Tehillim
with Ma’amados
Slavita, 1824
Rabbi Moshe
Shapira Press
Sefer Tehillim divided by days of the week, with the meaning of each chapter inscribed before the beginning of the chapter.
Includes maamados and Perek Shirah.
Printed with out commentary, intended for the sole purpose of reciting Tehilim
It is evident from the condition of the book that this tehilim has been extensively used for praying and for avodas hashem.
Printed by Rabbi Moshe Shapira, Av Beis Din of Slavita and son of Rabbi Pinchas of Koritz.
Sifrei Tehillim from Slavita are exceedingly rare.
Please see below important information regarding this lot
Contains a general title page for Tehillim and maamados, as well as a separate title page for maamados.
There is an index of the chapters of Tehillim according to the yearly cycle on page 67a.
It is well known that Chassidic luminaries desired to recite Tehillim from books printed by the venerable rabbinical family of Slavita.
Slavita, 1824. 68, [2], 68-94 leaves. Page size: 17.5 cm. Signs of wear on all leaves, margins slightly cropped (and until the edge of the text on leaf 23a.) Dark stains on bottom margins. New leather binding.
Provenance: Rabbi Chaim Schneebalg
The sefarim printed by the Shapira family in Slavita and Zhitomir were very well received by the chassidic luminaries, Admorim and chassidim especially they yearned to daven from the Sifrei Tehillim printed by the Shapira family.
The Admor, author of Shomer Emunim wrote: “Every G-d fearing man should endeavor to purchase old printings of sefarim…specifically from the printing presses of Slavita and Zhitomir by the grandsons of the Rabbi of Kortiz, who were very holy printers” (Taharas Hakodesh Ch. 6).
It is advised to recite Tehilim on the Chag of Shavuos, as it is the yahrzeit of Dovid Hamelech, and on this holy day which is also the yoma deHilula of Dovid HaMelech, therefore tehilim recited on this day ascend higher and are more favored in heaven (Moreh B’etzbah, by the Chida letter 226).
Please note: We have received inquiries from some knowledgeable collectors regarding whether this Tehillim (was printed independently or published alongside a Siddur.
After conducting detailed research, we would like to share our findings.
Our primary source of information is Mr. Zalmen Leibs Farkash impressive library holding the crème de la crem of the Slavita prints with a variety of editions like none other.
1. There is no known Slavita Siddur that was printed in the same year as this Tehillim. The Tehillim is dated 1824, and we are unaware of the existence of such a Siddur.
2. The Farkash library holds two different Siddurim that were printed together with the Tehillim, among other texts. One Siddur was printed in 1828, and the other in 1833. Both Siddurim were printed with their associated Tehillim, and both have the word “Tehillim” printed on the bottom margin in every quire (in Yiddish, “Boygen”). Another similar Tehillim is recorded in the national library, also with the “Tehillim” mark on the bottom margin. However, the Tehillim in the auction does not have the “Tehillim” mark printed on its bottom margin. (Every book is divided into quires, and at the beginning of each quire, there is a numeric value that serves to instruct the correct order of the book)
3. The current Tehillim’s title page states סדר תהילים ומעמדות. In both copies from the Farkash collection, the title page only states סדר תהילים.
On the other hand:
1. The known Slavita Tehillims have red title pages, whereas the title page of this Tehillim and the two Tehillims in the Farkash library are printed in black ink.
2.Both Tehillims, including the present one, contain Perek Shira (a section praising Hashem found in Jewish liturgy) at the end. However, none of the standard Slavita Tehillims include Perek Shira.
3. All known Slavita prints bear a censorship stamp and approval. The present Tehillim lacks any censorship stamps.
Based on the above findings, there is a good possibility that this Tehillim is a surviving Slavita Tehillim from an unknown Slavita Siddur. While significant differences exist between the Farkash copies and the Tehillim in the auction, the similarities cannot be ignored.
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