Likutei Torah, Parts I-IV, Chassidic discourses on the books of Vayikra-Devarim, the festivals and Shir HaShirim, by Rebbe Shneur Zalman of Liadi, the Baal HaTanya. Vilna: Yehudah Leib Metz, 1885. Fourth edition. Four parts.

Likutei Torah is considered one of the most important and fundamental books in Chabad Chassidic thought. It contains discourses on the books of Vayikra-Devarim (and Beshalach and Pekudei in Shemot), on festivals and on Shir HaShirim, while the discourses on the books of Bereshit and Shemot were published in Torah Or.

On the endpaper is the stamp of Rebbe Menachem Nachum of Kantikozva (Pribuzhany), during his residence in Voznesensk, Nikolayev. Rebbe Menachem Nachum Rabinowitz – the Rebbe of Kantikozva-Koidanov-Haifa (1887-1959), son of Rebbe Pinchas Rabinowitz of Kantikozva-Linitz (1861-1926). Fifth generation from the author, the Alter Rebbe. Served as rabbi and rebbe in Russia in place of his father-in-law Rebbe Yosef Perlow of Koidanov. In 1916, he was ordained by R. Chaim of Brisk. In 1934 he immigrated to Eretz Israel where he was Rabbi of Haifa. His teachings are printed in Machshevet Nachum (Jerusalem, 2004).

Four parts in two volumes. • Volume I (Vayikra-Bamidbar): [2], 8; 54 leaves; [1], 96 leaves. • Volume II (Devarim and Shir HaShirim): [1], 100 leaves; [1], 51 leaves. Approx. 28-30 cm. Good condition. Stains and wear. Brittle paper. Marginal tears. New bindings.

Hilchot Rav Alfas (Rif), with commentaries, Mordechai and Tosefta. Kopust (Kopys): R. Yisrael son of R. Yitzchak Yoffe (a prominent disciple of the Alter Rebbe), 1818-1820. Two parts. Some of the letters of the title page of Part I are printed in red ink. Printed on blue paper. This edition is based on the 1807-1810 Slavita edition. Approbation by R. Yehudah Leib, the Maharil of Yanovitch (Yanavichy), brother and close disciple of Rebbe Shneur Zalman of Liadi, the Baal HaTanya. [The approbation deals with the permissibility of printing books after they were printed by someone else, and is also cited in Responsa Tzemach Tzedek (Yoreh Deah 195, p. 15c)]. Signatures to Part I title page (and additional leaves), and Part II title page. Short handwritten marginal glosses to some leaves in both parts.

Two parts in two volumes. • Part I (Berachot, Shabbat and Eruvin – 1818): [3], 52; 17; 100; 46 leaves. • Part II (Pesachim, Ta'anit, Beitzah, Rosh Hashanah, Yoma, Sukkah, Megillah, Moed Katan and Halachot Ketanot – 1820): [2], 3-214 leaves. Approx. 35 cm. Mostly on blue paper. Good-fair condition. Stains, creases and wear. Worming, slightly affecting text. Uneven trimming. Inscriptions and stamps. Old leather bindings (with new spines).

R. Yehudah Leib (ca. 1709-1826), brother and prominent disciple of Rebbe Shneur Zalman of Liadi, the Baal HaTanya. Maggid and posek in Yanovitch (Yanavichy), due to which he was known as the Maharil of Yanovitch. He was a close assistant and confidant of his brother the Baal HaTanya. He was the first to transcribe his brother’s discourses and homilies; the Alter Rebbe considered his transcriptions more reliable than those of others, and they form the basis for the homilies in Torah Or.

Collection of five books by Rebbe Dov Ber, the Mitteler Rebbe of Lubavitch:

• Beurei HaZohar. Lviv: S.L. Flecker, 1861. First edition containing additions (printed in a new sequence with a divisional title page). Explanations of the Zohar delivered by the Alter Rebbe on Shabbat nights to his sons and elite disciples, written by his son Rebbe Dov Ber, the Mitteler Rebbe of Lubavitch. [Since the teachings are from the Alter Rebbe and they were written by the Mitteler Rebbe, Beurei HaZohar is sometimes attributed to the Alter Rebbe and sometimes to the Mitteler Rebbe.] [2], 64, 31-34, 69-84; 40, 31-34 leaves. Additions: [12], 13-20, [1] leaves.

