Yalkut Shimoni [Midrashic anthology to the Bible]. Attributed to Shimon the Preacher of Frankfurt.

(ELIJAH, GAON OF VILNA).

Samuel Madphis

Polonnoye

1805

Vinograd, Polonnoye 58; M. Wunder, The Hebrew Press in Polonnoye in: Alei Sepher Vol. 5, p. 141, no. 47; See Vinograd, Gr”a no. 473.

A handwritten note on the title page states that the marginal notes throughout this work are attributed to the Gr”a of Vilna and were copied by his grandson R. Yaakov Moshe of Slonim. There are also notes in the name of the Vilna Gaon’s son R. Abraham, plus original notes by R. Ya’akov Moshe. Notes read in places: “Adoni Avi Zekeini Hagaon,” or “Adoni Avi Mori Harav” (see ff. 179a, 180b,181a, and 202b). Interestingly on f. 187b the note cites the Gaon but adds “Va’ani nechdo hama’atik lo zachithi lehavin…” (but I, his grandson, the copyist did not merit to understand). There are thus citations of three generations of notes to this work. The standard editions of Yalkut Shimoni do not include notes by the Vilna Gaon. Although some of the Vilna Gaon’s novellae were included in the Warsaw 1863 and Vilna 1864 editions, the marginal notes in the present volume are much more extensive and comprehensive. The Gaon makes textual changes and compares citations from other Talmudic and Midrashic sources to the text of the Yalkut with appropriate comments. A note on f. 80b reads,”If I were not afraid of the early commentators, I would change this reading…” Of tremendous value in bringing to light heretofore unknown novellae by the great Gaon of Vilna