Auction 74 - Judaica - Books, Manuscripts, Rabbinical Letters, Ceremonial Art
Five Books of the Torah – First Edition of Be'er Mayim Chaim – Mohyliv-Sudylkiv, 1820 – Incomplete Copies
Opening: $800
Sold for: $1,000
Including buyer's premium
Five Books of the Torah, with Targum Onkelos, Rashi and Baal HaTurim commentaries, and with the Be'er Mayim Chaim commentary, by R. Chaim Thirer Rabbi of Czernowitz (Chernivtsi). Mohyliv-Sudylkiv, [1820 – regarding the exact places and years of printing, see below]. First edition. Five volumes. Incomplete copies.
Be'er Mayim Chaim is a prominent and fundamental work of Chassidic teachings, unique for its clarity and conviction, as well as the enthusiastic Chassidic emotion which it exudes. It was published in many editions and became a cornerstone of Chassidut.
The Ohev Yisrael of Apta wrote in his approbation: "We are well aware of the desire and wish of that tzaddik, who yearned his entire life to benefit the public with his holy teachings… and he brought many to repentance… and may we benefit from the merit of the author…". The Rebbe of Belz, the Sar Shalom, said that the first book of ethics he studied was Be'er Mayim Chaim.
This edition also contains the commentary on the Masorah, Minchat Kalil, by R. Or Shraga Feivush Rabbi of Dubrowna, son-in-law of the Gaon of Vilna (copied from the Aderet Eliyahu chumash – Dubrowna, 1804).
The author, R. Chaim Thirer of Czernowitz (ca. 1740s – ca. 1813), was a Chassidic leader, disciple of the Maggid of Zlotchov, and served as rabbi of Mohyliv-Podilskyi, Botoşani, Kishinev (Chișinău) and Czernowitz. He was reputed as a holy man, and wondrous tales about him abound. According to Chassidic tradition, after his immersion before Shabbat, his form would change and he would grow taller by a handbreadth. Near the end of his life, in 1813, he immigrated to Eretz Israel and settled in Safed, there he composed Shaar HaTefillah and was later buried.
Five volumes, all incomplete. Bereshit: 15-293 leaves. Lacking first 12 leaves and last 61 leaves (originally: [2], 5-354 leaves). Shemot and Esther: 3-282, 14, 19-34, 36-38 leaves. Lacking first 2 leaves and leaf 35 of the second sequence. VaYikra and Shir HaShirim: 3-120, 8, 8 leaves. Lacking first 2 leaves and last 2 leaves. Bamidbar and Ruth: 2-16, 19-110, 114-181 leaves. Lacking title page and leaves 111-113. Devarim, Eicha and Kohelet: [1], 2-3, 5-172 leaves. Lacking title page. 20-21 cm. Bluish paper (in most volumes). Overall fair condition. Stains, including dampstains. Traces of past dampness, with signs of mildew, to Bereshit and Devarim volumes. Open tears, affecting text, some repaired. Wear to some volumes. Worming, affecting text. Extensive worming to beginning of Devarim volume. Margins trimmed close to text. Many stamps and handwritten inscriptions to VaYikra volume. New bindings.
This edition is known as the 1820 edition, since that is what appears in the imprint of all five title pages. However, after careful examination, it seems that the imprint was altered to mislead the censor, and in fact the volume of Shemot was printed first, in Mohyliv, no later than Iyar 1818 and the rest of the volumes were printed in Sudylkiv after 1825. For further information, see Kedem Auction 72, item 51.
Stefansky Chassidut, no. 216.
Be'er Mayim Chaim is a prominent and fundamental work of Chassidic teachings, unique for its clarity and conviction, as well as the enthusiastic Chassidic emotion which it exudes. It was published in many editions and became a cornerstone of Chassidut.
The Ohev Yisrael of Apta wrote in his approbation: "We are well aware of the desire and wish of that tzaddik, who yearned his entire life to benefit the public with his holy teachings… and he brought many to repentance… and may we benefit from the merit of the author…". The Rebbe of Belz, the Sar Shalom, said that the first book of ethics he studied was Be'er Mayim Chaim.
This edition also contains the commentary on the Masorah, Minchat Kalil, by R. Or Shraga Feivush Rabbi of Dubrowna, son-in-law of the Gaon of Vilna (copied from the Aderet Eliyahu chumash – Dubrowna, 1804).
The author, R. Chaim Thirer of Czernowitz (ca. 1740s – ca. 1813), was a Chassidic leader, disciple of the Maggid of Zlotchov, and served as rabbi of Mohyliv-Podilskyi, Botoşani, Kishinev (Chișinău) and Czernowitz. He was reputed as a holy man, and wondrous tales about him abound. According to Chassidic tradition, after his immersion before Shabbat, his form would change and he would grow taller by a handbreadth. Near the end of his life, in 1813, he immigrated to Eretz Israel and settled in Safed, there he composed Shaar HaTefillah and was later buried.
Five volumes, all incomplete. Bereshit: 15-293 leaves. Lacking first 12 leaves and last 61 leaves (originally: [2], 5-354 leaves). Shemot and Esther: 3-282, 14, 19-34, 36-38 leaves. Lacking first 2 leaves and leaf 35 of the second sequence. VaYikra and Shir HaShirim: 3-120, 8, 8 leaves. Lacking first 2 leaves and last 2 leaves. Bamidbar and Ruth: 2-16, 19-110, 114-181 leaves. Lacking title page and leaves 111-113. Devarim, Eicha and Kohelet: [1], 2-3, 5-172 leaves. Lacking title page. 20-21 cm. Bluish paper (in most volumes). Overall fair condition. Stains, including dampstains. Traces of past dampness, with signs of mildew, to Bereshit and Devarim volumes. Open tears, affecting text, some repaired. Wear to some volumes. Worming, affecting text. Extensive worming to beginning of Devarim volume. Margins trimmed close to text. Many stamps and handwritten inscriptions to VaYikra volume. New bindings.
This edition is known as the 1820 edition, since that is what appears in the imprint of all five title pages. However, after careful examination, it seems that the imprint was altered to mislead the censor, and in fact the volume of Shemot was printed first, in Mohyliv, no later than Iyar 1818 and the rest of the volumes were printed in Sudylkiv after 1825. For further information, see Kedem Auction 72, item 51.
Stefansky Chassidut, no. 216.
Chassidic Books
Chassidic Books