Auction 96 Early Printed Books, Chassidut and Kabbalah, Books Printed in Jerusalem, Letters and Manuscripts

Beit Aharon (Karlin) – Brody, 1875 – First Edition

Opening: $600
Sold for: $2,750
Including buyer's premium

Beit Aharon, on Torah and service of G-d, by Rebbe Aharon Perlow of Karlin. Brody: Moses Leib Harmelin, 1875. First edition.
The book begins with a collection of Azharot Kodesh, and records of Chassidic practices from the rebbes of the Karlin-Stolin dynasty: R. Aharon HaGadol of Karlin, his son R. Asher (the first), the latter's son R. Aharon (the second), and his son R. Asher (the second).
The renowned Shabbat song – Yah Echsof Noam Shabbat by R. Aharon HaGadol of Karlin is printed on leaf 6 (p. 11). The foreword explains that this book was named Beit Aharon, since that was how R. Aharon (the second) of Karlin would refer to his writings, in reminiscence of the way his grandfather R. Aharon HaGadol, when his son R. Asher once inquired at the age of 10 as to the source of the song Yah Echsof, replied "Beit Aharon" (the house of Aharon).


[5], 316, [5] pages. Missing first title page. 28.5 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains, including dark stains. Light wear. Small marginal open tears to several leaves. Wide strip of paper mounted across the margins of one leaf. New leather binding.


Some corrections were made to this first edition during the course of the printing, resulting in variations between the different copies. For instance, in this copy, the following announcement was printed on page [3]: "To inform that approbations by prominent Tzaddikim of our generation for this printing are in our possession, as well as approbations and copyright warnings from Sephardi Torah scholars and rabbis… and whoever heeds our words will be secure and tranquil, and enjoy good blessing". In some copies, this passage was printed in a different location, with textual variations (see R. A. Shor, "Regarding the Writing and Printing Process of Beit Aharon", Beit Aharon VeYisrael, VI, 1 (31), pp. 139-147, regarding the stages of printing of this book, and the corrections made during the course of the printing, resulting in differences between the various copies).

Chassidic and Kabbalistic Books
Chassidic and Kabbalistic Books