Out of Order

Rav Reuvain Margoliyos, while not explaining the juxtaposition of every Mesechta, does point out a possible general rule. Mesechtos with more chapters take precedence over mesechtos with fewer chapters. The order of mesechtos in Moed clearly fit into this paradigm: Shabbos – 24 chapters, Eiruvin – 10, Pesachim – 10, Shekalim – 8, Yoma – 8, Sukkah – 5, Beitza – 5, Rosh Hashana – 4, Taanis – 4, Megillah – 4, Moed Katan – 3, Chagigah – 3. This explains the order of mesechtos as followed in the study of Mishna. Still, this just begs the question of why the printed Shas is differently.

Rabbi Moshe Shapira established a printing press in Slavuta in 1791. In the 1800s, the Shapira family expended considerable time, effort, and money to publish a beautiful newly typeset edition of Shas. Needing to recoup their investment, the Shapira family sought and received letters from various rabbanim forbidding anyone to publish another printed Shas for a fixed period of time. However, in 1834, the Romm brothers began to publish a competing edition of Shas. They argued that the exclusivity period for the Slavuta Shas had expired. Moreover, the Romm brothers offered to buy any remaining volumes of the Slavuta Shas that were left unsold. The Shapira Family found rabbanim who wrote letters forbidding the purchase and publication of the new Romm Shas, colloquially known as the Vilna Shas.

Rebbe Akiva Eiger was one of the signatories of the original edict forbidding any competition to the Slavuta Shas. (See the University of St. Thomas Law Journal Vol 10, article 3.) However, he ruled that the exclusivity of the Slavuta Shas had expired. The Vilna Shas was therefore able to be published and purchased. Apparently, some suggested that Rebbe Akiva Eiger was too old and feeble to issue a ruling, and the ruling in favor of the Vilna Shas was not his own. Rebbe Akiva Eiger penned a forceful letter in reply.

“My heart was very pained by the brazenness and audacity of the Slavita printers. Their words are slanderous not only of my son, the Gaon, may Hashem protect him, whom they claim swayed my view, but also of me, about whom they claim it is easy to coerce to rule against Torah law. The truth of the matter is that regarding all of the approbations the Slavita printers have sent me, I have not found any valid basis for their claim; not even one in a thousand! Regarding the fact that they wish to stand up firmly [against my ruling], I do not forgive them at all, for one cannot forgive the degradation of the Torah. Signed, Akiva ben Moshe Ginz, z”l.”

(Translation courtesy of HalachaYomit)

Some say that Rebbe Akiva Eiger actually opened an Aron Kodesh and pleaded with Hashem to defend Kavod HaTorah.

There are many different versions of what happened next. However, all versions agree that there was, r”l, a Jewish bookbinder found dead. The bookbinder was an employee of the Slavuta Printing Press. The Shapira brothers were accused of murder by the Russian authorities. All versions agree that there was no merit to this concocted charge.

Unfortunately, the Shapira brothers were beaten mercilessly, and the Jewish printing shops were ordered closed by the Russian authorities.

Years later, the Shapira family reopened their printing press and in 1864 completed a new edition of Shas. The Romm family likewise undertook to print a new edition of the Shas and completed theirs in 1866. The Romm Shas, or the Vilna Shas, was favored by Litvaks. The Slavuta Shas was favored by chasssidim. One major difference between these two editions was the order of the mesechtos. The Slavuta Shas followed the order of the Mishna. The Vilna Shas did not.

When Rebbe Meir Shapiro needed to formulate a calendar for Daf Yomi, he naturally chose the Shas that he was familiar with: the Slavuta Shas. Indeed, the Shapira printers were his relatives. In the Slavuta Shas, Yoma follows Shekalim. However, the Vilna Shas has become the standard Hebrew edition everywhere. In the Vilna edition, Rosh Hashana follows Shekalim. The Daf Yomi cycle follows the Slavuta Shas and therefore is about to start Rosh HaShana, though they finished Shekalim about six months ago.

There used to be another nod to the Slavuta Shas in the Daf Yomi cycle. The Vilna Shas and the Slavuta Shas have a different number of pages for Shekalim. The number of pages for Shekalim was not standardized since it is “borrowed” from the Talmud Yerushalmi. The Daf Yomi calendar used to allocate fewer days to Shekalim due to the fewer number of pages in the Slavuta Shas. Thankfully, this was changed, and the days allotted to Shekalim were doubled to follow the number of pages allotted to Shekalim in the Vilna Shas. This was welcomed by many who find learning a mesechta from the Yerushalmi more difficult than one from the Bavli.

Please note that Slavuta is located in Ukraine and currently has a population of 35,000. In Yiddish, the city is pronounced Slavita.