Auction 74 - Judaica - Books, Manuscripts, Rabbinical Letters, Ceremonial Art
Avodat Yisrael – Józefów, 1842 – First Edition – With Rare Leaf of Approbations (Approbation by the Divrei Chaim of Sanz), and With Original, Uncensored Leaf 9
Opening: $1,500
Sold for: $7,500
Including buyer's premium
Avodat Yisrael, Chassidic and kabbalistic essays on the Torah portions, Haftarot and festivals; two letters; Chassidic commentary to Tractate Avot and novellae on Talmudic topics in Tractate Chullin, by R. Yisrael Hopstein – the Maggid of Kozhnitz. [Józefów, 1842]. First edition.
This copy contains the rare leaf, not present in most copies, with three approbations by prominent Chassidic leaders: R. Mordechai David of Dombrowa, the Aryeh Debei Ila'i R. Aryeh Leib Lipshitz, and the famous approbation by the Divrei Chaim of Sanz, in which he attests: "In my opinion, there is no one in our generation capable of grasping his [the Maggid of Kozhnitz's] wisdom". These three approbations are not found in most copies of the first edition (they were presumably sent to the printers at the end of the printing process, and were therefore only bound into a few copies), nor in any other editions, until the Bnei Brak 1965 edition.
Another rare leaf in this copy is leaf 9. This leaf, which contains references to non-Jews, was censored during printing (as described in Kedem Auction 53, item 33). In copies known until now, leaf 9 was printed with a different typography and on different paper to the rest of the book, with the omission of the offensive terms (in the copy sold in the above-mentioned Kedem auction, the omitted words and sentences were handwritten). However, in this copy, the leaf is uncensored, and contains the original text composed by the Maggid of Kozhnitz. This leaf was hitherto unknown, and the omitted sentences were never printed until this day, even in more recent editions.
The author, R. Yisrael Hopstein, known as the Maggid of Kozhnitz, (1733/1737-1814), a holy kabbalist and founder of Chassidut in Poland. He was renowned as an outstanding, profound and innovative Torah scholar. He was the close disciple of the Maggid of Mezeritch, R. Elimelech of Lizhensk, and R. Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev. In 1765, he began serving as maggid in Kozhnitz. Thousands of Chassidim streamed to his door, and he became known as one of the leading rebbes in Poland. His renowned disciples include R. Yitzchak Meir Alter, the Chiddushei HaRim, who was raised in his home. The Maggid of Kozhnitz authored many books in all Torah areas, including halachah, novellae, homiletics and kabbalah, and was considered one of the leading kabbalists in his times. He was renowned for his tremendous knowledge of all kabbalistic works, including varying approaches. Reputedly, already in his youth, before he began frequenting the court of the Maggid of Mezeritch, he had studied some eight hundred kabbalistic works. Some of his kabbalistic compositions are explanations of early kabbalistic books, as well as the books of the Maharal of Prague.
Avodat Yisrael was published 27 years following the passing of its author, and it is the first of his books to be published (a few of his essays were printed in his lifetime – see item 116). Avodat Yisrael is considered a classic Chassidic work, and it portrays the depth of the inner richness it contains. Rebbe Yechezkel Halberstam of Shinova stated: "All the books of the disciples of the Baal Shem Tov are holy, while the book Avodat Yisrael is holy of holies". The Torat Chaim, rebbe of Kosov declared that one must study this book in great depth, just like one studies the Zohar. Reputedly, R. Yitzchak Eizik of Zidichov held the books of the Maggid of Kozhnitz in very high esteem, and when he received the book Avodat Yisrael, "he experienced tremendous joy", and exclaimed to the person who brought it to him that had he known he was coming to bring him the book, he would have come to meet him to welcome the book "due to his cherishing the holiness of the book".
Signature on the title page: "Meir Shlomo Rosenthal" and another ownership inscription. Stamp on the title page: "Moshe Mordechai Brinn of Makovi (Maków Mazowiecki), son of R. Tzvi, rabbi of Chorzel (Chorzele)".
