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Segulot and popular remedies by R. Zechariah ben Jacob Simner. Sefer Zechirah is in two parts. On the title page we are informed that the author searched through both old and new books to find charms and cures and efficacious methods of escaping dangers, enchantments, and other impediments. He also addresses this world and the world to come, bringing supportive tales. R. Simner concludes this with, “I wrote this to save people from dangers and if, G-d forfend, they do not heed [my words], their blood is on their head.” There is an introduction from R. Simner, and the text. Many of the entries begin “From the Baal Shem tov” or “Segulah.” The second part contains cures or charms for such issues as Talmud Torah, opening the heart, danger, difficulty in childbirth, mizmorim to be said for an ill person, finding a mate, for male children, yayin nesech, the evil eye, as well as liturgy, and entries concerning Shabbbat and festivals.
R. Zechariah ben Jacob Simner (d. 1715), is also known as Plungian, from the town of Plungian, the old town in the government of Kovno, district of Telshi, Russia.
In 1847 the Shapira printing press was established by the three brothers Hanina Lipa, Aryeh Leib, and Joshua Heschel Shapira, sons of Samuel Abraham Abba Shapira, the printer in Slavuta. Until 1862 this was one of the only two Hebrew presses the Russian government permitted to operate in the whole of Russia, the other being in Vilna. This press had 18 hand presses and four additional large presses. In 1851 Aryeh Leib broke away and established his own printing press in Zhitomir. In these two establishments only sacred books of every kind were printed. During the years 1858–64 the press of the two brothers printed a beautiful edition of the Babylonian Talmud together with the Halakhot of R. Isaac Alfasi, and a beautiful edition of the Jerusalem Talmud. |
