Mishnah Berurah – First Edition Printed by the Author, with the List of Subscribers – A Distinguished Copy

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Mishnah Berurah – First Edition Printed by the Author, with the List of Subscribers – A Distinguished Copy

Mishnah Berurah – First Printing. By Rabbi Yisrael Meir HaKohen, Part One. Warsaw, printed by Yosef Reiz Unterhandler, 1884 [Hebrew date printed as 1883, Gregorian date at the bottom of the title page: 1884, last approbation from 1884, censorship approval on the verso of the title page: 1882].

This is the first volume of the first edition of the Mishnah Berurah, printed by the author in his lifetime! This volume contains unique features that were omitted in the later volumes of the first edition and, of course, in all subsequent editions.

At the end of the book, the author wrote: "Warning: No one shall dare to reprint the Mishnah Berurah without my permission or the permission of my household (Bnei Beiti) – The Author." From the second volume onward, the Chafetz Chaim removed this warning.

At the end of the author’s introduction, he expresses gratitude to those who assisted in printing the book: Rabbi Dov son of Ze'ev Zeldowitz, Rabbi Baruch David son of Moshe, and Rabbi Yaakov Aharon son of David Ragovin. (These acknowledgments are not found in later editions.)

This is an original copy of the first printing by Rabbi Yisrael Meir HaKohen. At the end of the book, a page with the list of subscribers gathered by the Chafetz Chaim to fund the printing.

A Distinguished Copy:

On the title page and throughout the book appear ownership stamps of Rabbi Pinchas Rabinowitz of Kantikuziva, author of Avodat Yitzchak, grandson of Rabbi Shmuel Avraham Abba of Slavuta, and father-in-law of Rabbi Moshe of Stolin, the son of the "Yanuka, " Rabbi Yisrael Perlov.

On the title page, a handwritten note appears: "Proofed and complete" [It is a known tradition that the Chafetz Chaim himself, out of concern for possible errors, would personally check each volume of the Mishnah Berurah before selling it, and he would mark the book as reviewed].

Stepanski, Sifrei Yesod 193.

151 [1] leaves, 23 cm. Half-leather binding, likely original, with gold embossing on the spine.

Good condition. Time stains. Worming, mainly in the inner blank margins.

Rabbi Pinchas Rabinowitz of Kantikuziva [Passed 26 Iyar, 1922]

Son of Rabbi Yitzchak Yoel of Kantikuziva, grandson of Rabbi Gedalia Aharon of Linitz, author of Chen Aharon, and son-in-law of the holy printer Rabbi Avraham Abba of Slavuta. He was also a descendant of the Mitteler Rebbe of Chabad. His son-in-law was the righteous Rabbi Moshe of Stolin, son of the "Yanuka, " Rabbi Yisrael Perlov.

From 1885, he succeeded his father in Kantikuziva, later moving to Voznisensk. For 37 years, thousands sought his guidance and blessings. His book, Avodat Yitzchak, is a testament to his Torah and piety.

The Rebbe of Kapishnitz, in his introduction to Avodat Yitzchak, described him as:

"A holy luminary, a revered servant of Hashem, who illuminated the Jewish people with the light of his Torah and sanctity, our master, the holy Rabbi Pinchas of Kantikuziva, of blessed memory."

The Rebbe of Monastritsh wrote about him:

"My grandfather, the holy Rabbi, was famous throughout Ukraine as a servant of Hashem with an awe-inspiring level of holiness. Many followed his guidance, seeking wisdom and counsel in Torah and service of Hashem."