(Gaon of Vilna). Maaseh Rav [customs of the Vilna Gaon as noted by R. Yissachar Ber of Vilna].

The printing place, date and printer are noted on the title-page only in German. There is confusion among bibliographers whether this is the first edition. According to Vinograd, the date is either falsified or mistaken and considers the Vilna 1832 as the first edition. The approbations in the Vilna 1832 edition are dated 1817; thus he believes that the manuscript was not ready for publication before 1817 - certainly not 1808. He cites Kalman Kahana (Cheker VeIyun 5 p. 317) who surmises that perhaps the date should read 1838. We can ascertain that this edition was surely published after 1821 as on f. 6, this edition cites R. Chaim of Volozhin with the epithet “Zechuto Yagen Aleinu” and “Zichrono Lebracha” which indicates that it was published following his death which was in the year 1821. According to Dienstag (no. 251) this is the first edition. However, when describing the Lemberg, 1833 edition (no. 253) Dienstag notes that it is similar to the Zolkiew 1808 edition. Neither this edition nor the Lemberg 1833 edition have the approbation letter of R. Chaim of Volozhin.