"Eizeh Halachot MiYad HaChazaka" - Five Volumes of the Censored Rambam, Published by the Ministry of Education in ...

"Eizeh Halachot MiYad HaChazaka" - Five Volumes of the Censored Rambam, Published by the Ministry of Education in Tsarist Russia - St. Petersburg, 1850
"Eizeh Halachot MiYad HaChazaka" - Auszuge aus dem Buche Jad-Haghasakkah, the censored Rambam in a set of five volumes, published by the Ministry of Education in Tsarist Russia. St. Petersburg, 1850. Four parts in five volumes. Hebrew and German.
The title page of part IV states that the book was printed "based on the responsa of our rabbis and scholars", with a list of Russian rabbis (some of the names where misspelled). The rabbis mentioned include "R. Menachem of Lubavitch" (the Tzemach Tzedek Rebbe of Lubavitch) and "the late R. Y. of Volozhin" (R. Itzele of Volozhin).
This edition of Yad HaChazaka by the Rambam was censored and revised by the Tsarist government in Russia, as part of the government's interference in Jewish education and the trend to impose the Enlightment upon the Jewish boys' schools and educational institutions. Apart from the German translation, this edition includes "Notes on the Rambam", containing customized "commentaries" promoting loyalty to the Tsarist government. These include: "General study according to Torah laws, regarding honor and laws of contemporary nations...", "Honoring the monarchy" - "Regarding our duty to love and honor our master the Tsar, with heart and soul", "Comment on monetary laws" ("We have presented this laws only in commemoration of days bygone, and for Torah study of what used to be"), etc. Laws of Kings was completely omitted from this edition.
This edition of the Rambam was published against the will of the rabbis mentioned on the title page. The proposal to teach children the Rambam's work was raised by the government in the 1843 St. Petersburg convention, and it was unanimously rejected by the participating rabbis. The government nevertheless published and distributed these books. The Tzemach Tzedek, who is mentioned amongst those who gave their approbation to this book, was in fact strongly opposed to this initiative, and actually sent letters to various government representatives, as part of his efforts to prevent the printing of this edition (see Igrot Kodesh of the Tzemach Tzedek, 2013 edition, pp. 73-77, 85-87).
Four parts in five volumes (part IV in two volumes). Multiple paginations. Part I lacking the two Hebrew title pages. Part II lacking first 3 leaves of German section (including the two title pages). Part III lacking one leaf in middle. Pages 923-953 of Hilchot Mamrim, which belong to part IV, were bound in the middle of part III. 17-18 cm. Overall good-fair condition. Stains. Dampstains and signs of past dampness in several places. Open tear to title page of part II, and tears affecting text in other places. Several detached leaves. Old half-leather bindings. Damage and wear to bindings.