Auction 61 - Rare and Important Items
Sipurei Maasiot by Rabbi Nachman of Breslov - Early and Rare Edition - First Edition in Yiddish Only - Segula for Fertility
Opening: $5,000
Unsold
Sipurei Maasiot, by R. Nachman of Breslov, "That which we have merited hearing from our Holy Rabbi, the Hidden Light, R. Nachman". [Lemberg, ca. 1850]. Yiddish. Early rare edition.
Bound with four books of homilies and ethics in Yiddish (see details below).
Sipurei Maasiot was first printed by R. Natan of Breslov in 1815 in Ostroh or Mogilev. The tales in this edition were printed in two languages: in the Holy Tongue (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 R. Natan writes in his introduction to the book: "Once, he imparted to me that he wants to publish a book of tales written at the top in the Holy Tongue and at the bottom in a foreign language" [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 to it a second introduction), however, it was only printed after his death (in 1845), titled "Sipam" (acronym of Sipurei Maasiot) by one of his disciples in Lemberg, circa 1850. It was also a bilingual edition.
The edition of the book offered here, 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 Ele Shemot (Jerusalem 1928). The place and date of printing do not appear on the title page. In all likelihood, it was printed in Lemberg, 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; died in 1845), making it is 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. It is noteworthy that the title page frame and lettering are in the style of books printed in Lemberg during 1840-1850. In summary, this is the second or third edition of Sipurei Maasiot and the first monolingual (Yiddish) edition (see: M. Fikazh, "Chassidut Breslov: Chapters in the life of its founder…", Jerusalem 1996, pp. 185-186).
Rare copy. To the best of our knowledge, one copy is held in the NLI, which lacks two leaves (11-12), and another copy is held in the Schocken Institute Library. We do not know of any other copies.
This edition has several variations and omissions in comparison to the first edition. Among them: Maase BeVaal Tefillah is not printed in this edition, only part of Maase B'Ven 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. Maase of Seven Butlers and the first part of Maase B'Ven Melech V'Shifcha, as well as the introduction on the title page were all printed with slight linguistic variations and omissions.
Another novelty of this edition are the titles (names of the stories) printed at the top of the pages. 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 we know in later editions. For example: Maase M'Zvuv V'Akavish appears under the title Maase B'Melech SheKavash Kama Milchamot, Maase M'Chiger is titled Maase M'Chacham, etc.
Another interesting variation appears in the ending 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 perimeter one of thousands of thousands… of the wonderful awesome lofty allusions of this awesome story [of the seven butlers] which is abundant with deep 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 full of deep secrets…".
R. Nachman himself is cited as describing the importance of printing these tales in Yiddish and that this is a segula for fertility: "His will was that these stories be printed in our spoken Yiddish language, and he said that it is easily possible 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, mispaginated). 24.5 cm. Wide margins. Fair-good condition. Stains and wear.
Bound with four Yiddish books:
· Nachlat Zvi, compilation of ethical sayings from the Zohar translated into Yiddish, according to the order of the weekly Torah portions, by R. Zvi Hirsch Chotesh of Krakow. Unidentified edition. 12, [130] leaves. Without title page.
· Kav HaYashar, kabbalistic ethics, by R. Zvi Hirsch Kaidanover, translated into Yiddish. Iaşi, 1858. 58, 60-79 leaves (lacking leaf 59).
· Kehal Chassidim, stories about tsaddikim, 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 Dubner Maggid, translated into Yiddish. Lemberg, 1873. [26] leaves. Lacking the last 16 leaves.
Five books bound together. Approx. 24 cm. Condition varies. Damaged binding.
Bound with four books of homilies and ethics in Yiddish (see details below).
Sipurei Maasiot was first printed by R. Natan of Breslov in 1815 in Ostroh or Mogilev. The tales in this edition were printed in two languages: in the Holy Tongue (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 R. Natan writes in his introduction to the book: "Once, he imparted to me that he wants to publish a book of tales written at the top in the Holy Tongue and at the bottom in a foreign language" [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 to it a second introduction), however, it was only printed after his death (in 1845), titled "Sipam" (acronym of Sipurei Maasiot) by one of his disciples in Lemberg, circa 1850. It was also a bilingual edition.
The edition of the book offered here, 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 Ele Shemot (Jerusalem 1928). The place and date of printing do not appear on the title page. In all likelihood, it was printed in Lemberg, 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; died in 1845), making it is 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. It is noteworthy that the title page frame and lettering are in the style of books printed in Lemberg during 1840-1850. In summary, this is the second or third edition of Sipurei Maasiot and the first monolingual (Yiddish) edition (see: M. Fikazh, "Chassidut Breslov: Chapters in the life of its founder…", Jerusalem 1996, pp. 185-186).
Rare copy. To the best of our knowledge, one copy is held in the NLI, which lacks two leaves (11-12), and another copy is held in the Schocken Institute Library. We do not know of any other copies.
This edition has several variations and omissions in comparison to the first edition. Among them: Maase BeVaal Tefillah is not printed in this edition, only part of Maase B'Ven 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. Maase of Seven Butlers and the first part of Maase B'Ven Melech V'Shifcha, as well as the introduction on the title page were all printed with slight linguistic variations and omissions.
Another novelty of this edition are the titles (names of the stories) printed at the top of the pages. 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 we know in later editions. For example: Maase M'Zvuv V'Akavish appears under the title Maase B'Melech SheKavash Kama Milchamot, Maase M'Chiger is titled Maase M'Chacham, etc.
Another interesting variation appears in the ending 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 perimeter one of thousands of thousands… of the wonderful awesome lofty allusions of this awesome story [of the seven butlers] which is abundant with deep 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 full of deep secrets…".
R. Nachman himself is cited as describing the importance of printing these tales in Yiddish and that this is a segula for fertility: "His will was that these stories be printed in our spoken Yiddish language, and he said that it is easily possible 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, mispaginated). 24.5 cm. Wide margins. Fair-good condition. Stains and wear.
Bound with four Yiddish books:
· Nachlat Zvi, compilation of ethical sayings from the Zohar translated into Yiddish, according to the order of the weekly Torah portions, by R. Zvi Hirsch Chotesh of Krakow. Unidentified edition. 12, [130] leaves. Without title page.
· Kav HaYashar, kabbalistic ethics, by R. Zvi Hirsch Kaidanover, translated into Yiddish. Iaşi, 1858. 58, 60-79 leaves (lacking leaf 59).
· Kehal Chassidim, stories about tsaddikim, 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 Dubner Maggid, translated into Yiddish. Lemberg, 1873. [26] leaves. Lacking the last 16 leaves.
Five books bound together. Approx. 24 cm. Condition varies. Damaged binding.