Zohar Chai, commentary to the Zohar based on Kabbalah and Chassidut, by the kabbalist Rebbe Yitzchak Eizik Yehuda Yechiel Safrin, Rabbi of Zidichov (Zhydachiv) and Komarno, author of Heichal HaBerachah. Lviv-Premishla (Przemyśl), 1875-1881. First edition. Complete set – five parts in five volumes.
Zohar Chai is an original and profound commentary to the Zohar, based on fundamentals of the teachings of the Arizal and the Baal Shem Tov. In this composition, the author interweaves and combines Kabbalah and Chassidut, as he does in all his works. Unlike his other compositions which were printed in his lifetime, this work was printed after his passing, by his son Rebbe Eliezer Tzvi, author of Damesek Eliezer. The first volume was published during the year of mourning, and includes a lengthy and brilliant foreword from his son, the Damesek Eliezer. In this foreword, the son describes his father's exceptional prominence in Torah and worship of G-d, and relates stories demonstrating the Divine Inspiration his father benefitted from and the heavenly wonders he performed, which the Damesek Eliezer personally witnessed.
One of the stories the son relates was that after his father composed the first four leaves of his commentary, he was approached with a request that he pray for a deathly ill person. His father, who saw with Divine Inspiration that the ill person required much Heavenly mercy to recover, told the messenger: "I have no way of helping him, but I do possess four leaves which I wrote on the Zohar, go tell this sick person that I am giving these novellae on the Zohar to him as a gift… perhaps in this merit, the scale will tilt in his favor and he will live for many years". The messenger did as told, "and as soon as he reported this to the sick person, the latter broke out in sweat and regained his health". Further in the foreword, he relates that the first four leaves of the commentary pertain to the first two lines of the introduction to the Zohar. These four leaves were written in the summer of 1857, and thereafter the author took a ten-year hiatus from composing his commentary. In ca. 1867, "he saw the Baal Shem Tov in a dream, and agreed to begin composing a commentary to the Zohar… immediately on the next day, he began writing". He completed the commentary several weeks before his passing. In the conclusion at the end of the fifth volume, his son and publisher relates that on two occasions before his passing, his father made him promise to publish the Zohar Chai commentary, "and I rejoice that I have honored my pledge and fulfilled the words of my father".
Rebbe Yitzchak Eizik Yehuda Yechiel Safrin Rabbi of Zidichov and Komarno (1806-1874), a G-dly kabbalist and leading transmitter of the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov, a nephew and close disciple of the Sar Beit HaZohar, Rebbe Tzvi Hirsh of Zidichov. He was cherished by foremost Chassidic leaders – the Chozeh of Lublin (who served as his matchmaker), the Rebbe of Apta, R. Moshe Tzvi of Savran, his uncle R. Moshe of Sambor, R. Yisrael of Ruzhin, and others. He authored many books on Chassidut and Kabbalah, including the Heichal HaBerachah commentary to the Five Books of the Torah, based on the teachings of the Arizal and the Baal Shem Tov. The Heichal HaBerachah Chumashim are considered classic books in Chassidic thought and Kabbalah. They were cherished by rebbes of various dynasties (the Zidichov dynasty, the Divrei Chaim and his descendants, the Tzemach Tzedek of Lubavitch, and others), who extolled the exceptional holiness of the kabbalistic teachings contained in his commentaries.
Five volumes. Vol. I (Bereshit, Part I): [4], 215 leaves.
Vol. II (Bereshit, Part II): [1], 216-348, 348-456, [1] leaves. Vol. III (Shemot, Part I): [4], 166 leaves. Vol. IV (Shemot, Part II): [2], 286, [2] leaves. Vol. V (Vayikra-Devarim): [2], 228, [4] leaves. Lacking one of the last [5] leaves, with the conclusion written by the author's son. Approx. 23-24 cm. Dry and brittle paper (some leaves slightly browned). Overall good condition. Stains. Some tears, repaired (minor damage to text on one leaf). Minor worming to a few leaves. New, uniform binding.
