Lot 51
Or HaMeir – Second Edition – Korets, After 1798 – Copy of the Rebbe of Skiernivitz
Or HaMeir, Chassidic and kabbalistic homiletics and allusions on the Torah, the Megillot and Festivals, by Rebbe Ze'ev Wolf of Zhitomir. Korets, [after 1798]. Second edition.
Or HaMeir is one of the first Chassidic books, and contains teachings of the Baal Shem Tov. The author, R. Ze'ev Wolf of Zhitomir was one of the foremost disciples of the Maggid of Mezeritch, and a close disciple of R. Yaakov Yosef of Polonne, R. Nachum of Chernobyl and R. Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev. He was also close to R. Pinchas of Korets, who once remarked that he saw how R. Ze'ev Wolf was accompanied by Eliyahu the Prophet, who revealed to him holy secrets. R. Leib Sarah's declared that he "saw upon his face the complete Image of G-d". The title page of the book bears exceptional praises about the author, such as: "He cleaved to his Creator at all times, unseparated while walking or sitting…". This book was dictated to his disciple R. Eliezer of Zhitomir, author of Pirkei HaNe'ezar. Rebbe Yisrael of Ruzhin remarked that "each Jew is obligated to conduct himself according to all that is written in the book". Rebbe Yissachar Dov of Belz is reputed as saying that R. Ze'ev Wolf delivered only one eighth of the Torah he received from Heaven, and of what he delivered only one eighth was heard; from that which was heard only one eighth was understood; from that which the author of Pirkei HaNe'ezar comprehended he wrote only one eighth, and from that which was printed only one eighth is understood. R. Ze'ev Wolf passed away in 1798 and this book was printed shortly after his passing.
Stamps of Rebbe Yosef Tzvi Kalisch of Skiernivitz on the title page and other leaves.
Rebbe Yosef Tzvi Kalisch of Skiernivitz (1886-1957), from the Worka dynasty, son-in-law of Rebbe Yitzchak Yaakov of Biala. Rabbi of Kartchev, he was later summoned by Skiernivitz Chassidim (headed by R. Yitzchak Gerstenkorn, founder of Bnei Brak) to serve as first rabbi of Bnei Brak.
Inscriptions on the title page, partially trimmed and deleted ("…Shlomo Herschfe[ld] of Rava"). A few inscriptions on other leaves.
[2], 260 leaves. 19.5 cm. Greenish paper. Fair-good condition. Stains. Minor wear. Extensive worming, affecting text, repaired with paper (significant damage to some leaves). Open tears to several leaves, repaired with paper. Leaves trimmed close to headings, affecting text in several places. Stamps. New leather binding.
In 1798-1810, the book Or HaMeir was printed in several similar editions, including several variants. See A. Tauber, Mechkarim Bibliographi'im, pp. 36-39; Y. Yudlov, Ginzei Yisrael no. 1140. The title page of the present copy states 1798, just as in the first edition, yet there are several differences between the two editions, including a variation in the approbations: the prohibition against reprinting this work was extended from fifteen years to twenty years.
