Siddur Tikkunei Shabbat…prayers for the whole year and Yom Kippur Katan and prayers of the High Holidays, Viduy founded by our ancient fathers…Masechet Shabbat based on Rav Ovadya of Bartenura (complete), Shir HaShirim with the Metzudot, laws of hilchot Shabbat…Likkutim Yekarim…gathered by Rabbi Moshe ben HaNaggid Gershon of Zolshin, printed by Zvi Hirsch…from the printer of Warsaw 1826 [in practice printed in 1827], I ask that all who read this siddur first read the introduction—for it is expressed in many books the need to read the introduction [first]…”. The wording of the title page for this important work was written by the editor, Rabbi Moshe of Zolshin (1789-1831), who was revered by many tzaddikim and a group of chassidim. The work was later printed in Slavita and Zhitomir in nusach Sfard—this edition, published by the author himself, has nusach Ashkenaz.
After the introduction is an approbation for the book written by the gaon Rabbi Akiva Eiger, who writes wonderful things about the zechut of the work and the author’s greatness: “Although my hands generally refrain from giving approval/approbation to the printing of new books, this book cannot be considered a new book…” He notes that the author has received approbations from others such as Rabbi Ephraim Zalman Margaliyot, the Chemdat Shlomo, the Maharal Zinz and Shemen Rokeach, “which because of printing costs were omitted here” (and indeed these were printed later in later works by the author).
As emphasized in the title page by the author, " I ask that all who read this siddur first read the introduction ", it is worth noting his words in the wonderful introduction both on the essay "and here I warn any printer or copyist in the world (mentioned in the approbations) that woe until him who removes or omits even one letter from any book mentioned here…”. He references many Chassidic sources in this book and notes in the introduction: “I wrote this so that there would be references from the Chassidim and other references from the Misnagdim (because in our great sorrow there is a split between them [parenthetical remark original!]), I did not hesitate to unite the two methods and make the Jewish people whole again…how much it is merited that we unite and pour out our heart before Hashem to make us one people again, how long will we remain two separate units, in which one is straight and one is crooked, one permits and one prohibits…the chassid denigrates the misnagid and the opposite…may it be that the chassidim will speak highly of the gadol hador of the misnagdim and the misnagdim do the same for the chassidim…”. He continues at length about the unnecessary polemics between the two camps.
Stefanski Chassidut 421. [8], 21-48, [36], 49-152, [191] leaves (orig: [12], 21-48, [36], 49-152, [196] leaves). The missing leaves are the title page and the 3 leaves after it (one of them has half the page present) and 5 leaves of “Tikkunei Tshuva” after the Viduy Gadol. 18.5cm. Thick paper. 2 detached index pages. Signs of use, tears and stains, light moth damage, a few defects to the text in a few places. Otherwise good condition (rare for such an important prayerbook). Leather binding matches the period of printing and is detached and defective.
