Sefer Shalmei Nedarim, chiddushim and exegeses on Masechet Nedarim, by Rabbi Alexander Sender ben Zerach HaKohen Kaplan, Av Beit din of Kupishok (Kupiszki). An important work received as a foundational book on this masechet in Lithuanian yeshivot. First edition from the author’s lifetime. Vilna 1880. 61, [1] leaves.
This copy has two title pages with gilded lettering.
Approbations from rabbi Yitzhak Elchanan Spector of Kovna, the Aderet of Ponevezh, and Rabbi Betzalel HaKohen of Vilna. At the end are two pages containing a list of subscribers with handwritten additions by the author, plus a complete page dedicated to the members of the Kupishok community, which testifies to their dedication to their rabbi, the author.
Worming holes, stains, stable binding, overall good condition.
The body of the work has a number of
handwritten notes and additions which are significant and handwritten by the author. The subscriber pages (prenomeranten) also have handwritten additions in pretty block letters, seemingly contributions received after the book already started printing, as well as corrections to other names. Some have interesting titles such as “HaGvir”,
“…to the rav true gaon Rabbi Yitzhak Elchanan Av Beit Din of Kovna”, who also wrote an approbation, as noted above. “To the rabbi the Maggid of Wilkomir” (Rabbi Zvi Hirsch Kaplan) … “who is my brother’s son”, and more.
The first title page has a handwritten note: “belongs to Mordechai Kaplan, the author’s grandson” with his stamp. There is a note and faded stamps from Rabbi Dov Melamed, the Av Beit Din of Piklin (Lithuania) (died 1969).
The author Rabbi Alexander Kaplan (1815-1884) was the son of Rabbi Zerach HaKohen. He served as Av Beit Din of Kupishok and was known for this book, which was read across the Lithuanian yeshiva world as a foundational work on Nedarim.