Stefansky Chassidut, no. 195.

Divrei Chaim, two parts, on laws of Gittin (divorce documents) and Mikvaot (ritual baths), [by Rebbe Chaim Halberstam Rabbi of Sanz]. Zhovkva, 1864. First edition.
This is the first work of the Divrei Chaim to be published (Responsa Divrei Chaim was published 11 years later, in 1875). In his preface, the author writes "I did not write my name for the obvious reason", yet from the second edition (Munkacs 1892) onwards, the name of the author was printed on the title page. In the foreword to the second edition, the son of the author, Rebbe Baruch of Gorlitz, related that his father declared on his deathbed that he praises and thanks G-d that he merited to reach correct conclusions in the laws of Gittin and Mikvaot in this work. He assured that anyone who rules based on this book, would surely rule correctly.
Reputedly, when the book arrived from the printing press, the author "rejoiced greatly", and exclaimed that when Mashiach would come, he would go to meet him holding this book, together with all other authors (see Zochrenu LeChaim, Munkacs 1938, p. 331).
Signature on the title page: "G-d granted this to me, I wrote in 1888 here in Gáva (Gávavencsellő), Shlomo… Blich son of the rabbi of Gáva" [son of R. Yitzchak Yosef Blich Rabbi of Gáva).
[3], 34, 34, 33-44, 1-27; [1], 23, [1] leaves. Leaves 23-24 of first sequence bound out of place. 34.5 cm. Stains and wear. Worming. Marginal worming and tears to title page. New binding.
Stefansky Chassidut, no. 117.

Divrei Chaim, by Rebbe Chaim Halberstam of Sanz. Part I, on the Torah, Munkacs (Mukachevo), 1877. Part II, on the festivals and Tractate Bava Metzia. Munkacs, 1877. First edition, published by "the sons of the author". Two volumes.
Divrei Chaim on the Torah and festivals was published after the passing of the author. In the foreword to the composition on the Torah, the sons describe their holy father and the day of his death: "…his great holiness and piety… was well-known. He dedicated his entire life to Torah study, devoted service and great fear of Heaven from his youth… Our own eyes saw on the day of his death… that he sanctified himself like the heavenly Seraphim with yichudim and great fervor which did not cease for one moment until his soul clung to the Heavenly Light…". At the end of the introduction they write about their father's will to publish these books: "…We, the sons of our holy father the author, have expended effort in printing this composition in compliance with his command before his death to print and publish it speedily. The merit of our father should protect us and the entire Jewish People, and strengthen Torah and fear of Heaven, and we and all our Jewish brethren should be graced with an abundance of blessing and success".?In the foreword to part II, the author's sons relate that their father, the Divrei Chaim studied tractate Bava Metzia "with great concentration with a group of eminent Torah scholars for over 20 years and that he composed wonderful novellae…". They also write that their father's novellae follow both revealed and esoteric approaches.
Stamps on vol. I: "Aharon R.". Ownership inscription of R. Alter Steinmetz on the back endpaper of vol. II: "I received this Divrei Chaim as a gift from my father, Alter son of R. Shlomo Steinmetz".
Vol. I: [2], 84, [5] leaves. Vol. II: [2], 72; 48 leaves. 23.5 cm. Good condition. Stains, including dark stains. Wear. Tears to title page of vol. I, repaired with tape. New bindings.
Stefansky Chassidut, no. 119.

Complete set (five parts in five volumes) of Yismach Moshe on the Torah – Chassidic and Kabbalistic homiletics, following the order of the weekly Torah portions, by R. Moshe Teitelbaum, rabbi of Ujhel (Sátoraljaújhely). Parts I-V, on the Books of Bereshit, Shemot, Vayikra, Bamidbar and Devarim. Lviv, 1848-1861. First edition of all five parts, with a separate title page for each part.
