First Edition of Biur HaGr"a al Shulchan Aruch Even HaEzer

First Edition of Biur HaGr"a al Shulchan Aruch Even HaEzer

Apei Ravrevei - Shulchan Aruch Even HaEzer, with Beit Shmuel and Chelkat Mechokek and with Biur HaGr'a. Vilna and Horodna, 1819. First edition of Biur HaGr"a. Signatures and glosses.

Biur HaGr"a L'Shulchan Aruch Even HaEzer was first printed approximately seven years before this sefer, without Beit Shmuel and Chelkat Mechokek. However, only a small part of it was printed, until siman 25. That printing ceased due to the Napoleanic Wars. When the printing restarted, Biur HaGr"a was printed with additional commentaries, from the beginning of the Shulchan Aruch until the end. They printed in this format that whoever has what was already printed can come and obtain the rest. There are many variants of this edition. This copy is like Type III in Otzar Sifrei HaGr"a by Yeshyahu Vinograd, no. 755.

In the introduction here, Rabbi Ya'akov Moshe, the Gr"a's grandson, wrote that he began to print the commentary close to 1812, but that year, Napoleon invaded Russia and the printing stopped in the middle. This volume was only completed in 1819. The printing process, which took about seven years, resulted in many variants of this edition. [Refer to Ch. Lieberman, Ohel Rache"l, II, pp. 389-400, and the introduction to Yeshyahu Vinograd's sefer  Otzar Sifrei HaGr"a pp. 14-16.]

Biur HaGr"a al Shulchan Aruch is considered the final word of the poskim and their commentaries, collected in the four parts of Shulchan Aruch. The Gr"a completes this period, shaping its image and establishing the basis of halachah for generations. The author of Chazon I"sh writes about him ( Kovetz Iggerot Part I, siman 32): "We relate to the Gr"a in line with Moshe Rabbeinu, Ezra HaSofer, Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi, Rav Ashi, the Ramba"m, and the Gr"a, by whom Torah was revealed ... He is considered as one of the Rishonim, therefore he firmly disputes them, along with the Ri"f and the Ramba"m in several places. The level of his Divine inspiration, his piety and the depth of his understanding, toil and expertise, the depth of his study of all the Torah available to us in our days, are impossible to describe ... as such, it is impossible to be surprised that he disagrees with the Shulchan Aruch." [Refer to the article 'HaShulchan Aruch V'HaGr"a by Bezalel Landau, Machanayim 97 1965, pp 40-46.]

Vinograd, Sifrei HaGr"a 755. Stefansky, Sifrei Yessod 169.

[4] pp, 5-61; [188] leaf, 34.5 cm. Bluish paper. Owner's signatures on the flyleaves and glosses on the last leaf. The identity of the signatories and the content of the glosses has not been examined.

Fine condition. Aging stains. Light blemishes in the margins of several leaves, without damage to the text. Tear in the margins of the (blank) front flyleaf. Perforation at the top of the title page, without damage to the text. New binding.