Bidspirit auction | Fine Copy of the Masterpiece

Fine Copy of the Masterpiece of Chassidic Printing: Complete Set of the Bavli Talmud ”Zhitomir Shas” with the Rif - Shapira Press Zhitomir, 1858-1864 - Talmud Bavli, with all the commentators as previously printed and with new additions. Printed in Zhitomir by the pratners, the grandsons of the Rav of Slavita, Rabbi Chanina Lipa and Rabbi Yehoshua Heschel Shapira. 20 volumes containing all tractates of the Shas and their title pages and the Rif - except for one title page of the 2 of Masechet Pesachim.  The magnificent Shas Zhitomir) was printed in the years 1858–1864 by the Shapira brothers and is primarily based on the Slavita Shas printed by their grandfather, Rabbi Moshe Shapira. In this edition, alongside the standard Talmudic text, important Chidushim and additions were integrated that were absent from the Slavita edition. Among other works, it included the Chidushim of the Maharam Schiff, as well as the book Me'ir Nativ by Rabbi Shabtai Katz, Av Beit Din of Sokolov, from the family of the Shach - a work omitted from later Talmudic editions printed in Vilna, Warsaw, and Lemberg. Additionally, foundational commentaries on the Masachtot Ketanot were added, including Binyan Yehoshua and Nachalat Yaakov. It is famously known that the Chazon Ish was particularly fond of using the Zhitomir Shas edition specifically because of the work Me'ir Nativ, which does not appear in other editions. Precious additions were also added to the Rif section of this edition . Added for the first time were HIlchot Nedarim by the Ramban with its commentators amd Hagahot Chaves Yair on the Rif from a manuscript. In the Mordechai, Hagahot HaRema were added from a manuscript as well as Hilchot Bechorot and Chalah by the Ramban with a commentary by the Maharit Algazi, with a special title page, alongside additional important additions.  Books printed by the presses of Zhitomir and Slavita were known for the special Kedushah. It was believd by Chassidim that owning books printed in Slavita or Zhitomir was a Segulah for protection and success, both due to the Kedushah of the printers, the sons and grandsons of Rabbi Pinchas of Korezt, and due to the fact that the instruments used by the printery, including the fonts, were immersed in a Mikveh before they were used.  The volumes: 1. Berachot and Mishnayot Zeraim : [4], 123; 14; 4; 62; 62 leaves. Separate title page for Section I o fthe Rif and separate title page for the Mishnayot.  2. Shabbat : [2], 198, 53, 91 leaves. 3. Eruvin : [1], 135, 20, 3, 89-131 leaves.  4. Pesachim, Chagigah : [1], 143. 15, [1], 6, 130-172, 28, 6, 1 leaves. One of the title pages of Masechet Pesachim is missing.   5. Rosh Hashanah, Yoma, Sukkah : [1], 48; 206-221; 95; 9; 222-230; 71; 19020; 14; 7; 230-157 leaves.  6. Beitzah, Moed Katan, Megillah, Taanit and Yerushalmo Shekalim : [1], 57; 10; 6; 5-8; 182-208; 46; 4; 278-303; 41; 6; 257-278; 36' 6' 169-182; 13 leaves.  7. Yevamot, Sotah : [2], 152; 22; 5; [1]; 66; [1], 51; 12 leaves. Separate title page for Section II of the Rif.  8. Gittin, Nazir : [2], 125; 21; 21; 144-206; 68 leaves.  9. Kiddushin, Nedarim : [1], 100; 19, [1], 4; 206-254; 91l 21, [1], 38 leaves.  10. Ketubot : [2], 156; 26; 30; 5; [1], 63-145 leaves.  11. Bava Kama : [2], 152; 28; 2-62 leaves.  12. Bava Metzi'a : [2], 166; 24; 24; 60-156 leaves.  13. Bava Batra : [2], 222, 42, 154-251, 250-259 leaves.  14. Sanhedrin : [1], 132. 47, 257-282, [1] leaves.  15. Shvu'ot, Avodah Zarah : [1], 72; 287-332; [1], 99; [1], 14; 330-378 leaves.  16. Makot Horayot, Eduyot : [1], 34; 282-286; [1], 19; 19; 19-67; 45 leaves.  17. Zevachim, Menachot : [1], 133; [2], 116; [1], 63-88 leaves.  18. Bechorot, Arachin, Temurah, Kritut, Meilah, Kinim, Tamid, Midot : [1], 87; 37; 35; 31; 41; 5; [5], 88 leaves. Separate title page om bluish paper for Hilchot Bechorot and Chalah by the Ramban.  19. Chulin : [2], 223; 44; 5; 255-379 leaves.  20. Nidah : [1], 107; 18; 138 leaves.  Separate title page for each Masechet - some have two title pages. In several volumes, minor moth perforations. Stains and other mino rblemishes. Simple, late matching bindings. Good overall condition - rare to find a complete set in such condiiton.  This is a complete and rare set of Shas Zhitomir, one of the most sought-after books among Judaica collectors, decorating the homes of leading Chassidic Neggidim.