Bidspirit auction | Or HaGanuz LaTzaddikim — Inscribed

Or HaGanuz LaTzaddikim — Inscribed by the Imrei Yosef of Spinka ZY”A Or HaGanuz LaTzaddikim, by R’ Aharon HaKohen of Zhelichov and Apta — “melukat mi’seforim u’mi’pi sofrim kedoshei elyon… u’vo mevu’aros hanhagos ha’Chassidus u’middos ha’yesharos she’mevu’arim b’chol sifrei ha’tzaddikim” (lashon ha’sha’ar). The sefer draws extensively upon the Tanya, and in nearly every parshah cites from it directly, building his explanations upon its foundations. First printed in 1800, approximately four years after the printing of the Tanya. Before us is the second edition — Lemberg, 1851. On the sha’ar appears an inscription in the ksav yad of the Rebbe, the Imrei Yosef of Spinka ZTzok”l: “Chanani Hashem bazeh — Yosef Meir” The Imrei Yosef of Spinka R’ Yosef Meir Weiss, Baal Imrei Yosef of Spinka (1838–1909), founder of the Spinka dynasty, was the son of R’ Shmuel Tzvi Weiss, Av Beis Din of Munkatch. A gadol in Torah and Chassidus, he learned under R’ Shmelke of Selish, Baal Tzror HaChaim, and was close to many gedolei Admorim, especially R’ Yitzchak Eizik of Ziditchov, who held him among his foremost talmidim, speaking with him daily at length in divrei chochmah v’yirah and learning with him in the seforim ha’kedoshim. In 1870, his Rebbe, the Mahari”a of Ziditchov, urged him to assume the mantle of Admor, but he refused to accept chassidim while his Rebbe was alive — and only did so after being instructed by the Divrei Chaim. His tefillos were renowned, and many sought him for berachah and yeshuah, as he became known as a baal mofes. R’ Aharon HaKohen — Compiler of Early Chassidic Teachings R’ Aharon HaKohen of Zhelichov and Apta (see Encyclopedia L’Chassidus, vol. I, p. 157) was the mechaber of Kesser Shem Tov, the well-known collection of teachings from the Baal Shem Tov, and of the siddur Tefillah Yesharah – Kesser Nehora. His sefer Or HaGanuz LaTzaddikim was originally printed anonymously.