NEFESH HA’CHAIM. FIRST EDITION, VILNA 1824

™ R. Chaim of Volozhin (1749-1821) was born in the town of Volozhin and initially studied under R. Aryeh Leib Ginzberg (the Sha’agas Aryeh), then Rav of Volozhin, and R. Raphael Ha-Kohen (the Toras Yekusiel). As a young man, he was attracted by the fame of the Vilna Gaon, and he drew close to him, ultimately becoming his most prominent disciple and spiritual successor. R. Chaim’s magnum opus, the Nefesh HaChaim, presents a clear and orderly theological view of man and his purpose in the world. Based primarily on the teachings of the Gaon, and drawing on many Kabbalistic sources, it addresses many of the same issues as the Chasidic texts of that era. The portion most oft studied and quoted is Sha’ar Daled (section 4) which is a complete exegesis on the concept of Torah Lishmah, emphasizing its intellectual aspects, as opposed to the Chasidic emphasis on deveikus. This was written to clarify the outlook of the Vilna Gaon in response to the rise of Chasidus. Received with great acclaim by the scholars of the Lithuanian Torah community, it has been reprinted many times and remains a classic sefer studied in many Yeshivas. Vinograd, Sifrei HaGra, page 248, notes that the main variance between the first and later editions is that at the beginning of Sha’ar Daled (page 1 of the final section) the text reads “Now in our generation due to our sins, it is unfortunately the opposite, the low have risen and the high have fallen”. In later editions the text simply reads “now in our generation … the high have fallen”. Vinograd suggests that this was to tone down any anti-Chassidic sentiment. In this copy the words ‘the low have risen’ have been covered over but remain visible. Vinograd Sifrei HaGra 1417, Vinograd Vilna 183, Mann-Zimmel press. 6, 17, 10, 8, [1]4, 17 pages. 22 cm. Original binding, restored spine. Fine condition, some marking.