Bidspirit auction | Nefesh HaChaim by Rabbeinu Chaim

Nefesh HaChaim by Rabbeinu Chaim of Volozhin. First edition, Vilna and Horodna, 5584 [1824]. A very fine copy. - First edition of Sefer Yiras Hashem LeChaim – Nefesh HaChaim, by Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin, the foremost disciple of the Gra of Vilna. “Yiras Hashem LeChaim – Kuntresim from the writings of our teacher Rabbi Chaim, Av Beis Din and Rosh Metivta of Kahal Volozhin, which is called… Nefesh HaChaim.” Among the foundational works in the Torah of the Gra and his disciples, dealing with the ways of conduct and pure Divine service according to both revealed and hidden Torah. Large sections of the sefer were written as a response to the emerging Chassidic movement of that era, in accordance with the approach and tradition of the Gra and his beis midrash. It is noteworthy that, despite the sefer’s nature as a work of mussar and guidance, the author chose at the end of Shaar 3 to print a page containing his novellae on Shas, so that no blank paper would remain. Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin regarded this sefer as greater than all his other halachic writings, and before his passing instructed his sons to hasten its publication. The sefer was edited and printed by his son, the gaon Rabbi Yitzchak of Volozhin, and by his nephew, the gaon and mekubal Rabbi Avraham Simcha of Amstislav—both among the heads of the Volozhin Yeshiva. Includes introductions by his sons Rabbi Yitzchak of Volozhin and Rabbi Yosef of Sharshov, and approbations by the rabbis of Vilna Rabbi Shaul Katzenellenbogen and Rabbi Avraham Abele Pasvaler. Ownership inscription on the title page: “Yehoshua son of the Rav Gershon z”l Shapira… 5660”. Additional signatures and pen trials on the endpaper. Stefansky, Sifrei Yesod, 478. Winograd, Sifrei HaGra, 1417. Collation: [6], 17, 10, 8, [1], 4, 17 leaves. Size: 22 × 17 cm. Wide margins. New and fine leather binding. Several stains throughout the sefer. Very good condition.