The Yismach Moshe series was prepared for print by the author's grandson and close disciple, Rebbe Yekutiel Yehuda Teitelbaum, rabbi of Sighet, author of Yitav Lev, and his glosses and additions, introduced with the words "so said the editor", are included in several places. A brief foreword by the Yitav Lev was printed at the beginning of the Bereshit volume. Approbations by the Divrei Chaim and the Yitav Lev were printed at the beginning of the Bamidbar and Devarim volumes.
The author, R. Moshe Teitelbaum, rabbi of Ujhel (1759-1841), was the progenitor of the Sighet and Satmar dynasties, as well as other prominent Chassidic dynasties. Renowned already in his youth as an outstanding Torah scholar, he had the merit of studying in the Beit Midrash of the Vilna Gaon, and holding Torah discussions with him (see: HaGaon HaKadosh Baal Yismach Moshe, by R. Yosef Moshe Sofer, Brooklyn, 1984, pp. 25-26). He served as rabbi of Shinova (Sieniawa) and Ujhel. He embraced Chassidut in his later years, and became a disciple of the Chozeh of Lublin and the Ohev Yisrael of Apta. In 1808, he was appointed rabbi of Ujhel and began disseminating Chassidut in Hungary. He was renowned in his times as rebbe and wonder-worker and frequently gave out amulets. His books include: Responsa Heshiv Moshe on halachah, Yismach Moshe on the Torah and Tefilla LeMoshe on Tehillim.
On the title page and front endpaper of the Bereshit volume, ownership inscription and signatures of "Menachem Menli Segal of Fristik".
Stamp on the front endpaper of the Shemot volume: "Yaakov Meir Wald, head of the Cluj (Klausenburg) Beit Din" (R. Yaakov Meir Wald, 1874-1928, a disciple of the Shevet Sofer, and ordained by him. He was a son-in-law of R. Moshe Shmuel Glasner, renowned rabbi of Klausenburg. He frequented the court of Rebbe Yissachar Dov of Belz. In 1900, he was appointed dayan and posek in Klausenburg).
Five volumes. Bereshit: [1], 117 leaves. Shemot: 90 leaves. Vayikra: 42 leaves. Bamidbar: [1], 49, [3] leaves (final three leaves belong to beginning of Book of Devarim). Devarim: 72, [1] leaf. Some volumes misfoliated. Approx. 25 cm. Overall good condition. Stains and wear. Minor tears to several leaves. Large dampstains in Vayikra volume. Ink stains to title page of Book of Bereshit. Inner margins of title pages of Shemot and Devarim reinforced with tape. Worming to several leaves of Vayikra. Inscriptions, stamps. New, elegant leather bindings.

Yitav Lev, Chassidic, homiletical and ethical essays on the Torah portions, [by Rebbe Yekutiel Yehuda Teitelbaum Rabbi of Sighet]. Sighet (Sighetu Marmației), 1875. First edition.
Five parts in one volume. Main title page at the beginning of the volume, and five divisional title pages for each book of the Torah.
The book was printed anonymously in the author's lifetime, as stated on the title page. The book title is an acronym alluding to the name of the author – Yitav = Yekutiel Yehuda Teitelbaum.
On the title page, stamp of Rebbe Moshe Lipschitz of Philadelphia (1898-1975. Encylopedia L'Chassidut, III, p. 286): "R. Moshe Lipschitz, Philadelphier Rebbe, Jerusalem".
[3], 141, [2]; 91; [3], 55; [3], 80; [1], 52, 55-70 leaves. Leaves 13-16 of first sequence included twice. Lacking leaf of errata of Book of Yayikra. 25 cm. Overall good condition. First title page and several leaves in fair condition. Stains, tears and wear. Tears to first title page, repaired with tape, affecting border. New leather binding.
Stefansky Chassidut, no. 228.