Rare: Sefer Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, Ungvar 1864. First Edition.

Rare: Sefer Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, Ungvar 1864. First Edition.

The first edition of one of the most popular and sought-after Hebrew books: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, printed by the author in Ungvar, 1864. Ever since its publication, it has been so well received that it has been printed in hundreds of editions.  

The work is a summary of the Shulchan Aruch of R. Yosef Caro, with references to later rabbinical commentaries. It focuses on the Orach Chaim and Yoreh Deah sections of the Shulchan Aruch, and includes laws of daily life, Shabbos, holidays and so on. It is divided into 221 chapters (called simanim).

As this work was written for the laity, it is not as detailed as the Shulchan Aruch itself, while generally following the Shulchan Aruch's structure. R. Shlomo Ganzfried expressed his intentions in his introduction, as he writes: 

[This book] includes from the four sections of the Shulchan Aruch, those necessary and essential laws for all people in Klal Yisroel for knowing them, and are written in a simple language and a correct order. It is a good compilation and effective, since businessmen that do not have the time to delve into the Shulchan Aruch and its commentaries. They shall find in [this work] that which they require with ease and also [be able to] educate the youth and plant in their hearts the commandments of Hashem in their youth and [so that] also in their later life they will not leave them…

Already during the lifetime of the author, his work was extremely well-received and was reprinted in some fourteen editions! The Posek Hador, R. Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, used to say that perhaps the reason why the Kitzur was met with such success, was precisely because it was reprinted and corrected so many times. He would add that we find this phenomenon with the Talmud itself, which was largely re-issued after Ravina and Rav Ashi. Some parts however, such as tractate Nazir, were never re-issued; hence are lesser studied and lack adequate clarity. (See: Shemiras Shabbos K'Hilchasa, Second Edition, in the name of R. Shlomo Zalman Auerbach). 

In yet another testament to its immense popularity, we find an article published by the author in 1873, just nine years after it first appeared in print, where he declares that a certain printer from Warsaw had reprinted his work without permission and that buying any of his stock is prohibited (See: Ha-Maggid, Al Tishkon B'Ohalecha Avlah, June 25 1873).

As such, this first edition is of utmost rarity, rarely seen at auction. 

In 2022, a copy of this first edition sold for $27,500, see here

In overall very good condition. Minor repair to upper left corner of title page, with no loss of text. Bound in a new binding. 

[4], 144 pp.