Maginei Eretz – Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim with the Commentary of the Gaon of Vilna – Shklow, 1803 – First Edition ...

Maginei Eretz – Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim with the Commentary of the Gaon of Vilna – Shklow, 1803 – First Edition of the Commentary of the Gaon of Vilna – Handwritten Glosses – Copy of Rabbi Yaakov Berlin of Mir, Father of the Netziv
Maginei Eretz, Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim, with the commentary of the Gaon of Vilna. Shklow, [1803]. First edition of the commentary of the Gaon of Vilna. Title page printed in red and black.
This is the first edition of the commentary of the Gaon of Vilna on Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim, based on the Gaon of Vilna's original manuscript. The edition was brought to print by the sons of the Gaon of Vilna, together with the latter's disciples, R. Menachem Mendel of Shklow and R. Yisrael of Shklow, and with the grandson of the Gaon of Vilna R. Yaakov Moshe of Slonim (son of R. Avraham son of the Gaon of Vilna).
The text of the Shulchan Aruch is flanked on one side by the commentary of the Gaon of Vilna, and on the other by the Magen Avraham. Be'er HaGolah was printed in the margins.
In his foreword printed on verso of the title page, R. Chaim of Volozhin describes the approach of the Gaon of Vilna in explaining the Shulchan Aruch. On the second leaf, there is a lengthy and noteworthy foreword by the sons of the Gaon of Vilna, in which they portray the greatness of their father from birth, his special practices and his study methods. They also list the disciples of the Gaon of Vilna in order of their prominence (see Hebrew description). On the third leaf, there is a foreword by R. Menachem Mendel of Shklow, disciple of the Gaon of Vilna, followed by the foreword of R. Yaakov Moshe of Slonim, grandson of the Gaon of Vilna. The fourth leaf contains the foreword of the editor – R. Yisrael of Shklow, disciple of the Gaon of Vilna.
Various signatures on the title page of R. " Yaakov Berlin of Mir" – " In Jerusalem". His signature also appears on p. 102a. His full signature appears on the back endpaper, with his name and the name of his father: " …Yaakov son of the late R. Y[ehuda] Yidel Berlin… in Jerusalem". Several glosses (including some brief glosses and some lengthy glosses) in Ashkenazic script (on p 25a, a lengthy scholarly gloss, signed "So it seems to me, in my humble opinion, Chaim Tzvi". On p. 1a, a dedication in Yemenite script, with a calligraphic signature, dated 1901).
R. Yaakov Berlin of Mir (1794-1870), father of the Netziv of Volozhin and father-in-law of the Aruch HaShulchan. He was a wealthy merchant and an outstanding Torah scholar, a leader of the Mir community. He immigrated to Jerusalem in 1852, where he served as one of the leaders of the Ashkenazi community (see his biography in Mekor Baruch by his grandson R. Baruch Epstein).
[1], 3, 316, [2] leaves. 35 cm. Condition varies (first and final leaves in fair condition, rest of book in good-fair condition). Stains and wear. Marginal open tears and damage to title page, affecting text, repaired with paper and tape. Tears to other leaves. Worming, primarily to first and final leaves. Handwritten inscriptions. New binding.
Vinograd, Thesaurus of the Books of the Vilna Gaon, no. 747.
Provenance: The Yeshayahu Vinograd Collection, Jerusalem.