Responsa HaRim, responsa on all four parts of Shulchan Aruch, and novellae on several tractates, by Rebbe Yitzchak Meir Alter of Ger, the Chiddushei HaRim. Józefów, 1867. First edition.
This book is the first composition of the teachings of the Chiddushei HaRim to be printed.
An interesting event occurred surrounding the printing of this book: in 1867, a severe plague was sweeping through the towns and villages of Poland, and causing many deaths. Rebbe Chanoch Heinich of Alexander sent one of his Chassidim, R. Shlomo Buchweitz of Warsaw on a mission to the Sefat Emet of Ger, to ask him to begin printing the works of his grandfather, the Chiddushei HaRim. He claimed that "surely the dissemination of the teachings of this Tzaddik, who studied... Torah in holiness and purity, will be a segulah that the plague should cease. About such Torah teachings it says: Great is Torah, since it gives life to its observers". When the Sefat Emet heard the words of the rebbe of Alexander, he began preparing his grandfather's responsa for print, "as soon as it was printed, the epidemic ceased" (see Meir Einei HaGolah, section 664).
[1], 157 leaves. 34.5 cm. Wide margins. Good condition. Stains. Early leather spine, partially restored.
Stefansky Chassidut, no. 211.

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.