Vilna Gaon (p. 202, no. 1138), Vinograd determined the place and year of printing of this booklet as Vilna, 1800, based on the type of paper and style of typeface, and thus he renders this the first edition of Iggeret HaGra, rather than the Minsk 1836 edition.
There is an interesting distinction between these two editions. The Minsk edition begins with a similar heading: "This is the letter which the Gaon Olam [tremendous Torah scholar]… Rabbenu Eliyahu HaChassid, Gaon Olam…". The repetition of the praise "Gaon Olam" in the Minsk edition is surprising. According to Vinograd, the printer of the Minsk edition mistakenly read the acronym נ"ע (Nishmato Eden) in the present edition as ג"ע, which he interpreted as גאון עולם – Gaon Olam. [Nevertheless, in the Warsaw 1840 edition, printed in the book Divrei Chachamim VeChidotam – see item 144, the acronym נ"ע was printed].
[5] leaves. Lacking end, presumably one last leaf (just a few lines are missing from the conclusion of the letter). 13 cm. Bluish paper. Good-fair condition. Stains. Worming affecting text, repaired. Leaves trimmed affecting headings and with slight damage to text. Ink slightly faded in several places. Signature at top of title page: "Eli. Yechiel". New leather binding.
Provenance: The Yeshayahu Vinograd Collection, Jerusalem.
Extremely rare copy, presumably the only exemplar in the world.
Iggeret HaGra
Iggeret HaGra