Talmud Bavli

(TALMUD, BABYLONIAN).

Moshe Shapiro

Slavita

1817-1822

Complete Set Bound in 21 Volumes

Vinograd Slavita 139 et al; R. N. Rabinowitz, Maamar Al Hadfasat Ha-Talmud p. 131; Yeshiva UniversityMuseum Catalogue, Printing the Talmud no. 54 (printer incorrectly identified)

COMPLETE SETS OF THE SLAVITA SHAS ARE EXCEPTIONALLY RARE. This edition is particularly revered by Chassidim as the printer, R. Moshe Shapiro, was the son of R. Pinchas Koritzer and Rabbi of Slavita. This edition ( See Masechta Berachoth) bears the haskamoth of the Chassidic luminaries Shneur Zalman of Liadi, Abraham Joshua Heschel of Apta (Opatow), Israel ben Levi Isaac of Pikov, Mordechai Margalioth of Satnow, Mordechai ben Pinchas of Koretz; as well as the Lithuanian Rabbis Chaim Hakohen of Pinsk and Samuel of Karlin and Antopol. Tractate Shabbath contains the haskamah of R. Aryeh Leib of Brisk. Haberman, in his additions to Rabinowitz on p. 131 does not note this important haskama, possibly as he was unable to locate a copy of this scarce volume. The printers excuse themselves for not publishing the great Rabbi's haskamah in Masechta Berachoth as it was received after the first volume had gone to press. The appearance of this Talmud edition led to a deeply acrimonious dispute with the rival printing house of Romm in Vilna "the most contentious in the history of printing...(with a) sequence of events that resulted in tragedy." For details as to why this Slavita Talmud edition led the Russian government to ban Hebrew printing throughout the country, see YU Mus. Cat. Talmud, p. 278.