Auction 76 - The Gaon of Vilna and his Disciples: Books and Manuscripts from the Yeshayahu Vinograd Collection

Seder Hoshanot – Vilna, 1837 – Source of the List of Psalms Recited on Shemini Atzeret According to the Gaon of Vilna – Only Known Copy

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Sold for: $4,500
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Order of Hoshanot, "with all the laws and customs", and with "order of Psalms for Shemini Atzeret night, according to the custom of the Gaon of Vilna". Vilna, 1837.
Small format. Published by R. Yaakov David Pieskin (outstanding Torah scholar, served as dean in the Ramailes yeshiva in Vilna) together with his partner R. Avraham Yitzchak son of R. Shalom.
Page [33] features a list of 21 Psalms to be recited on the night of Shemini Atzeret "according to the custom of the Gaon of Vilna". This custom in the name of the Gaon of Vilna is not recorded anywhere else in the writings of the Gaon or of his disciples, and it was first printed in the present book. This list was later printed in several siddurim according to the custom of the Gaon of Vilna (as well as in a rare synagogue poster, see item 158).
In Seder Simchat Beit HaShoeva LehaGra (published by the Gra Institute, New York, Erev Sukkot 2016), R. Nechemia Pfeffer explains this custom at length, and links it to the description in Maaseh Rav (section 232) of the great joy the Gaon of Vilna experienced on Sukkot, and even more so on Shemini Atzeret (which according to Kabbalah is more joyous than the rest of the festival), accompanied by the singing of piyyutim.
[36] pages. 11 cm. Good condition. Stains. Minor damage. Small hole to title page, slightly affecting text on verso, repaired. Margins trimmed close to text on several leaves. New binding.
Not listed in bibliographic records. Listed in Vinograd according to this copy. No other copies are known to us.
Provenance: The Yeshayahu Vinograd Collection, Jerusalem.
Prayer and Piyyutim Books
Prayer and Piyyutim Books