Manuscript, Beit Chochmah – kabbalistic commentary on Shir HaShirim, handwritten by the author, R. Yeshayah Yaakov HaLevi, Rabbi of Alesk, a member of the Kloiz of Brody and disciple of the Baal Shem Tov. [Galicia or Podolia], 1803.

Neat Ashkenazic cursive script, with some corrections, handwritten by author. At the beginning of the manuscript, title page dated 1803. Colophon at end of manuscript: "Completed 25th Nisan 1803". The present item was one of the manuscripts of the author purchased by Rebbe Shalom I of Kaminka, printed at the initiative of his son Rebbe Yehoshua of Kaminka in 1898 in Podgórze by Shaul Chananiah Deutscher.

R. Yeshayah Yaakov HaLevi of Alesk (ca. 1740-1811), holy kabbalist and member of the Kloiz of Brody, where he was an intimate disciple of the kabbalist R. Chaim Sanzer, and later (as attested by the Imrei Yosef of Spinka) also drew close to the Baal Shem Tov (see below).

A description of his youth in the Brody Kloiz is preserved by R. Chaim Landau, Rabbi of Pidkamin – the leading rabbi of the Kloiz, who describes R. Yeshayah Yaakov: "I remember when I was a boy… he did not depart the tent of Torah, studying much and receiving much from senior Torah scholars, until he became like an inexhaustible wellspring and an ever-flowing river in the revealed and hidden Torah…" (from his approbation to VeCherev Pifiyot).

At the Kloiz, R. Yeshayah Yaakov of Alesk became the close disciple of the kabbalist R. Chaim Sanzer, head of the Kloiz kabbalists (the Noda BiYehudah, who studied kabbalah with R. Chaim Sanzer, said that he had mastered all the writings of the Arizal and all other known kabbalists, and the Baal Shem Tov stated that he had a spark of the soul of Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai). R. Chaim Sanzer held R. Yeshayah Yaakov in high esteem, stating that "his brain could contain the brains of a thousand other sages of his generation" (cited by Rebbe Shalom II of Kaminka in his approbation to Beit Malchut, in the name of Rebbe Shalom I of Kaminka).

The title page of the printed edition of the present work contains a brief allusion to a miracle he experienced, when he received divine approval for his works: "…who had heavenly approval with a candle of mitzvah while writing his holy writings". The full story is recounted by the Imrei Yosef of Spinka: After the Noda BiYehudah left Brody for Prague, the members of the Kloiz decided to each perform some service for R. Chaim Sanzer. R. Yeshayah Yaakov took upon himself to put on R. Chaim Sanzer his belt before prayer, during which time R. Yeshayah Yaakov would contemplate lofty kavanot. R. Yeshayah Yaakov, who had avoided writing down his many novellae so as not to waste time for Torah study, decided to perform an experiment to see whether it was G-d's will for him to write them down. He lit a small candle and held it in his hand, and decided to write until he felt the fire on his fingers. Although it was a long winter night, the candle miraculously burned all night long, and consequently he was late in putting on R. Chaim Sanzer's belt. When R. Chaim Sanzer felt that he was thinking about the heavenly sign he had received to write his novellae, he rebuked him, quoting the verse "A haughty heart is abominated by the Lord" (R. Yitzchak Weiss, Elef Ketav, II, Bnei Brak 1997, no. 512; another version appears in Otzar HaSipurim, I, Jerusalem 1951, pp. 10-12).

The Imrei Yosef of Spinka added (Elef Ketav, ibid.) that he later became a student of the Baal Shem Tov, who once reminded him of the verse R. Chaim Sanzer had quoted to him, demonstrating to him the Baal Shem Tov's ruach hakodesh.

The printed edition of Beit Chochmah contains two additional selections from the writings of R. Yeshayah Yaakov of Alesk (not in the present manuscript): a commentary Maalei Shabta on Psalm 107 (Hodu), and the commentary Shaar HaEchad on Kegavna. The custom to recite Hodu before Minchah on Friday afternoon was established by the Baal Shem Tov (see article by Rivkah Shatz cited below), and the custom to recite Kegavna before Maariv on Shabbat eve was apparently established by the rabbis of the Brody Kloiz, but became widespread in the second generation of Chassidut. R. Yeshayah Yaakov's commentary on Psalm 107 evidences that he possessed a commentary by the Baal Shem Tov on this psalm (see: Rivkah Shatz, Perusho Shel HaBaal Shem Tov LeMizmor 107, Tarbitz, XLII, 1973, p. 158).

