Shitah Mekubetzet. The Tzaddik Rabbi Zundel of Salant's Personal Copy, with his Signature

Shitah Mekubetzet. The Tzaddik Rabbi Zundel of Salant's Personal Copy, with his Signature

Shitah Mekubetzet al Masechet Beitzah. Zolkiew, 1767. Personal copy of the progenitor of the mussar movement, the gaon and tzaddik Rabbi Zundel of Salant. His signature appears on the title page: "Zundel MiSalant" and there is also a dedication in his hand: "For the consolation of Zion" ["עבור מנחם ציון"].

As is known, due to his great humility, Rabbi Zundel refused to officially serve in a rabbinic capacity, so he made his living serving as gabbai of the Churvah synagogue library. He also gave many of his personal books to this library, hence the owner's signature and the dedication.

The gaon and tzaddik Rabbi Yosef Zundel of Salant [1786-1865] was the progenitor of the mussar movement. He was a disciple of Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin, and teacher of Rabbi Yisrael Salanter. His son-in-law, Rabbi Shmuel Salant, rabbi of Jerusalem, wrote shocking words about him: "As great as his character traits were - his Torah was on that same level, and the extent of his expertise in the revealed [Torah] was paralleled by his expertise in the hidden. He was the leader of the generation in Torah as in character [mussar], yet in his great and wondrous humility, he chose to hide his greatness from people." Towards the end of his life, he ascended to Jerusalem and served as the rabbinic authority for the Ashkenazim of Jerusalem.

[1] 32 leaves.

Fine condition: Aging stains. Isolated worming perforations. Cropped margins. Slight tears in the margins of two leaves. Elegant new binding.