Shneur Zalman of Liadi. Tanya [fundamental exposition of Chabad Chassidism]

(CHASSIDISM).

The Widow and Brothers Romm

Vilna

1900

fine Wide-margined edition. Three titles. Contains final page of instructions to binder in Hebrew and Yiddish (in our copy printed in red). See Mondschein, p. 11. Excellent condition

Mondschein, Sepher ha-Tanya: Bibliographia (1981) pp. 107-12, no. 30

THE MATRIX OF ALL SUBSEQUENT EDITIONS OF TANYA The man responsible for this edition of the Tanya - which has remained the standard layout for all subsequent editons - was Asher ben Meir, Shochet of Nikolayev (surname Grossman). He was a disciple of R. Hillel of Paritch, and a chasid of the Rebbe Mahara”sh (R. Samuel Schneersohn), and later his son, the Rebbe Rasha”b (R. Shalom Dov-Baer Schneersohn). See Mondschein, p. 109, n. 8. The edition incorporates variants found in several important manuscripts, property of the “grandsons of the Tzemach Tzedek” (R. Menachem Mendel Schneersohn of Lubavitch) (p. 2). R. Asher Grossman had been designated by the Rebbe Rasha”b to supervise the actual printing in Vilna. During the printing process, which went on for some while, Grossman fasted several fasts (out of awe for the holy task assigned him). On one of his trips to the Rebbe Rasha”b, the Rebbe sensed that this devout chassid had been fasting, and commanded that he be served tea and so cease his fast. R. Joseph Isaac Schneersohn and his successor, his son-in-law R. Menachem Mendel Schneerson (sixth and seventh Lubavitcher Rebbes), vouched for the reliability of R. Asher Grossman’s Vilna edition of 1900. See M.M. Laufer, Yemei Melech Vol. I (1991) pp. 108-9