VeCherev Pifiyot is the only book by R. Yeshayah Yaakov of Alesk printed in his lifetime, in Lviv 1787 (with approbations by the rabbis of the Brody Kloiz, R. Shmuel son of R. Chaim Sanzer, R. Yissachar Ber of Zlotchov author of Mevaser Tzedek and Bat Eini, and more). His other works remained in manuscript in many volumes. R. Shalom I of Kaminka purchased R. Yeshayah Yaakov's works from his heirs, who passed them down until they reached R. Elazar of Oshpitzin (son-in-law of the Divrei Chaim of Sanz). Some works were published at the initiative of Rebbe Yehoshua of Kaminka and his son Rebbe Shalom II of Kaminka, by their relative R. Azriel Yitzchak of Kaminka: Beit HaMalchut – on the Book of Ruth, Kraków, 1892; Netiv HaChochmah – on halachic measures, Kraków, 1892; and the present work – in Podgórze 1898. These books include approbations by leading rebbes and Chassidic tzaddikim of the time, including Rebbe Yechezkel Shraga Halberstam of Shinova, Rebbe Shlomo Halberstam of Bobov, Rebbe Yissachar Dov Rokeach of Belz, Rebbe Eliezer Tzvi Safrin of Komarno, Rebbe Yehudah Tzvi of Dolyna and Rebbe Yosef Meir of Spinka.

These approbations demonstrate that they prized these writings and held the author in high esteem, and shower innumerable blessings on whoever publishes and purchases the writings. The Rebbe of Shinova writes about the present work that "it is a shemirah to bring the blessing of life into one's home". The Rebbe of Bobov blesses those who assist in publishing this book: "All those who assist will certainly be saved with great salvations in soul and body…". The Rebbe of Belz grants the blessing: "May the merit of the author protect you for you to be blessed with all good". Rebbe Yosef Meir of Spinka states that the author's works "will certainly bring about blessing and heightened protection to the house of whoever purchases them and assists in printing them…", adding that the merit of the author "will stand for them and their offspring to be saved from every disease and sickness and be blessed from the storehouse of blessings with the threefold blessing of children, life and easy sustenance…"; the latter blessings are also repeated in the approbation by the Rebbe of Dolyna.

Leading Chassidic masters cherished the author's works; the approbation of Rebbe Yosef Meir of Spinka attests that the book was praised by the Rebbe of Ropshitz, his disciple the Divrei Chaim of Sanz, the Rebbe of Zidichov and his disciple the Rebbe of Komarno: "I recall when I first came to our teacher R. Chaim of Sanz, he asked me if I had the holy book Cherev Pifiyot, and he told me how his teacher, the Rebbe of Ropshitz, praised the book exceedingly and cherished it immensely. And I likewise heard my teacher R. Yitzchak of Komarno offer exceptional praise for the book and his other works, and he said that his teacher the Rebbe of Zidichov also offered exceptional praise for the author's books".

R. Yeshayah Yaakov was eventually appointed Rabbi of Tchan (Podolia; today: Teofipol, Ukraine). On the leaf appended to (some copies of) Olam Gadol – Midrash LePerushim by R. Eliezer Fishel of Strizov, Zhovkva 1800, appears an approbation by R. Yeshayah, referred to as "the great luminary, the kabbalist, Rabbi of Tchan, author of Cherev Pifiyot. He was later appointed Rabbi of Alesk, Galicia (near Brody; today: Olesko, Ukraine). In his 1808 approbation to Nachal Eshkol (Dubno, 1809), he is referred to as "the pious and saintly kabbalist, Rabbi of Alesk and Tchan".

In recent years, the writings of R. Yeshayah Yaakov of Alesk have been gradually printed in first editions from his manuscripts and in new editions of previously-published works. The Shaar HaShamayim kabbalistic yeshiva in Jerusalem printed four of his works from his autograph manuscripts: Atzei Eden, homilies on the Torah (2002); Eretz Tov, on kabbalah (2002); Sefer HaPartzuf, Torah secrets on the Book of Bereshit (2005); and Tapuchei Zahav, on the mitzvot (2008). In 2019 another of his works was published by Oz VeHadar for the first time from manuscript: Tapuchei Zahav, on the Book of Vayikra (two parts).

[1], 27 leaves. 19 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains, including dampstains and dark stains. Wear and tears to margins. Worming in a few places. Reinforced with tape in several places. New binding, with bookmark.