Bidspirit auction | Menoras Hamaor – Printing Press

Menoras Hamaor – Printing Press of Rabbi Moshe Shapira – Slavita, 1824 * Menoras Hamaor, a fundamental work of Jewish ethics, by Rabbi Yitzchak Abuhav, with the renowned commentary Nefesh Yehudah by Rabbi Moshe Frankfurter, and a Yiddish translation. Brought to print by Rabbi Moshe Shapira, Av Beis Din of Slavita, son of Rabbi Pinchas of Koritz. Although the title page states: “Printed by the rabbinic scholar Rabbi Shmuel Avraham Shapira, son of the Rav of Slavita, ” the sefer was brought to print through the efforts of his father, Rabbi Moshe Shapira, and the approbations were granted to him. The year 1824 marked the transition of the printing press from father to son, and from that year, Rabbi Avraham Shmuel began his printing activities at the press established by his father. At the beginning of the sefer, there is an approbation by Rabbi Avraham Yehoshua Heschel of Apta: “The beautiful and distinguished printing press of the holy community of Slavita is famous throughout the country. It is run under the supervision of the charitable and eminent chassid, Rabbi Moshe Shapira, may his light shine, Av Beis Din of Slavita. Hashem blesses his endeavors, and he produces sefarim with exceptional splendor and elegance. How wonderful it is that he has chosen to print the sefer Menoras Hamaor, together with the commentary Nefesh Yehudah and a Yiddish translation…” Slavita, 1824. Shapira Press. Page Count: [8], 316 leaves. Greenish paper; part of the title-page text is printed in red ink. Condition : Overall good; a few holes, repairs (including on title page), stains. Damaged old binding. ---------------- At the printing press in Slavita, only sifrei kodesh were printed: sifrei yesod, siddurim, and sefarim of Chassidus. They were cherished and revered by Chassidic tzaddikim throughout the generations. “Every G-d-fearing person should make an effort to acquire sefarim from old printings, which were for the most part produced by G-d fearing Jews, especially from the presses of Slavita and Zhitomir, the grandsons of the Rav of Koritz, who were great and holy printers” (Taharas HaKodesh by the Shomer Emunim, ch. 6)