Auction 74 - Judaica - Books, Manuscripts, Rabbinical Letters, Ceremonial Art
Two Books by the Maharal of Prague – Gevurot Hashem – Nowy Dwór, 1796 / Be'er HaGolah – Nowy Dwór, 1804 – Approbations and Printed Glosses by the Maggid of Kozhnitz – The Only Three Essays by the Maggid of Kozhnitz Printed in His Lifetime
Opening: $800
Unsold
Two books by the Maharal of Prague, printed with the encouragement of the Maggid of Kozhnitz, with the only essays of the Maggid of Kozhnitz printed in his lifetime:
1. Gevurot Hashem, on the exile and redemption from Egypt and Seder night in halachah and aggadah, by R. Yehuda Loew of Prague. Nowy Dwór, [1796]. With approbations by R. Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev and the Maggid of Kozhnitz.
Signatures on the title page: "Avraham Moshe Heller"; "Belongs to me, Yosef Yehuda Leib son of R. Avraham… of Plotsk" (this signature appears at the top of several leaves); "Avraham Leibush…".
[1], 102 leaves. 19.5 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains (including dampstains) and wear. Worming, affecting text of several leaves. Stamps. New leather binding.
2. Be'er HaGolah, explanation of Aggadot, by R. Yehuda Loew (the Maharal) of Prague. Nowy Dwór, 1804. With an approbation by the Maggid of Kozhnitz.
This book includes three profound essays by the Maggid of Kozhnitz, which clarify the depth of the intent of the Maharal in several places in his book Be'er HaGolah. Two of the essays were printed on the final leaf of the book, and one on the verso of the title page.
Until the 1790s, the books of the Maharal of Prague were only printed once – in the author's lifetime. Two hundred years went by without the books being reprinted. In 1790-1809, one of the disciples of the Maggid of Kozhnitz, the wealthy R. Yaakov Moshe of Yaroslav, undertook, with the encouragement of his teacher, to reprint five of the Maharal's books: Netzach Yisrael (Nowy Dwór 1793), Gevurot Hashem (Nowy Dwór 1796), Or Chadash (Warsaw 1798), Be'er HaGolah (Nowy Dwór 1804) and Netivot Olam (Nowy Dwór 1809). Each of these five books bear the enthusiastic approbation of the Maggid of Kozhnitz, in which he profusely praises the sanctity of the author and his books. In one of his approbations, he writes regarding the books of the Maharal:"Everything was said with Divine Inspiration".
The essays of the Maggid of Kozhnitz, printed in the present book Be'er HaGolah, are presumably the only teachings printed in his lifetime (apart from two brief glosses printed in Raziel HaMalach, Warsaw 1812 edition). The essay printed on verso of title page is a key tenet of his teachings, on the topic of foreknowledge and free will. In many places in his books, the Maggid refers to this essay, first printed in this book. The Maggid also wrote many glosses and commentaries to the book Gevurot Hashem by the Maharal, but they were only printed after his passing in the books Gevurot Yisrael (Lviv 1864) and Ge'ulat Yisrael (Warsaw 1865).
[1], 58, [1] leaves. 18.5 cm. Good condition. Stains and wear. Tears to several leaves, slightly affecting text. Stamp. New leather binding.
Stefansky Chassidut, no. 72.
1. Gevurot Hashem, on the exile and redemption from Egypt and Seder night in halachah and aggadah, by R. Yehuda Loew of Prague. Nowy Dwór, [1796]. With approbations by R. Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev and the Maggid of Kozhnitz.
Signatures on the title page: "Avraham Moshe Heller"; "Belongs to me, Yosef Yehuda Leib son of R. Avraham… of Plotsk" (this signature appears at the top of several leaves); "Avraham Leibush…".
[1], 102 leaves. 19.5 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains (including dampstains) and wear. Worming, affecting text of several leaves. Stamps. New leather binding.
2. Be'er HaGolah, explanation of Aggadot, by R. Yehuda Loew (the Maharal) of Prague. Nowy Dwór, 1804. With an approbation by the Maggid of Kozhnitz.
This book includes three profound essays by the Maggid of Kozhnitz, which clarify the depth of the intent of the Maharal in several places in his book Be'er HaGolah. Two of the essays were printed on the final leaf of the book, and one on the verso of the title page.
Until the 1790s, the books of the Maharal of Prague were only printed once – in the author's lifetime. Two hundred years went by without the books being reprinted. In 1790-1809, one of the disciples of the Maggid of Kozhnitz, the wealthy R. Yaakov Moshe of Yaroslav, undertook, with the encouragement of his teacher, to reprint five of the Maharal's books: Netzach Yisrael (Nowy Dwór 1793), Gevurot Hashem (Nowy Dwór 1796), Or Chadash (Warsaw 1798), Be'er HaGolah (Nowy Dwór 1804) and Netivot Olam (Nowy Dwór 1809). Each of these five books bear the enthusiastic approbation of the Maggid of Kozhnitz, in which he profusely praises the sanctity of the author and his books. In one of his approbations, he writes regarding the books of the Maharal:"Everything was said with Divine Inspiration".
The essays of the Maggid of Kozhnitz, printed in the present book Be'er HaGolah, are presumably the only teachings printed in his lifetime (apart from two brief glosses printed in Raziel HaMalach, Warsaw 1812 edition). The essay printed on verso of title page is a key tenet of his teachings, on the topic of foreknowledge and free will. In many places in his books, the Maggid refers to this essay, first printed in this book. The Maggid also wrote many glosses and commentaries to the book Gevurot Hashem by the Maharal, but they were only printed after his passing in the books Gevurot Yisrael (Lviv 1864) and Ge'ulat Yisrael (Warsaw 1865).
[1], 58, [1] leaves. 18.5 cm. Good condition. Stains and wear. Tears to several leaves, slightly affecting text. Stamp. New leather binding.
Stefansky Chassidut, no. 72.
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