Lot 31:

Both Editions of the “Tzemach Tzedek – Piskei Dinim”, Vilna, 1884 – the Original, Chassidic Copy Vs. The Forged Copy of the Misnagdim

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The original, Chassidic version vs. the tampered version of the Misnagdim.

Sefer “Tzemach Tzedek – Piskei Dinim”, Vilna, 1884 – first edition – 2 exemplars – the original, rare edition, as copied from the Tzemach Tzedek’s manuscript, where he writes regarding a proof of the GR”A “And this is not an answer” – with the common, tampered copy where the Ram family printers in Vilna replaced the sentence with the words “And I, in my poorness, have not merited to understand his holy words”.

At the end of the original, rare exemplar are also bound four pages of “Corrections and Omissions”, which were not bound with all copies.

The forged/tempered copy is bound also with the second part of “Piskei Dinim” on Even Ha’ezer and Choshen Mishpat, while the original only contains the first part on Orach Chaim and Yoreh De’ah.

The “scandalous” page is pg. 69/b, at the end of part 1, in the section starting with the words “Ituf”, where the Tzemach Tzedek refutes (as he is wont to do in dozens of other places) the proof of the GR”A regarding the use of a term, and says about it “and it is not an answer”. (The original manuscript, as well as copies of it, have survived till today.) However, the printers of Vilna took offence at this phrasing, and thus changed them to say “And I, in my poorness, have not merited to understand his holy words”, a phrase which the Tzemach Tzedek never used in al the other places where he refutes the GR”A. (The famous Chabad researcher, Rabbi Yehoshua Mondshein, notice an additional word that the printers inserted in that same page. On the third line of that page, they added a eulogetic: “and the GR”A OBM explained”, something which he never wrote in all the hundreds of places where he mentions the GR”A, nor does he use the term in referring to anyone else save his grandfather the Ba’al HaTanya. IIt is unclear why the Vilna printers decided to “fix” the content specifically here.)

In one of his letters (printed in Igros Kodesh vol. 8, p. 238), the Rebbe tells regarding this: “ I have heard from C”K Admor my father-in-law… that the printers in Vilna (I did not hear if it was just the typesetter and his supervisors or also the publisher)… used this opportunity to forge, and instead of “it is not an answer” they printed the text copied by his honor. And when the first gallies arrive in Lubavitch, they seized all the needed means and reprinted the last pages with the wording of the Tzemach Tzedek…” (Please see the Hebrew listing for bibliographic information and references regarding this forgery.)

Regarding the Tzemach Tzedek’s attitude towards the GR”A and his teachings:

The holy author, the Gaon the Tzemach Tzedek, in his Seforim, quotes the words of the GR”A in his elucidations on the Mishna and the Shulchan Aruch many times. Beyond this, in a listing of “good behaviors” which the Tzemach Tzedek wrote to himself, he notes the GR”A’s behavior: “The GR”A would sleep 3 non-consecutive half-hours (a day), and even during those half-hours his lips would move (in study)” (Igros Kodes of the Tzemach Tzedek, 1913 ed. Pg. 55). Notwithstanding, that did not prevent the Tzemach Tzedek from disagreeing with the GR”A’s ruling and proofs where he was of a differing opinion. This was his wont also with the Ba”ch, the Sha”ch, the “Sha’agas Aryeh”, and more of the Achronim. The Tzemach Tzedek did not hesitate to use strong language in places where his understanding and conclusions differed.

Please see the Hebrew listing for several quotes and sources showing the Tzemach Tzedek’s language when dissenting with the GR”A.

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