Bidspirit auction | Sefer Yesod Shulchan Aruch Orach

Sefer Yesod Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim with Elyah Rabbah First Edition. Rare Copy. Sulzbach, 1757 * Shulchan Aruch, section Orach Chaim, surrounded by the commentary Elyah Rabbah, a fundamental halachic sefer with practical rulings. Authored by Rabbi Elyah Shapira, a darshan and rosh yeshiva in the illustrious city of Prague, described by the Divrei Chaim of Sanz as the “greatest of the Achronim” (Shu”t Orach Chaim II, siman 12). The author possessed remarkable mastery of Torah and “no secret was hidden from him, ” as the Chida writes: “And it is already known that the Elyah Rabbah z”l explored every chamber of the library of the tzaddikim” (Machzik Bracha, Yoreh Deah 11:1). This is the first edition of one of the most foundational halachic sefarim on Orach Chaim. In many places, the Achronim ruled according to the Elyah Rabbah even against the Taz and Magen Avraham. The Mishnah Brurah cites him frequently, and the Chida quotes him hundreds of times! A rare copy. Includes the rare sample leaf from the lost Elyah Rabbah on Yoreh De’ah, whose manuscript was destroyed in the Prague fire of 1754. One of the most impressive title pages adorning sefarim printed in Germany! The present first edition of Elyah Rabbah features a striking title page, beautifully illustrated with images of Moshe and Aharon in the center; akeidas Yitzchak; Yitzchak’s blessings to Yaakov and Eisav; Yaakov’s dream; Dovid Hamelech and Shlomo Hamelech, all with distinct artistic motifs. Rabbi Elyah Shapira (1660–1712) , one of the great Achronim, was the brother-in-law of the Shevus Yaakov. He was a disciple of his father Rabbi Ze’ev Wolf, Raavad of Prague, and his grandfather Rabbi Aharon Shimon of Prague, both of whom he frequently references in his chiddushim. In the introduction, he is described as “proficient in the entire sea of Talmud, in the Rishonim and Achronim, and in the Shu”t.” The Chida wrote of him and the Shach: “One who is accustomed to their sacred words will recognize that nothing was hidden from them, and all sefarim of the beis medrash were [as if] laid out before them.” He composed the sefer before the printing of the ‘two shields’ (Magen David – Taz, and Magen Avraham). After their appearance, he went through his work and wherever his words aligned with theirs, he cited them by name (as testified by his student in the introduction). Sulzbach, 1757. First edition. Page Count: [2], 218, [1] leaves. Size: 33.8 cm. Condition: Good. On one leaf a few words are missing, apparently due to a paper flaw at the time of printing. Some leaves are slightly brownish paper. A few holes. Tears and repairs to the title page and three additional leaves. Old binding, partially detached spine. On the title page is the signature of Rabbi Ze’ev Yitzchak HaLevi Dinner. Bibliography: Stefansky, Sifrei Yesod, no. 173. - - - - - - - - - - - - - The Rare Sample Leaf from the Lost Elyah Rabbah on Yoreh De’ah The author devoted his life primarily to the section of Yoreh Deah, and wanted to print it first, “for he left no crack or gap that he did not correct.” The publisher indeed began printing the section of Yoreh Deah, but the sole manuscript of the author was burned in Prague in 1754. He therefore published the section Orach Chaim instead. In his introduction, the publisher writes that he has attached a “sample” page of Yoreh Deah with the commentary, so that learners could grasp from it the great depth of the author’s analysis in this section. Since learners could not study from this single page, over the generations it was lost from most copies, and is not even present in the scanned copy of the National Library of Israel.