Auction 74 - Judaica - Books, Manuscripts, Rabbinical Letters, Ceremonial Art
Sipurei Maasiot by Rabbi Nachman of Breslov – Early and Rare Edition – First Edition in Yiddish Only – Segulah for Fertility
Opening: $4,000
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Sipurei Maasiot, "That which we have merited hearing from our holy rabbi, the hidden light, R. Nachman", tales related by R. Nachman of Breslov, recorded by his disciple R. Natan of Breslov. [Lviv, ca. 1850]. Yiddish. Early, rare edition.
Bound with four books of homiletics and ethics in Yiddish (see details below).
The first edition of Sipurei Maasiot was printed by R. Natan of Breslov in 1815 or 1816, in Ostroh or Mohyliv. In that edition, the tales were printed in two languages: in Hebrew (at the top of the page) and in Yiddish (at the bottom of the page), following the explicit directives of R. Nachman of Breslov, as described by R. Natan in his introduction to the book: "Once, he disclosed that he wants to publish a book of tales, and said to a group of people: I intend to print a book of tales, in the Holy Tongue on top and in Yiddish below" (R. Nachman originally told these tales in Yiddish and R. Natan translated them into Hebrew). The second known edition was apparently prepared for print by R. Natan (who added a second foreword). However, it was only printed after his death (in 1845), by one of his disciples, in Lviv, ca. 1850, and was entitled "Sipam" (see next item). The "Sipam" edition was also a bilingual edition. The present edition, printed in Yiddish, is the first monolingual edition of the book. Throughout the years, other monolingual editions were printed in Yiddish and in Hebrew.
This edition is not listed in the Bibliography of Hebrew Book, nor is it listed by Gershom Scholem in his bibliography of Breslov books titled Eleh Shemot (Jerusalem 1928). The place and date of printing do not appear on the title page. In all likelihood, it was printed in Lviv, however, the date of printing remains obscure. Friedberg (in Beit Eked Sefarim) surmises that it was printed around 1820, i.e. during the lifetime of the author and publisher R. Natan of Breslov (Moharnat; d. 1845), making it the second edition of Sipurei Maasiot. However, it is more likely that this edition was printed ca. 1850. It was probably printed around the time that the second known edition ("Sipam", also dated ca. 1850) was printed. The style of the title page border and typeface corresponds with that of books printed in Lviv in 1840-1850. In summary, this is the second or third edition of Sipurei Maasiot and the first monolingual (Yiddish) edition (see: M. Piekarz, Chassidut Breslov: Chapters in the Life of its Founder, in its Writings…, Jerusalem 1995, pp. 185-186).
Rare copy. To the best of our knowledge, one copy lacking two leaves (11-12) is held in the NLI, and another copy is held in the Schocken Institute library. No other copies are known to us.
This edition has several variations and omissions in comparison to the first edition. Among them: Maaseh BeBaal Tefillah is not printed in this edition, only part of Maaseh MiBen Melech V'Shifcha is printed with a brief ending. The publisher added a note that at that place, R. Nachman wrote lengthy kabbalistic thoughts, however, none of those who heard these teachings could understand their profound depth. Maaseh of Seven Butlers and the first part of Maaseh MiBen Melech V'Shifcha, as well as the introduction on the title page were all printed with slight textual variations and omissions.
The headings printed at the top of the pages – the names of the stories, are another innovation of this edition. These titles do not appear in the first edition printed by R. Natan and were first printed in this edition and in the "Sipam" (Sipurei Maasiot) edition (in identical wording). The names of the stories in this edition differ from the names printed in later editions. For example: Maaseh MiZvuv VeAkavish appears under the title Maaseh B'Melech SheKavash Kama Milchamot, Maaseh MiChiger is titled Maaseh MiChacham, etc.
