Auction 58 - Rare and Important Items
Siddur Rabbi Asher - Lviv, 1787 - Copy of the First Spinka Rebbe, Author of Imrei Yosef, and of His Son, Author of Chakal Yitzchak, With Their Own Signatures - Handwritten Kabbalistic Glosses
Opening: $20,000
Sold for: $30,000
Including buyer's premium
Year-round siddur with Kavanot HaAri. Part 1 - weekday prayers. "Siddur Rabbi Asher", by Rabbi Asher Margolioth of Brody and Medzhybizh, disciple of the Baal Shem Tov. Lviv: R. Shlomo Yarush Rappaport, 1787.
Important kabbalistic and Chassidic siddur, a faithful source for the kabbalistic teachings of the disciples of the Baal Shem Tov and of the kabbalists of their days.
This is the copy of the first Spinka Rebbe, author of Imrei Yosef, and of his son, author of Chakal Yitzchak.
The title page was replaced with a handwritten copy. This leaf bears the signatures of Rebbe "Yosef Meir son of R. Shmuel Zvi of Mukachevo" and of his son "Yitzchak Isaac son of Pere[l]". The endpaper before the title page and the leaf following the title page, bear the stamps of the Rebbe, author of Imrei Yosef: "Yosef Meir Weiss - Rabiner Szaplancza".
On the leaves of the siddur are several handwritten kabbalistic glosses, apparently in the handwriting of the Imrei Yosef of Spinka.
"Siddur Rabbi Asher", an Ashkenazi rite siddur, nusach Sefarad, containing Kavanot HaAri - one of the earliest kabbalist siddurim of Chassidic doctrine and of the disciples of the Baal Shem Tov. The siddur was edited by Kabbalist R. Asher son of R. Shlomo Zalman Margolioth of Medzhybizh, one of Holy Group of disciples of R. Yisrael Baal Shem Tov, and a leading Torah scholar of the famous Brody Kloiz.
The siddur was printed in Lviv in 1787, in the printing press of Rabbi Shlomo Yarush [who printed the first edition of Noam Elimelech that same year. The workers of that printing press were known for their great holiness, being of the hidden tsaddikim of the generation]. The siddur opens with approbations by Brody Torah scholars and approbations of Rabbi Yissachar Dov of Zolochiv and Rabbi Moshe of Pshevorsk, etc.
The history of this printing began about seven years previously, with the 1781 printing of a siddur with Kavanot HaAri in Zhovkva, encouraged by the Brody Kloiz kabbalists, later known as the "Siddur Chachmei HaKloiz". This was the first siddur with kabalistic kavanot printed in that region, and evolved from the dissemination of kabbalah in the area by the Brody scholars and by the disciples of the Baal Shem Tov. From the day this siddur was published, Rabbi Asher toiled in the study of its sources: the Ari's writings, Sefer HaYichudim, Pri Etz Chaim, manuscript of the siddur of the Chassid Kabbalist R. Shabtai of Raşcov, etc. He labored to correct all mistakes and revise the content to perfection. In his introduction, R. Asher writes about the Siddur Chachmei HaKloiz that "the first time can never be perfect". He explains that he permitted himself to revise it because he was a disciple of Kabbalist R. Chaim Sanzer of Brody, studying in particular "this true awesome wisdom", and also his teacher proofread this siddur, "therefore, I was able to edit and revise it".
The owner of this copy, R. Yosef Meir Weiss, author of Imrei Yosef of Spinka (1838-1909), was the first Spinka Rebbe, predecessor of the dynasty of Spinka rebbes. A prominent Torah scholar and Chassid, disciple of the Maharam Ash, Rabbi of Uzhhorod (Ungvár) and others. He was close to the Sar Shalom of Belz, to R. Menachem Mendel of Vizhnitz and to R. Chaim of Sanz, author of Divrei Chaim. However, his primary rebbe was his relative, R. Yitzchak Isaac of Zhydachiv - the Mahari, who considered R. Yosef Meir his most illustrious disciple.
In 1870, his teacher the Mahari of Zhydachiv appointed him rebbe, but he refused to act as rebbe during his teacher's lifetime. Only in 1876, after R. Chaim of Sanz ordained him rebbe, did he begin receiving Chassidim in his hometown Săpânța, in the Maramureş region. His name quickly spread throughout Hungary and Galicia and thousands of Chassidim became his disciples, among them many prominent Torah scholars, such as Rabbi Shalom Mordechai Schwadron the Maharsham of Berezhany, and others.
He was reputed for his amazing proficiency in revealed and hidden Torah. The Spinka Chassidism preserved the Zhydachiv version of prayer and conduct. His fervent prayers inspired the Chassidic multitudes, and are described as prayers with superhuman exertion. Stories are told of the amazing wonders he performed, through his blessings and counsel which were given with Ruach HaKodesh. His son, the Mahari of Spinka, attests that "his blessings worked many wonders and that many childless women bore children as a result of his prayers and his prayers cured the ill… I can almost say that every word which was emitted from his holy mouth was answered…". After his death, his grave is renowned as a site for prayer and deliverance. In 1972, his remains were brought to Eretz Israel and buried in the special plot of Spinka Chassidim in the Segulah cemetery in Petach Tikva.
His only son, Rabbi Yitzchak Isaac Weiss (1875-1944, Encyclopedia L'Chassidut, pp. 379-380), succeeded his father as Spinka Rebbe. During World War I, he moved to Mukachevo and from there to Selish, which thereafter became the new center of Spinka Chassidism. He and most of his family perished in the Holocaust. His book Chakal Yitzchak miraculously survived and was printed.
