Sefer Chofetz Chaim, Vilna 1873. First Edition. With Handwritten Correction In the Holy Hand of The Author.

Sefer Chofetz Chaim, Vilna 1873. First Edition. With Handwritten Correction In the Holy Hand of The Author.

A complete copy of the fundamental and most sought after work: Sefer Chofetz Chaim, as originally published by the saintly R. Yisroel Meir HaKohen of Radin. Printed anonymously in Vilna in 1873, it contains all the necessary laws pertaining to Lashon Harah.

Authored by R. Yisroel Meir of Radin (1838-1933), the leading Torah personality in prewar Europe. He is best known as “The Chofetz Chaim”' after this very work, which, together with his “Mishnah Berurah”, are perhaps the most widely used Halachic books today. Although he does not disclose the reason as to why he authored this work, it is said that after witnessing a terrible dispute between the Rabbi of his hometown Radin during his younger years, he was compelled to write this comprehensive and monumental work. In his introduction, he makes it abundantly clear that many are lacking in basic knowledge of Lashon Harah, and are thereby transgressing this sin – perhaps tens of times per day. Moreover, many were of the opinion that Lashon Harah is more akin to an ethical issue, without realizing that it is in fact a severe sin, mainly due to its complex laws and the fact that it is hardly talked about in depth in Halacha. 

This copy is one of the handful of copies which bear a handwritten correction in the Holy hand of the Chofetz Chaim himself (pp. 46).

The first edition of a most influential Jewish classic, truly a must for any serious collector. 

On the title page is one line of text which is only found in the first edition. In subsequent editions, it is omitted. Please refer to the Hebrew text for more details. 

In good-very good condition. Top left corner of title page partly restored.  

[1], 81 pp. 

Sefansky Hebrew Classics 209.