Ten early publications of letters originating from the "Kherson Genizah" – an archive of letters and ceremonial objects, attributed to the holy founders of the Chassidut movement: the Baal Shem Tov, the Maggid of Mezeritch, the Alter Rebbe Baal HaTanya, and their disciples:

1. Sefer Beis Tzadikim, by Rebbe Meir Yehuda Leibush Langermann (1830-1886), a disciple of Rebbe Israel Friedman of Ruzhyn, and his son, Rabbi Avraham Yaakov of Sadigura. Pressburg (Bratislava): Alkalay, 1918. Lacking four final pages.

2. "Michtavim Kedoshim… by Maran the Baal Shem Tov… and… Rabbi Dov Ber… of Mezeritch…", 36 letters of the Kherson Genizah. Czernowitz: Hornik and Birnbaum, [1921].

3. "Sefer Chemda Genuzah, sayings… of R. Moshe Leib of Sassov…". [Vienna: Wagner, 1921].

4. "Letters from the Baal Shem Tov z"l and his Disciples", nine letters of the "Kherson Genizah". Lviv: Dawid Fränkel, 1923.

5. "Assortment of Original Letters by the Baal Shem Tov z"l and His Disciples", 17 letters by the Baal Shem Tov, and 29 letters by his disciples. Vienna-Berlin: Menorah, [1923].

6. "Sefer Chachmei Yisrael Besht, holy scriptures from all of our Rabbis…". New York: Ner Tamid Press, 1924. Includes letters from Rebbe Rashab and Rebbe Rayatz.
Rebbe Rayatz famously objected to the publication of materials from the controversial "Kherson Genizah", going so far as to send a letter to the publisher, R. David Shifrin of New York, advising him not to publish the current work. The letter, however, arrived to its destination only after the work was already published).

7. "Sefer Ginzey Nistarot…", letters by the Baal Shem Tov, Maggid of Mezeritch and the Alter Rebbe. Jerusalem: Zion Press, owned by the brothers Rohld, [1924].

8. "Sefer Chemda Genuzah, Assortment of Letters… by the Besht, and His Holy Companions". [Brooklyn, 1925].

9. Sefer Gevurat Ari, with Michtavei Kodesh, by Reuven Margulies. Lviv: R. Margulies, [1930].

10. "Igrot Kodesh, a Group of Letters of Our Rabbi… the Great Maggid of Mezeritch and His Disciples…", by R. Yoel Diskin. Jerusalem, Chaim Zukermann, 1933.

Enclosed: "Igrot Baal HaTanya", a chapter of which is dedicated to the question of credibility of the "Kherson Genizah", by Rabbi David Zvi Hillman. Jerusalem: HaMesorah, 1953.

10 books + "Igrot Baal HaTanya". Size and condition varies. Overall good condition. Some inscriptions and stamps. New bindings.

The Kherson Genizah
The "Kherson Genizah" ("Genizah", a repository for holy Jewish texts) was discovered in the latter part of WWI. It was claimed that the letters contained in it, reportedly written by the Baal Shem Tov and his disciples, were previously owned by Rebbe Israel Friedman of Ruzhyn – who inherited them from his great-grandfather, the Maggid of Mezeritch – and then confiscated by the Tsarist secret police, while Rebbe Israel was arrested in Russia in 1838; these letters were then allegedly held in the archives of the secret police in Kherson (south Ukraine), until they were looted during the October Revolution.
Following the discovery of the Genizah, a considerable part of the letters was purchased by the affluent Chabad Chassid, R. Shmuel Gurary of Kremenchuk, who presented them to Rabbi Shalom Dover Schneerson, Rebbe Rashab of Lubavitch. Despite various challenges to the letters' authenticity, Rebbe Rashab declared them to be genuine. As a result of the Rebbe's conclusion, which was based on his thorough examination of the letters, efforts were made to acquire the rest of the material of the Genizah.
Letters of the Genizah were first printed in the book "Beis Tzadikim" (Pressburg, 1918), "Chemda Genuzah" (Vienna, 1921), and a few other works (some of which are included in the present lot). Additional letters were published by R. Chaim Eliezer Bichovsky, a Chassid of Chabd-Kopust, in his 1924 book, "Ginzei Nistarot". The largest assortment of letters, based on manuscripts held by the Rebbe Rayatz of Lubavitch, was printed in the journal "HaTamim", published in Warsaw (1935-1938). It comprised some 300 letters of the Genizah, in chronological order.
The discovery of the "Kherson Genizah" led to a heated discussion in academic and Chassidic circles. Many studies were conducted in the subject of the authenticity of the Genizah, the consensus in academia being that the letters are forged, i.e., were not written by the Baal Shem Tov, nor by any of his immediate disciples (see enclosed volume by Rabbi Hillman).
However, Rebbe Rayatz and the Lubavitcher Rebbe denied this claim. They argued that the letters contained in the Genizah are, indeed, not authentic autographs, but reliable copies of letters written by our holy Rebbes, founders of the Chassidut movement.

PLEASE NOTE: Item descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.