• Maamarim Yekarim, Chassidic discourses by Rebbe Dov Ber, the Mitteler Rebbe of Lubavitch. [Königsberg (Kaliningrad), 1864.] Only edition. Two title pages. Contains two lengthy Chassidic homilies: 1. Inyan Gevia HaKesef, comprised of 12 chapters (printed in Maamarei HaAdmor HaEmtza'i, Bereshit, pp. 279 and on); 2. Inyan Birkat Chatanim, comprised of 24 chapters (printed in Maamarei HaAdmor HaEmtza'i, Drushei Chatunah, pp. 168 and on). The discourses were delivered by the Mitteler Rebbe in the years 1822-1823 and are based on the teachings of his father, the Alter Rebbe. After the Mitteler Rebbe's passing, the works remained in manuscript until published in the present edition. [3], 2-63, [1] leaves.

• Torat Chaim, Parts I-II, on Bereshit – commentary on discourses of the Alter Rebbe by his son Rebbe Dov Ber, the Mitteler Rebbe of Lubavitch. Warsaw: R. Natan Schriftgisser, 1866. First edition of Part II [Part I of Torat Chaim was printed in in Kopust 1822; in 1866 R. Menachem Nachum, the Mitteler Rebbe's son, worked to finish printing the second half of Bereshit (which was then printed along with Part I)]. Two parts in one volume: Part I (Bereshit – Chayei Sarah): [2], 141 leaves; Part II (Toldot – Vayechi): [1], 108 leaves.

• Kuntres Perush HaMilot – expansion of the Alter Rebbe's Siddur by his son Rebbe Dov Ber, the Mitteler Rebbe of Lubavitch. Warsaw: Natan Schriftgisser, 1867. First edition. This edition was called Mahadura Batra because it was a commentary and expansion of the short commentary in the Alter Rebbe's Siddur (Siddur Im Dach; Kopust, 1816), which was a sort of Mahadura Kama. [2], 114 leaves. Stamps on title page of R. Moshe Chaim Chefetz [apparently the disciple of the Vilna Gaon, immigrated to Israel ca. 1865, served as emissary to raise funds for the Jewish settlement in Jerusalem, passed away in 1884]; and Mendel Nisan Landau [one of the heads of Kollel Chabad in Jerusalem; he was one of the signatories, along with other Kollel leaders, of a letter asking the secular authorities in Eretz Israel to approve the Rebbe Rayatz's appointment as president of Kollel Chabad in Eretz Israel].

• Refuot HaAm, three books: Pokeach Ivrim, cures for the soul [by Rebbe Dov Ber of Lubavitch]; Sefer Refuot with Taaleh Aruchah, cures for the body [by an expert doctor]; and Darchei Yesharim, good practices [by R. Shmuel Shmelka of Nikolsburg]. [Lviv: published by H. ZuKer; printed by U. W. Salat, 1881]. Printing details on last page (on title page: "Amsterdam"). Yiddish and Hebrew. [26] leaves.

5 volumes. Varying size and condition. Overall good to good-fair condition. Stains, creases and wear. Minor tears and worming. New bindings.

Magen Avot, Chassidic discourses on the Torah portions and festivals, Shir HaShirim, selections on Neviim and Ketuvim and wedding homilies, by Rebbe Shlomo Zalman Schneersohn of Kopust, grandson of the Tzemach Tzedek of Lubavitch. Berditchev (Berdychiv): Chaim Yaakov Sheftel, 1902. First edition.

