Sifra DeTzniuta with the Commentary of the Gaon of Vilna – First Edition – Vilna and Horodna, 1820

Sifra DeTzniuta with the Commentary of the Gaon of Vilna – First Edition – Vilna and Horodna, 1820

Sifra DeTzniuta, with the commentary of the Gaon of Vilna. Vilna and Horodna: Menachem Mann son of Baruch and Simcha Simmel son of Menachem Nachum, [1820]. First edition of the commentary of the Gaon of Vilna on Sifra DeTzniuta.
This book is one of the fundamental books for studying and understanding the approach of the Gaon of Vilna to Kabbalah.
The work was brought to print by R. Yaakov Moshe of Slonim, grandson and disciple of the Gaon of Vilna (son of R. Avraham son of the Gaon of Vilna).
Lengthy foreword by R. Chaim of Volozhin at the beginning of the book – the last foreword written by R. Chaim to one of the books of the Gaon of Vilna (he passed away a year after this book was published, in 1821).
[6], 59, [3] leaves. 20.5 cm. Good condition. Stains. Minor wear. Small tears, including tear slightly affecting text on one leaf (without loss), and minor marginal open tear to another leaf, not affecting text. Stamps. New binding.
Vinograd, Thesaurus of the Books of the Vilna Gaon, no. 696.

Sifra DeTzniuta with the Commentary of the Gaon of Vilna – The Segulah Qualities of the First Edition
The following stories are told about the holiness and segulah of this edition:
R. Shemaryahu Greineman told the following story in the name of the Chazon Ish – A dybbuk was once brought before one of the tzaddikim of the previous generation, in the presence of all the townspeople. The tzaddik declared: "Let me show you a wondrous thing!". He presented the dybbuk with two copies of a book (Sifra DeTzniuta or Sefer Yetzirah), one printed in the previous generation and the second printed in his times. The books were both wrapped in paper, and thus outwardly undistinguishable. The dybbuk took one book and embraced it lovingly; however, he recoiled from the other book saying that he is unable to touch it. The tzaddik explained the reason for this: the impure dybbuk was unable to touch the book published in the previous generation since it was printed by G-d-fearing Jews, unlike the second book, which was printed in a printing press which employed Jews who were lured by the Enlightenment Movement (Maaseh Ish, V, p. 122, in the name of R. Shemaryahu Greineman who heard the story from the Chazon Ish).
A similar story was told by R. Shmuel David HaKohen Munk (rabbi of the Orthodox community in Haifa), in the name of a Sephardic Jerusalem kabbalist – A person with a dybbuk was brought before the kabbalist, who placed the second edition of the Vilna Gaon's commentary on Sifra DeTzniuta on the man to no avail. He then used the first edition and the man was cured (Zechor LeDavid, II, p. 159). R. Munk also quotes R. Eliezer Gordon of Telz, who reported that when a volume of the first edition was placed in the hands of a dybbuk, he shook and screamed in terror: "The Vilner! The Vilner!", but did not show the same agitation upon similar exposure to a second edition (ibid).

PLEASE NOTE: Item description was shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.