Another interesting difference appears in the concluding passage. In the first edition and in all following editions, at the end of the last story, is the following sentence: "…Who can fathom the tiniest extremity, one of thousands of thousands… of the wonderful awesome lofty allusions of this awesome story [of the seven butlers] which is replete with profound secrets…". In this edition, the sentence was changed to plural: "…Awesome lofty secrets… of these awesome stories [i.e. all the stories contained in the book] which are replete with profound secrets…".
R. Nachman himself is cited as describing the importance of printing these tales in Yiddish and that this is a segulah for fertility: "His will was that these stories be printed in our spoken language, Yiddish, and he said then that it is likely that a barren woman will read a story and hence merit bearing children" (Chayei Moharan, 25).
R. Nachman described the lofty profundity and holiness of his stories: "Each thought of these stories has esoteric intent… and [the stories] are intensely amazing and awesome and have superlative hidden profundity. They are fitting to be told and explained publicly in synagogues" (cited from the introduction of R. Natan to Sipurei Maasiot). These stories are sacred to Breslov Chassidim and after the Shabbat morning prayers, sections are read in public. Throughout the generations, the stories have been explained in multiple ways with kabbalistic interpretations producing extensive literature by Breslov Chassidim about Sipurei Maasiot.
18, 21-22, 21-42, 45-48 leaves (complete copy, misfoliated). 24.5 cm. Wide margins. Fair-good condition. Stains and wear.
Bound with four Yiddish books:
• Nachlat Tzvi, compilation of ethical sayings from the Zohar translated into Yiddish, according to the order of the weekly Torah portions, by R. Tzvi Hirsch Chotsh of Krakow. Unidentified edition. 12, [130] leaves. Without title page.
• Kav HaYashar, kabbalistic ethics, by R. Tzvi Hirsch Kaidanover, translated into Yiddish. Iaşi, 1858. 58, 60-79 leaves (lacking leaf 59).
• Kehal Chassidim, stories about tzaddikim, by R. Aharon Walden, translation into Yiddish. Unidentified edition. [3], 59 leaves. Lacking last leaf.
• Kol Yaakov, on the Five Megillot, by R. Yaakov Kranz – the Maggid of Dubno, translated into Yiddish. Lviv, 1873. [26] leaves. Lacking final 16 leaves.
Five books bound together. Approx. 24 cm. Condition varies. Damaged binding.
Bound with four books of homiletics and ethics in Yiddish (see details below).
The first edition of Sipurei Maasiot was printed by R. Natan of Breslov in 1815 or 1816, in Ostroh or Mohyliv. In that edition, the tales were printed in two languages: in Hebrew (at the top of the page) and in Yiddish (at the bottom of the page), following the explicit directives of R. Nachman of Breslov, as described by R. Natan in his introduction to the book: "Once, he disclosed that he wants to publish a book of tales, and said to a group of people: I intend to print a book of tales, in the Holy Tongue on top and in Yiddish below" (R. Nachman originally told these tales in Yiddish and R. Natan translated them into Hebrew). The second known edition was apparently prepared for print by R. Natan (who added a second foreword). However, it was only printed after his death (in 1845), by one of his disciples, in Lviv, ca. 1850, and was entitled "Sipam" (see next item). The "Sipam" edition was also a bilingual edition. The present edition, printed in Yiddish, is the first monolingual edition of the book. Throughout the years, other monolingual editions were printed in Yiddish and in Hebrew.
This edition is not listed in the Bibliography of Hebrew Book, nor is it listed by Gershom Scholem in his bibliography of Breslov books titled Eleh Shemot (Jerusalem 1928). The place and date of printing do not appear on the title page. In all likelihood, it was printed in Lviv, however, the date of printing remains obscure. Friedberg (in Beit Eked Sefarim) surmises that it was printed around 1820, i.e. during the lifetime of the author and publisher R. Natan of Breslov (Moharnat; d. 1845), making it the second edition of Sipurei Maasiot. However, it is more likely that this edition was printed ca. 1850. It was probably printed around the time that the second known edition ("Sipam", also dated ca. 1850) was printed. The style of the title page border and typeface corresponds with that of books printed in Lviv in 1840-1850. In summary, this is the second or third edition of Sipurei Maasiot and the first monolingual (Yiddish) edition (see: M. Piekarz, Chassidut Breslov: Chapters in the Life of its Founder, in its Writings…, Jerusalem 1995, pp. 185-186).
