Famous Sefer Segulah: Tanna D’vei Eliyahu
Rare Master Edition. Prague, 1776
Sefer ‘Tanna D’vei Eliyahu’, an ancient Midrash Aggadah which Eliyahu HaNavi taught to his student Rav Anan. It is divided into two parts: Seder Eliyahu Rabbah and Seder Eliyahu Zuta.
The sefer contains delightful interpretations of Torah verses, with magnificent teachings about love and fear of Hashem, and deep mystical secrets.
Jewish sages throughout the ages wrote remarkable things about the amazing segulah of the holy sefer ‘Tanna D’vei Eliyahu’ (see below).
In this edition, the widely accepted version of the ‘Tanna D’vei Eliyahu’ was printed for the first time. The sefer itself contains two versions side by side: the flawed version from the first printing (Venice 1598), and a second version, corrected and greatly improved, which was prepared with tremendous effort and toil by the kabbalist Rabbi Shmuel Heida of Prague.
Rabbi Shmuel merited that his version printed here for the first time became the prototype for all future editions. The Vilna Gaon sometimes cites versions found in this text, and Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev recommended to all who sought his guidance to study this auspicious sefer.
The author Rabbi Shmuel Heida writes in his long and important introduction that initially he didn’t know how to explain even one letter from the sefer, and after praying with bitter tears and ascending to his teachers’ graves,
"I prayed to the Holy One Blessed be He to grant permission to Eliyahu of blessed memory and his student Rav Anan, to reveal and inform me of the true interpretation and correct and proper version of this sefer…"
Also printed here for the first time is a commentary by the aforementioned Rabbi Shmuel, called: "ספרא – זקוקין דנורא וביעורין דאשא". Zikukin D’Nura (small sparks of fire) follows the way of pshat, and Biurin D’Isha (large flames of fire) follows the way of drush.
This is the first commentary written on the ‘Tanna D’vei Eliyahu’, and all subsequent commentaries relied upon it significantly.
The kabbalist Rabbi Shmuel son of Rabbi Moshe Heida was among the sages of Prague and one of its dayanim. At the beginning of his sefer, there are many enthusiastic haskamahs from the Rabbanim of Ashkenaz, including Rabbi Aharon Shmuel Kaidanover and Rabbi Shimshon Bacharach, father of the ‘Chavos Yair’, all describing his great righteousness. The Chida writes about him: "Hashem illuminated his eyes and the true versions were revealed to him." (Shem HaGedolim under the book’s entry). He passed away in Prague in 1685, and on his tombstone was inscribed: "In his commentary on Tanna D’vei Eliyahu he revealed Hashem’s secrets."
His present well-known sefer is known as: "Tanna D’vei Eliyahu with the Zikukin."
Prague, 1776. First edition of the new version, and first edition of the commentary. Rare sefer. Page Count: 2-177; 62 leaves. Condition: Good, slight tear in title page. Antique leather binding (worn).
Bibliography: Stefansky Sifrei Yesod, #133.
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~ Segulah of the Holy Sefer Tanna D’vei Eliyahu ~
The holy author himself writes in his introduction: "In this work I bring merit to the public… that every person can study this holy sefer… it will awaken his heart to love and fear the Lord… I composed this work to bring merit to the public, for I am sure that whoever reads it – it will awaken his heart to engage in Torah and mitzvos for their own sake, and it will make a ‘holy garment’ for his soul…"
The holy Rabbi Zusha of Anipoli: "In the merit of studying this holy sefer may we merit to hear the heralding of Eliyahu HaNavi speedily in our days…" (From his haskamah to another edition of Tanna D’vei Eliyahu, Zholkva 1796)
Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev: "And I have already instructed all who heed me to study his sefer [Tanna D’vei Eliyahu with the Zikukin] every day, and they will certainly find rest for their souls and will merit a spirit of wisdom and understanding, a spirit of holiness and purity, and merit great success in the world, and merit all their heart’s desires…" (ibid.)
The Gaon Rabbi Chaim Palagi of Izmir, regarding the author Rabbi Shmuel and his sefer Zikukin D’Nura: "See the wonders of his Torah, blessed is He who has given of His wisdom to those who fear Him…. Fortunate is one born of woman who achieved all this, blessed is He who has such [a person] in His world…" (Luach Erez page 35a)