Volume 1 (of three volumes). [1] handwritten leaf, [214] leaves (the three volumes are composed of [398] leaves). This copy of Vol. 1 lacks the title page and the following leaf. Part of the title page was replaced with a handwritten copy, with a large open tear. 17.5 cm. Condition of leaves varies. Some are in good condition and some in fair condition. Stains. Wear and coarse tears to bottom margins of many leaves, affecting text. Contemporary leather binding, partially detached and worn.
Important kabbalistic and Chassidic siddur, a faithful source for the kabbalistic teachings of the disciples of the Baal Shem Tov and of the kabbalists of their days.
This is the copy of the first Spinka Rebbe, author of Imrei Yosef, and of his son, author of Chakal Yitzchak.
The title page was replaced with a handwritten copy. This leaf bears the signatures of Rebbe "Yosef Meir son of R. Shmuel Zvi of Mukachevo" and of his son "Yitzchak Isaac son of Pere[l]". The endpaper before the title page and the leaf following the title page, bear the stamps of the Rebbe, author of Imrei Yosef: "Yosef Meir Weiss - Rabiner Szaplancza".
On the leaves of the siddur are several handwritten kabbalistic glosses, apparently in the handwriting of the Imrei Yosef of Spinka.
"Siddur Rabbi Asher", an Ashkenazi rite siddur, nusach Sefarad, containing Kavanot HaAri - one of the earliest kabbalist siddurim of Chassidic doctrine and of the disciples of the Baal Shem Tov. The siddur was edited by Kabbalist R. Asher son of R. Shlomo Zalman Margolioth of Medzhybizh, one of Holy Group of disciples of R. Yisrael Baal Shem Tov, and a leading Torah scholar of the famous Brody Kloiz.
The siddur was printed in Lviv in 1787, in the printing press of Rabbi Shlomo Yarush [who printed the first edition of Noam Elimelech that same year. The workers of that printing press were known for their great holiness, being of the hidden tsaddikim of the generation]. The siddur opens with approbations by Brody Torah scholars and approbations of Rabbi Yissachar Dov of Zolochiv and Rabbi Moshe of Pshevorsk, etc.
The history of this printing began about seven years previously, with the 1781 printing of a siddur with Kavanot HaAri in Zhovkva, encouraged by the Brody Kloiz kabbalists, later known as the "Siddur Chachmei HaKloiz". This was the first siddur with kabalistic kavanot printed in that region, and evolved from the dissemination of kabbalah in the area by the Brody scholars and by the disciples of the Baal Shem Tov. From the day this siddur was published, Rabbi Asher toiled in the study of its sources: the Ari's writings, Sefer HaYichudim, Pri Etz Chaim, manuscript of the siddur of the Chassid Kabbalist R. Shabtai of Raşcov, etc. He labored to correct all mistakes and revise the content to perfection. In his introduction, R. Asher writes about the Siddur Chachmei HaKloiz that "the first time can never be perfect". He explains that he permitted himself to revise it because he was a disciple of Kabbalist R. Chaim Sanzer of Brody, studying in particular "this true awesome wisdom", and also his teacher proofread this siddur, "therefore, I was able to edit and revise it".
The owner of this copy, R. Yosef Meir Weiss, author of Imrei Yosef of Spinka (1838-1909), was the first Spinka Rebbe, predecessor of the dynasty of Spinka rebbes. A prominent Torah scholar and Chassid, disciple of the Maharam Ash, Rabbi of Uzhhorod (Ungvár) and others. He was close to the Sar Shalom of Belz, to R. Menachem Mendel of Vizhnitz and to R. Chaim of Sanz, author of Divrei Chaim. However, his primary rebbe was his relative, R. Yitzchak Isaac of Zhydachiv - the Mahari, who considered R. Yosef Meir his most illustrious disciple.
In 1870, his teacher the Mahari of Zhydachiv appointed him rebbe, but he refused to act as rebbe during his teacher's lifetime. Only in 1876, after R. Chaim of Sanz ordained him rebbe, did he begin receiving Chassidim in his hometown Săpânța, in the Maramureş region. His name quickly spread throughout Hungary and Galicia and thousands of Chassidim became his disciples, among them many prominent Torah scholars, such as Rabbi Shalom Mordechai Schwadron the Maharsham of Berezhany, and others.
He was reputed for his amazing proficiency in revealed and hidden Torah. The Spinka Chassidism preserved the Zhydachiv version of prayer and conduct. His fervent prayers inspired the Chassidic multitudes, and are described as prayers with superhuman exertion. Stories are told of the amazing wonders he performed, through his blessings and counsel which were given with Ruach HaKodesh. His son, the Mahari of Spinka, attests that "his blessings worked many wonders and that many childless women bore children as a result of his prayers and his prayers cured the ill… I can almost say that every word which was emitted from his holy mouth was answered…". After his death, his grave is renowned as a site for prayer and deliverance. In 1972, his remains were brought to Eretz Israel and buried in the special plot of Spinka Chassidim in the Segulah cemetery in Petach Tikva.
His only son, Rabbi Yitzchak Isaac Weiss (1875-1944, Encyclopedia L'Chassidut, pp. 379-380), succeeded his father as Spinka Rebbe. During World War I, he moved to Mukachevo and from there to Selish, which thereafter became the new center of Spinka Chassidism. He and most of his family perished in the Holocaust. His book Chakal Yitzchak miraculously survived and was printed.
Volume 1 (of three volumes). [1] handwritten leaf, [214] leaves (the three volumes are composed of [398] leaves). This copy of Vol. 1 lacks the title page and the following leaf. Part of the title page was replaced with a handwritten copy, with a large open tear. 17.5 cm. Condition of leaves varies. Some are in good condition and some in fair condition. Stains. Wear and coarse tears to bottom margins of many leaves, affecting text. Contemporary leather binding, partially detached and worn.