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Created page with "The '''''Siddur of the Alter Rebbe''''' is the prayer book (''siddur'') compiled by the Alter Rebbe and first printed in 1803 in the city of Shklov. It was subsequently printed twice more in Kopust, and dozens of additional times in various editions — some closer to the original and some less so. The widely used ''Siddur Torah Ohr'', standard in Chabad communities today, is a siddur closely based on the Alter Rebbe's original, with citations and source refe..."

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The '''''Siddur of the Alter Rebbe''''' is the prayer book (''siddur'') compiled by the [[Alter Rebbe]] and first printed in 1803 in the city of [[Shklov]]. It was subsequently printed twice more in [[Kopust]], and dozens of additional times in various editions — some closer to the original and some less so. The widely used ''Siddur Torah Ohr'', standard in Chabad communities today, is a siddur closely based on the Alter Rebbe's original, with citations and source references added.

The Alter Rebbe's intention in compiling the siddur was that it serve as a prayer book equally accessible to every [[soul]] (''shaveh l'chol nefesh'') — suitable for straightforward, sincere prayer. Nevertheless, important halachic rulings are woven in throughout, some of which represent significant legal innovations.

The [[Rebbe]] defined the purpose of these halachic insertions in one of his letters:

{{quote|1. Halachic rulings, stated with extreme brevity, on matters that arise regularly and are relevant to everyone — material that must be readily at hand even when the ''Shulchan Aruch'' is not on one's table at that moment. 2. Individual practices (not rulings) relating to the recitation of a specific prayer or blessing.}}

== Compiling the Text ==

The Alter Rebbe devoted many years to composing and refining the text of the siddur.

The [[Tzemach Tzedek]] testified about this process that "when he compiled the siddur, sixty siddurim of different textual traditions were before him, and from all of them he clarified and refined the text of his own siddur."<ref name="tzemach-tzedek-testimony">Part 1, chapter 27 (p. 84a, note 1); also chapter 10, note 3.</ref>

The [[Rebbe Rashab]] wrote: "As is known, he devoted twenty years to the text, and each year he would arrange a new version — until, by the twentieth time, it emerged clarified, refined, and purified."

== The First Printing ==

Rabbi [[Avraham Dovid Lavut]], in his introduction to ''[[Sha'ar HaKollel]]'', states: "This siddur was first printed during his lifetime in the year 1803 in [[Shklov]]."

In ''Sefer HaSichos'' 5704 (1944), the [[Rebbe]] notes that "the Alter Rebbe's siddur was first printed in Shklov in 1803 — but it appears that records of the textual changes existed even earlier, since as far back as 1798 the government had already granted the Chassidim permission to pray according to their own text."

No copy of the 1803 Shklov printing has come down to us, and no copy survives of either of the two Kopust printings either.

Regarding this, the Rebbe Rashab wrote: "The first-edition siddur I have not obtained, despite considerable effort — though I would estimate that it is certainly to be found in the library in Petersburg."

In recent years, however, a copy of the first Shklov printing of 1803 was discovered.<ref name="first-edition-discovery">[http://www.col.org.il/show_news.rtx?artID=81466 The first-edition Siddur of the Alter Rebbe uncovered]. The siddur can be viewed via the external links in the corresponding article on the Makhon website, under the tab "First edition, 5563, PDF, printed during the author's lifetime."</ref>

== See Also ==

* [[Siddur Im Da'ach]]
* [[Siddur Torah Ohr]]
* [[Siddur Rostov]]
* [[Siddur Tehillas Hashem]]
* [[Siddur Rabbenu HaZakein]]

== External Links ==

* Rabbi [[Boruch Oberlander]], [http://www.shturem.net/index.php?section=blog_new&article_id=208&lang=hebrew A comprehensive article on the Rebbe's siddur] (Hebrew)
* Rabbi Boruch Oberlander, [http://www.daat.ac.il/daat/kitveyet/pardes/pardes17.pdf The text and word count of the Alter Rebbe's siddur] (Hebrew)
* [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EiIKUCbCtub9EFiO-RRgvITRE57Mhryw/view?usp=sharing Photographic scan of the Alter Rebbe's siddur, first printing, Shklov 1803]
* Rabbi Menashe Loebel, [http://www.chabad.org.il/Magazines/Article.asp?ArticleID=15517&CategoryID=2427 The siddur of our Rebbe the Alter Rebbe] — in the journal ''[[Hiskashrus]]'', Parshas Ki Savo 5779 (Hebrew)
* Avraham Dubkin, [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gPOI85-K0DvQYNg-DM6aX-f7050qIqg2/view The Siddur of the Alter Rebbe] — ''Shoneh Halachos'', issue 628, Parshas Vayigash 5783 (Hebrew)

== Notes ==
<references/>

[[Category:Siddurim]]
[[Category:Works of the Alter Rebbe]]

[[he:סידור אדמו"ר הזקן]]

The Siddur of the Alter Rebbe - Revision history