Rare copy. To the best of our knowledge, one copy lacking two leaves (11-12) is held in the NLI, and another copy is held in the Schocken Institute library. No other copies are known to us.
This edition has several variations and omissions in comparison to the first edition. Among them: Maaseh BeBaal Tefillah is not printed in this edition, only part of Maaseh MiBen Melech V'Shifcha is printed with a brief ending. The publisher added a note that at that place, R. Nachman wrote lengthy kabbalistic thoughts, however, none of those who heard these teachings could understand their profound depth. Maaseh of Seven Butlers and the first part of Maaseh MiBen Melech V'Shifcha, as well as the introduction on the title page were all printed with slight textual variations and omissions.
The headings printed at the top of the pages – the names of the stories, are another innovation of this edition. These titles do not appear in the first edition printed by R. Natan and were first printed in this edition and in the "Sipam" (Sipurei Maasiot) edition (in identical wording). The names of the stories in this edition differ from the names printed in later editions. For example: Maaseh MiZvuv VeAkavish appears under the title Maaseh B'Melech SheKavash Kama Milchamot, Maaseh MiChiger is titled Maaseh MiChacham, etc.
Another interesting difference appears in the concluding passage. In the first edition and in all following editions, at the end of the last story, is the following sentence: "…Who can fathom the tiniest extremity, one of thousands of thousands… of the wonderful awesome lofty allusions of this awesome story [of the seven butlers] which is replete with profound secrets…". In this edition, the sentence was changed to plural: "…Awesome lofty secrets… of these awesome stories [i.e. all the stories contained in the book] which are replete with profound secrets…".
R. Nachman himself is cited as describing the importance of printing these tales in Yiddish and that this is a segulah for fertility: "His will was that these stories be printed in our spoken language, Yiddish, and he said then that it is likely that a barren woman will read a story and hence merit bearing children" (Chayei Moharan, 25).
R. Nachman described the lofty profundity and holiness of his stories: "Each thought of these stories has esoteric intent… and [the stories] are intensely amazing and awesome and have superlative hidden profundity. They are fitting to be told and explained publicly in synagogues" (cited from the introduction of R. Natan to Sipurei Maasiot). These stories are sacred to Breslov Chassidim and after the Shabbat morning prayers, sections are read in public. Throughout the generations, the stories have been explained in multiple ways with kabbalistic interpretations producing extensive literature by Breslov Chassidim about Sipurei Maasiot.
18, 21-22, 21-42, 45-48 leaves (complete copy, misfoliated). 24.5 cm. Wide margins. Fair-good condition. Stains and wear.
Bound with four Yiddish books:
• Nachlat Tzvi, compilation of ethical sayings from the Zohar translated into Yiddish, according to the order of the weekly Torah portions, by R. Tzvi Hirsch Chotsh of Krakow. Unidentified edition. 12, [130] leaves. Without title page.
• Kav HaYashar, kabbalistic ethics, by R. Tzvi Hirsch Kaidanover, translated into Yiddish. Iaşi, 1858. 58, 60-79 leaves (lacking leaf 59).
• Kehal Chassidim, stories about tzaddikim, by R. Aharon Walden, translation into Yiddish. Unidentified edition. [3], 59 leaves. Lacking last leaf.
• Kol Yaakov, on the Five Megillot, by R. Yaakov Kranz – the Maggid of Dubno, translated into Yiddish. Lviv, 1873. [26] leaves. Lacking final 16 leaves.
Five books bound together. Approx. 24 cm. Condition varies. Damaged binding.
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Chassidic Books