Complete set; seven parts; two title pages to each part. The first six parts comprise discourses printed based on the author's manuscript. Part VII contains discourses recorded by his listeners and edited by him. The author, Rebbe Shlomo Zalman of Kopust (1830-1900), was the son of

Rebbe Yehudah Leib (the Maharil) of Kopust and grandson of the Tzemach Tzedek of Lubavitch, who regularly taught him Torah and Chassidut, "and he did not leave his tent until he revealed all his hidden wisdom to him…" (Beit Rebbe, III, chapter 8, p. 16). Following the passing of the Tzemach Tzedek, the majority of Chabad Chassidim appointed R. Yehudah Leib (Maharil) of Kopust (father of R. Shlomo Zalman) as their rebbe. But Rebbe Yehudah Leib passed away in 1866, only six months after the passing of his father, the Tzemach Tzedek. R. Shlomo Zalman succeeded him as rebbe and led the Chabad-Kopust Chassidim for about 34 years. A small part of his discourses was printed posthumously in the Magen Avot series, the present item.

Seven parts in two volumes. Volume I (Bereshit-Bamidbar): [4], 48; [2], 57; [2], [50]; [2], 80 leaves. Volume II (Devarim; Shir HaShirim, selections and wedding homilies; additions from listeners' copies, with index of verses): [2], 105, [1]; [2], 49; [2], 74, [1]; 15 leaves. 29 cm. Good condition. Light stains. New bindings.

Avodat HaLevi, Chassidic homilies on the Torah portions and festivals, haftarot, Megillot, letters, various selections and halachic responsa by R. Aharon HaLevi Segal Horowitz of Strashelye. [Lviv]-Warsaw, [1842-1866]. Complete set – all four parts. First edition.

R. Aharon of Strashelye's books were not reprinted for many years, and are therefore considered rare. In the present set, a lengthy responsum (18 leaves) is bound twice, which is bibliographically unrecorded – at the end of Part II (selections and responsa) and at the end of Part IV (Devarim).

R. Aharon HaLevi Segal Horowitz (1766?-1829), a prominent disciple of the Alter Rebbe for thirty years. From the age of 17, he did not part from his teacher, and became his confidant and close attendant. When the Baal HaTanya moved to Liadi in 1802, he followed him there, to remain close to his teacher. During most of his teacher's tenure as rebbe, he was the close friend of the Rebbe's son, R. Dov Ber, the Mitteler Rebbe of Lubavitch. Together they offered guidance in service of God to the young men who frequented the Rebbe's court, and both wrote letters to the Chassidim in matters of service of God. The conflict between him and the Mitteler Rebbe began ca. 1809, for various reasons, together with a certain tension between him and his teacher, the Baal HaTanya, which caused him to return to his hometown Osveya. His teacher was deeply sorrowed by his departure, exclaiming "One of my eyes has been gouged out".

After the passing of the Alter Rebbe in 1813, a fierce controversy erupted between R. Aharon and the Mitteler Rebbe regarding the spiritual heritage of the Alter Rebbe – a profound intellectual debate on the Chabad doctrine of service of God. Letters, booklets and books were written and printed on both sides, in which each one exposited his method and approach, and criticized that of the opponent's. Thus, two courts following the teachings of the Baal HaTanya developed. R. Aharon served as rebbe in Strashelye (Starosel'ye), whilst the Mitteler Rebbe served as Rebbe in Lubavitch. Several of the Baal HaTanya's foremost disciples adopted the path of R. Aharon, headed by R. Avraham Sheines, son-in-law of the Baal HaTanya. In 1820, R. Aharon published in Shklow his first composition - Shaarei HaYichud VeHaEmunah, a commentary on Shaar HaYichud VeHaEmunah in the Tanya. In 1821 he printed his second work, Shaarei Avodah, a commentary to Likutei Amarim and Igeret HaTeshuvah in the Tanya. His books Avodat HaLevi on the Torah and festivals, including in-depth responsa, were published posthumously.

Four parts in four volumes. • Volume I (Bereshit-Vayikra, festivals and Megillot – Lviv, 1842): [2], 93, [1]; 76; 56 leaves. • (Selections and Responsa – Lviv, 1842): [1], 35, [2], 45-106; 18 leaves (lengthy responsum). • Volume 3 (Bamidbar – Warsaw, 1866): [2], 76 leaves. • Volume 4 (Devarim – Warsaw, 1866): [3], 2-62; 18, [2] leaves (corrigenda); 18 leaves (lengthy responsum). 22.5-24 cm. Good to good-fair condition. Stains, creases and wear. Damage and light tears (open tears affecting text to title page and some other leaves in Part II). Stamp. New bindings.