Bidspirit auction | Manuscript by Rabbi Yehudah Leib

Manuscript by Rabbi Yehudah Leib of Linitz, Editor of Teshuot Chen and Shivchei HaBesht – Sayings of the Baal Shem Tov and His Disciples – Including Original Letter of Approbation Handwritten and Signed by Rebbe Mordechai Dov Twersky of Hornostaipil, With Letters Signed by His Sons and Son-in-Law - Manuscript, Chassidic novellae by R. Yehudah Leib dayan of Linitz, disciple of Rebbe Gedaliah of Linitz author of Teshuot Chen, publisher of his teacher's Teshuot Chen and editor of Shivchei HaBesht. [Linitz (Illintsi), ca. 1830s-1840s]. Bound with an original letter of approbation handwritten and signed by Rebbe Mordechai Dov Twersky of Hornostaipil, with letters from Rebbe Mordechai Dov's sons and son-in-law. Complete work, recently published in a book titled Beit Lechem Yehuda (Monsey, 2020), containing sayings of the Baal Shem Tov and his leading disciples, the first generation of Chassidic Tzaddikim, including: the Maggid of Mezeritch (pp. 27a-b), the Mochiach of Polonne (p. 24a), R. Yaakov Shimshon of Shepetovka (p. 61b), R. Chaim of Krasna (p. 80a), R. Yosef of Kaminka (p. 26b, citing the Baal Shem Tov), R. Menachem Nachum of Chernobyl author of Meor Einayim (p. 101b, see below), R. Ze'ev Wolf of Zhitomir author of Or HaMeir (p. 6a), R. Gershon of Lutsk (p. 101a) and others. The author also quotes sayings of his father R. Dov Ber, shochet of Linitz, author of Shivchei HaBesht. The manuscript contains novellae on all the Torah portions, followed by several novellae on Shir HaShirim, short notes on the Mishnah and halachic responsa on the waiting period for widows and divorcees, laws of Torah scrolls and novellae on the Rambam. The manuscript also contains two Segulot in the name of the Baal Shem Tov: On p. 80a: ”A Segulah for building the house which I received from the late R. Yosef of Kaminka who received it from the Baal Shem Tov…”. On p. 101b: ”A tradition I received from R. Menachem Nachum for someone whose children are dying young, deriving from the Baal Shem Tov…”. In addition, the manuscript contains a fragment of the Shivchei HaBesht which was meant to have been included in the book but was eventually omitted (see sidebar). The present manuscript was copied by a scribe who was apparently a relative of the author R. Yehudah Leib of Linitz. In two places (pp. 41a and 110a), the scribe signs his name: ”Shmuel Bernstein of Linitz”, or ”Bernstein” (R. Yehudah Leib Linitz's grandson in male line was R. Avraham Ze'ev Bernstein, who served as Rabbi of Linitz). One of the homilies in the present manuscript, on Parashat Bo, was printed in the introduction of R. Yehudah Leib of Linitz to Teshuot Chen by R. Gedaliah of Linitz, disciple of the Baal Shem Tov, in Berditchev 1816. Teshuot Chen was edited by R. Yehudah Leib, close disciple of R. Gedaliah of Linitz. In his renowned introduction to this book, R. Yehudah Leib writes among other things in praise of his teacher R. Gedaliah. The abovementioned homily on Parashat Bo was printed as part of the introduction. In the present manuscript, this homily is copied in the appropriate Torah portion, and at the end of the manuscript the scribe copied the rest of R. Yehudah Leib's introduction with this homily omitted. After R. Yehudah Leib's introduction, the scribe also copied part of the introduction of R. Shmuel Yehudah, son of R. Gedaliah of Linitz, to Teshuot Chen (the scribe only copied the part relating to R. Yehudah Leib and omitted the rest of the introduction relating to other people). These sections of the introductions were copied from the printed edition. The present manuscript later came into the possession of a descendant of R. Yehudah Leib, R. Nachum Pinchas Rabinowitz, who planned the publication and printing of the book. This is evidenced by the leaf bound at the end of the manuscript containing a letter of approbation handwritten and signed by Rebbe Mordechai Dov Twersky of Hornostaipil, who writes that ”R. Nachum Pinchas… brought a pearl from there… the manuscript of his ancestor R. Yehudah Leib of Linitz, who wrote an introduction to Teshuot Chen… and his grandson wishes to publish and print them…”. In this approbation Rebbe Mordechai Dov praises the present work: ”Pure words refined sevenfold, exciting Jewish hearts and souls, pleasant to those who study them, sweeter than honey and honeycomb…”. He blesses those assisting in the printing: ”And may the merit of the author, whose lips will be moving in the grave and will be alive in both worlds, protect his grandson and those assisting him…”, and he writes that he will purchase a copy when it is published. With this leaf are bound additional leaves, including additional letters handwritten and signed by R. Mordechai Dov's sons and son-in-law, also committing to purchase a copy of the book after it is printed. The present item contains letters from his sons R. Elimelech Aharon of Krasna, R. Yehudah Leib of Hornostaipil and R. Baruch David of Kalinkavichy, and his son-in-law R.