[4], 90; 32 leaves. Lacking first title page (book originally printed with two title pages). 21 cm. Fair condition. Stains, including dampstains. Wear and tears. Marginal open tears to title page (title page possibly supplied from a different copy), repaired. Worming, repaired. New leather binding.
Stefansky Chassidut, no. 452.
This copy contains the rare leaf, not present in most copies, with three approbations by prominent Chassidic leaders: R. Mordechai David of Dombrowa, the Aryeh Debei Ila'i R. Aryeh Leib Lipshitz, and the famous approbation by the Divrei Chaim of Sanz, in which he attests: "In my opinion, there is no one in our generation capable of grasping his [the Maggid of Kozhnitz's] wisdom". These three approbations are not found in most copies of the first edition (they were presumably sent to the printers at the end of the printing process, and were therefore only bound into a few copies), nor in any other editions, until the Bnei Brak 1965 edition.
Another rare leaf in this copy is leaf 9. This leaf, which contains references to non-Jews, was censored during printing (as described in Kedem Auction 53, item 33). In copies known until now, leaf 9 was printed with a different typography and on different paper to the rest of the book, with the omission of the offensive terms (in the copy sold in the above-mentioned Kedem auction, the omitted words and sentences were handwritten). However, in this copy, the leaf is uncensored, and contains the original text composed by the Maggid of Kozhnitz. This leaf was hitherto unknown, and the omitted sentences were never printed until this day, even in more recent editions.
The author, R. Yisrael Hopstein, known as the Maggid of Kozhnitz, (1733/1737-1814), a holy kabbalist and founder of Chassidut in Poland. He was renowned as an outstanding, profound and innovative Torah scholar. He was the close disciple of the Maggid of Mezeritch, R. Elimelech of Lizhensk, and R. Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev. In 1765, he began serving as maggid in Kozhnitz. Thousands of Chassidim streamed to his door, and he became known as one of the leading rebbes in Poland. His renowned disciples include R. Yitzchak Meir Alter, the Chiddushei HaRim, who was raised in his home. The Maggid of Kozhnitz authored many books in all Torah areas, including halachah, novellae, homiletics and kabbalah, and was considered one of the leading kabbalists in his times. He was renowned for his tremendous knowledge of all kabbalistic works, including varying approaches. Reputedly, already in his youth, before he began frequenting the court of the Maggid of Mezeritch, he had studied some eight hundred kabbalistic works. Some of his kabbalistic compositions are explanations of early kabbalistic books, as well as the books of the Maharal of Prague.
Avodat Yisrael was published 27 years following the passing of its author, and it is the first of his books to be published (a few of his essays were printed in his lifetime – see item 116). Avodat Yisrael is considered a classic Chassidic work, and it portrays the depth of the inner richness it contains. Rebbe Yechezkel Halberstam of Shinova stated: "All the books of the disciples of the Baal Shem Tov are holy, while the book Avodat Yisrael is holy of holies". The Torat Chaim, rebbe of Kosov declared that one must study this book in great depth, just like one studies the Zohar. Reputedly, R. Yitzchak Eizik of Zidichov held the books of the Maggid of Kozhnitz in very high esteem, and when he received the book Avodat Yisrael, "he experienced tremendous joy", and exclaimed to the person who brought it to him that had he known he was coming to bring him the book, he would have come to meet him to welcome the book "due to his cherishing the holiness of the book".
Signature on the title page: "Meir Shlomo Rosenthal" and another ownership inscription. Stamp on the title page: "Moshe Mordechai Brinn of Makovi (Maków Mazowiecki), son of R. Tzvi, rabbi of Chorzel (Chorzele)".
[4], 90; 32 leaves. Lacking first title page (book originally printed with two title pages). 21 cm. Fair condition. Stains, including dampstains. Wear and tears. Marginal open tears to title page (title page possibly supplied from a different copy), repaired. Worming, repaired. New leather binding.
Stefansky Chassidut, no. 452.
Chassidic Books
Chassidic Books