Rare: Set Machzorim for the High Holidays & Shalosh Regalim, Józefów - Slavita 1844.

Rare: Set Machzorim for the High Holidays & Shalosh Regalim, Józefów - Slavita 1844.

A set Machzorim for Rosh Hashana & Yom Kippur & for Shalosh Regalim (The three festivals: Sukkot, Pesach, and Shavuot), printed by Chaninah Lipa Shapiro in 1844, prior to the establishment of the famed Zhitomir printing press, but after the closure of the family's press in Slavita (The Slavita printing press was forcibly closed by the Russian government in 1837).

Interestingly, while the Hebrew text on the title page states this edition was printed under the supervision of the Shapiro printers, a closer look at the Russian text reveals that the actual printer of this edition was not Shapiro himself but a local Józefów printer named Wachs. This would seem quite mysterious as it contradicts the Hebrew text, where no such statement is made.

Upon further research we have concluded that this edition was in fact printed by Chaninah Lipa Shapiro, however at that time, an edict known as "the presses decree" was in place. As such, only very few presses throughout Russia were given permission to operate. Finally, in 1845, the Shapiro brothers managed to lease the Zhitomir press and subsequently gain exclusive access to the printing permits. But prior to this - in 1844, Chaninah Lipa arranged to use the well-established Wachs press of Józefów - where printing permits were already in place. Thus the discrepancy between the Russian and Hebrew texts.

A very rare edition; not very many copies were published as printing in Zhitomir began not long after. 

High Holidays: 10, 9-123. Missing many pages at end.

Overall in good condition, heavy usage, worming in margins, old binding.

Shalosh Regalim : [2], 152 pages.

Fair condition, tears to title page affecting text, damage to page 2 lightly affecting text, tear to page 5 not affecting text, wear to corners, water damage, stains, worming mainly to margins.