Auction 76 - The Gaon of Vilna and his Disciples: Books and Manuscripts from the Yeshayahu Vinograd Collection
Tractate Avoda Zara – Copy of Rabbi Avraham son of the Gaon of Vilna – Dozens of Glosses in His Handwriting, Unpublished
Opening: $3,000
Sold for: $25,000
Including buyer's premium
Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Avoda Zara, with commentaries. Amsterdam: Proops brothers, [1763].
Copy of R. Avraham son of the Gaon of Vilna, with dozens of glosses in his handwriting, which were never published.
Ownership inscription on the front endpaper: " Belongs to the exceptional and outstanding Torah scholar… R. Avraham son of the Gaon".
R. Avraham son of the Gaon of Vilna studied from this Gemara, and added dozens of comments and glosses. These glosses fall into two categories:
1. Glosses from his father the Gaon of Vilna, which R. Avraham copied into his Gemara. These glosses were printed in the Vilna Shas in the appropriate places.
2. Dozens of lengthy glosses, as well as brief glosses of textual corrections and many references, by R. Avraham himself. These glosses were never published.
The glosses were presumably written over an extended period of time. Some of the glosses may have been written already in the lifetime of his father, the Gaon of Vilna.
His unique style of integrating all parts of the Torah in his teachings comes through in his glosses in the present volume, as he quotes here from various midrashim and from the Zohar. In many glosses, he discusses translation, and this attests to his command of various languages. He explains foreign words in Rashi using Greek, German, Italian, French and Polish.
Enclosed is an expert report by R. Yosef Avivi, who writes: "The comments of R. Avraham on Tractate Avoda Zara are not known from any other source, and they are vital both for the study of R. Avraham's unique approach to the commentary of the Talmud and its expressions, and for knowing the accurate text of the comments of the Gaon of Vilna on this Tractate. They prove the accuracy and reliability of the notes of the Gaon of Vilna printed in the Vilna Talmud, since some contend that they were not authored by him. This is the only source which proves that the comments of the Gaon of Vilna printed in the Vilna Talmud where indeed authored by him and that their text is accurate".
There are other tractates from this set of Talmud with glosses by R. Avraham. R. Shlomo Gottesman published the glosses of R. Avraham on two volumes, which comprise Tractates Berachot, Beitzah, Chagigah and Moed Katan, in Yeshurun, vol. IV (pp. 143-221) and vol. V (pp. 91-103). In vol. IV, R. Gottesman added a preface to the glosses, as well as a biography of R. Avraham son of the Gaon of Vilna.
Ownership inscriptions on the title page and front endpaper of "R. Berish Ginsberg, son-in-law of the wealthy R. Yisrael Aharon Tulchinsky, from Uman, Kiev region", and his stamps (in Cyrillic characters). Several other inscriptions.
76; 21 leaves. Approx. 40 cm. Good condition. Stains and wear. Stamps. New leather binding.
Copy of R. Avraham son of the Gaon of Vilna, with dozens of glosses in his handwriting, which were never published.
Ownership inscription on the front endpaper: " Belongs to the exceptional and outstanding Torah scholar… R. Avraham son of the Gaon".
R. Avraham son of the Gaon of Vilna studied from this Gemara, and added dozens of comments and glosses. These glosses fall into two categories:
1. Glosses from his father the Gaon of Vilna, which R. Avraham copied into his Gemara. These glosses were printed in the Vilna Shas in the appropriate places.
2. Dozens of lengthy glosses, as well as brief glosses of textual corrections and many references, by R. Avraham himself. These glosses were never published.
The glosses were presumably written over an extended period of time. Some of the glosses may have been written already in the lifetime of his father, the Gaon of Vilna.
His unique style of integrating all parts of the Torah in his teachings comes through in his glosses in the present volume, as he quotes here from various midrashim and from the Zohar. In many glosses, he discusses translation, and this attests to his command of various languages. He explains foreign words in Rashi using Greek, German, Italian, French and Polish.
Enclosed is an expert report by R. Yosef Avivi, who writes: "The comments of R. Avraham on Tractate Avoda Zara are not known from any other source, and they are vital both for the study of R. Avraham's unique approach to the commentary of the Talmud and its expressions, and for knowing the accurate text of the comments of the Gaon of Vilna on this Tractate. They prove the accuracy and reliability of the notes of the Gaon of Vilna printed in the Vilna Talmud, since some contend that they were not authored by him. This is the only source which proves that the comments of the Gaon of Vilna printed in the Vilna Talmud where indeed authored by him and that their text is accurate".
There are other tractates from this set of Talmud with glosses by R. Avraham. R. Shlomo Gottesman published the glosses of R. Avraham on two volumes, which comprise Tractates Berachot, Beitzah, Chagigah and Moed Katan, in Yeshurun, vol. IV (pp. 143-221) and vol. V (pp. 91-103). In vol. IV, R. Gottesman added a preface to the glosses, as well as a biography of R. Avraham son of the Gaon of Vilna.
Ownership inscriptions on the title page and front endpaper of "R. Berish Ginsberg, son-in-law of the wealthy R. Yisrael Aharon Tulchinsky, from Uman, Kiev region", and his stamps (in Cyrillic characters). Several other inscriptions.
76; 21 leaves. Approx. 40 cm. Good condition. Stains and wear. Stamps. New leather binding.
Rabbi Avraham Son of the Gaon of Vilna
Rabbi Avraham Son of the Gaon of Vilna